little trivia again!!

[jlinzmaier]

Found this critter on a coral that had some tissue recession. Never seen these before and was worried it was eating the coral tissue. After some thorough research and asking around I found out what it was.

Can anyone guess what it is?? Is it reef safe?? What's the prize for guessing correctly you ask?? What more could you ask for than a bit of knowledge!! Knowledge is power poeple!!! Well, at least if you see them in your tank you'll know what they are (that's sort of a prize!!).

Here are a few pics of the underside

Pics aren't the best so I'll give a bit of a description (had to take the pics with my camera and a magnifying glass). It has a shell like an armadillo. When disturbed it rolls up like an armadillo. It's about 1/2cm long and 1/4cm wide. Pics are of it in a 30cc medicine cup.

Jeremy

 

[beansandmia]

flat worm, reef safe is my guess, or thumbnail type snail.

 

[jlinzmaier]

Beansandmia is the first to chime in but I'm sorry your incorrect.

To my knowledge, flatworms have flat smooth skin and don't curl up when disturbed. This critter has a rigid shell with many separate peices like an armadillo, allowing it to curl up. It's also a bit large in comparison to most flatworms.

This definately isn't a flatworm, however some flatworms are reef safe and others aren't.

I have no idea what a thumbnail snail is. You'll have to be more specific.

Jeremy

 

[kiowascout]

keyhole limpet?

 

[siropa]

i'd say a limpet as well. hard to tell from the size of the pics.

 

[kiowascout]

oh.... and bad bad bad as far as I know (which aint saying much)

 

[siropa]

I don't think they are all bad. i've had a lot of them in tanks before and never noticed them doing anything bad.

 

[kiowascout]

like I said.... dont know much

 

[Bri Guy]

Ill guess in the Isopod family.

 

[jlinzmaier]

Wow. I've stumped you guys!! Pics are bad though. You should have seen me trying to hold the magnifying glass and camera both in focus to take the pics!!

Limpet is incorrect becuase (as far as I know) they have only one shell. Like I said this critter has serveral little shells like armor which allow it to flex into a ball.

Not an isopod either!! Those are bad. Haven't seen any of those in my tank and I don't want any!!

Few more clues:

This critter is full grown.

Reef safe.

Feeds on microalgae.

Jeremy

 

[jlinzmaier]

Once you guys hear the answer and google some pics you'll see that the pics aren't too bad. This critter merely looks like many others of that size by viewing it only from a pic. It's distinguishing charcteristics are observed as it moves which allows you to see the many layers of the shell.

Jeremy

 

[jlinzmaier]

Here are a few pics which helped me ID this critter.

Jeremy

 

[Tc269]

I have had one of these before, came back to the same place on a certain rock everyday and started to make a hole in the rock .

 

[Bri Guy]

Chiton?

 

[MrSquid]

I had a couple of things that LOOKED like this within days of first setting up my tank. Haven't seen them since then.

 

[Bri Guy]

Im pretty sure im right after googling it after. So lets keep this game going, this one may be a bit harder. I had some but haven't seen any in a long time.

two clues, they are hard, and can move (its alive)

Good Luck!

 

[siropa]

Chiton

 

[jlinzmaier]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14067291#post14067291 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Bri Guy
Chiton?

Correct Bri!!!

Sorry Bill. Your a tad late on that one.

Jeremy

 

[jlinzmaier]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14067365#post14067365 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Bri Guy
Im pretty sure im right after googling it after. So lets keep this game going, this one may be a bit harder. I had some but haven't seen any in a long time.

two clues, they are hard, and can move (its alive)

Good Luck!

I guess a small abalone??

Jeremy

 

[Bri Guy]

No its not a snail.

The underside looks the same as the top.