Question about toxic sea slug

[AdamNC]

So checking out my tank tonight after lights out I find a Grey Side-Gilled Sea Slug Pleurobranchaea maculata. Do a little searching online and looks identical to this:

Apparently New Zealands most toxic slug and it's about the size of a silver dollar. My wife said she has seen it before but thought nothing of it until I just told her about seeing it and I showed her the pic and she verified that that is what she has seen also.

How bad is this to have in my tank?

 

[Bongo Shrimp]

Do you have any pics? Many sea slugs look alike so it could be several different species. In terms of toxicity, it is only toxic if you ingest it. It is an opportunistic carnivore that prefers anemones but can adapt to other foods in captivity- if that is indeed the species you have.

 

[pagojoe]

I can just about guarantee you that is not the slug you have in your tank.


Don

 

[AdamNC]

I can just about guarantee you that is not the slug you have in your tank.


Don

Not to sound like a smart a** but how can you guarantee?

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

The chance of it being that toxic slug is extremely slim. What you probably saw was a harmless Elysia species of sea slug which are very common hitchhikers.

 

[Bongo Shrimp]

The chance of it being that toxic slug is extremely slim. What you probably saw was a harmless Elysia species of sea slug which are very common hitchhikers.

This is what I was thinking too. If you have any pics we might be able to confirm which species it actually is.

 

[AdamNC]

I tried to get a quick iPhone pic but it moved too fast out of the light before I could get it to focus. I've been searching for it every night since. Are there any decent red light flashlight brands that anyone can recommend?

 

[Betta132]

I think you can just get any good flashlight and cover the lens in red glass or red tissue.

 

[pagojoe]

Sorry, I was on vacation. I can just about guarantee it is not that slug because a) New Zealand doesn't export live rock and b) it's a cold-water animal.

 

[AdamNC]

Well that's a good thing then, just wish it would come out again so I can grab a pic of it.

 

[pagojoe]

This one is exported, and shows up pretty often as a hitchhiker:

https://www.google.com/search?q=ber...bih=714&dpr=0.9#tbm=isch&q=berthella+stellata