Id this please slug, nudi ??

[leventis72]

Just noticed it today on the wall and glass
Is it good or bad for my fowlr tank
Thanks

 

[LeslieH]

That's just the underside of a limpet, genus Scutus. There are lots of photos of them here on RC.

 

[rssjsb]

So, Leslie, what is the thinking on what these guys eat?

I've always thought they were really cool looking, but (as with so many other critters out there) there seems to be a lack of consensus on whether they're "safe" with corals.

 

[LeslieH]

It really depends on the species. Most limpets are harmless grazers on micro-algae or sessile inverts like sponges & bryozoans. There's one very cool genus out here on the North America west coast - Placiphorella - that has an oral hood which it uses to trap amphipods & small worms for food.
http://biology.fullerton.edu/biol461/im/ft/ft05-31.html

Generally Scutus are regarded as safe algae grazers. Some people have found them on soft corals & suspect they were indeed eating them. In nature they may not ever eat corals but in the limited area of a tank they can't roam about to find fresh food when their preferred food runs out. In that case limpets - or just about any other invert - will start tasting other items.

 

[rssjsb]

It really depends on the species. Most limpets are harmless grazers on micro-algae or sessile inverts like sponges & bryozoans. There's one very cool genus out here on the North America west coast - Placiphorella - that has an oral hood which it uses to trap amphipods & small worms for food.
http://biology.fullerton.edu/biol461/im/ft/ft05-31.html

That is cool. It looks like a chiton/slug mashup.

Generally Scutus are regarded as safe algae grazers. Some people have found them on soft corals & suspect they were indeed eating them. In nature they may not ever eat corals but in the limited area of a tank they can't roam about to find fresh food when their preferred food runs out. In that case limpets - or just about any other invert - will start tasting other items.

Sounds like me when my husband/chef is away. Cereal over the sink!