ID needed

[ashok sakthivel]

Hi,

I found this under a piece of live rock. Looks like a slug to me. It is about 3 inches in lenght when fully expanded. Is it safe to put back in the aquarium? thanks in advance.

Ashok

 

[sTefaniA]

Polyclad flatworm, not safe, don't put it back! You probably have more, so check your tank.

 

[mndfreeze]

Chances are its not safe but not all polyclads are evil! There are some REALLY pretty ones that would technically be reef safe, btu are near impossible to keep alive due to diet.

But I wouldn't keep it in my tank without an exact ID and dietary requirements.

 

[ashok sakthivel]

What do these eat? All my trochus snails are dead over the past six months, about 30 in number. Could this have been the culprit? I am in the process of dismantling the tank I found the worm. Does inspection of the other rock suffice or is there a better way of finding out if there are more of these.

 

[pagojoe]

Yup. But that's the standard (apparently unnamed) Pericelis species that feeds voraciously on snails and clams. I've never found them in large groups, and in fact it seemed they were solitary on the reefs, but several RC aquarists have found multiples of this species in their tanks. Cool creatures, but tough on cleanup crews.

Cheers,



Don

 

[mndfreeze]

What Don said, though my personal snail killing polyclad looked nothing like yours, but it still killed my snails left and right until I caught the booger.


It was whitish pink with almost geometric lines on it. I see a lot of people with my specific one on here after snail or clam deaths. Yours is different then mine, but probably killed your trochus all the same.

 

[ashok sakthivel]

Cool creature, thats the reason why I did not want to throw it away immediatey. However, there is no other explanation for the rapid loss of the snails. I am carefully inspecting all the other rock I removed to make sure there are no others. I hope that will be enough.

 

[sTefaniA]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2002353

 

[treylane]

.... would it be possible to maintain one of these guys on clams/scallops/something from the grocery store?

 

[mndfreeze]

If you happen to have a polyclad that is a known clam eater, there is a chance you mnight get away with live clams, dunno if they are so specific they only go after the known tropical ones.

 

[AJSTITAN14]

Haha Im with you Marvin. Inverts are awesome. Would love to know if you could keep one alive on frozen food.