unknown hitchiker

[North Bay 101]

I know we all have seen posts about "What is it?" This guy is really strange. Grab onto your seat for here it is......

The white part is very sticky-snoty. When I first saw him in the tank, it looked like he was eating a asterina. I have not added any rock in almost 3 years. He must of come in with a coral?
Any guesses?

 

[an-sps]

how big is it and is there only one. it looks like a mass of several.

 

[North Bay 101]

Sorry, forgot to say how big the mass is... about the size of a Kennedy half dollar. It is good sized. There is only one in the custard cup.

 

[an-sps]

That is crazy looking I have no idea. Maybe some sort of nudibranch or flat slug or something. It is weird. Do the human thing and kill the alien before you know what it wants. JK

 

[MiddletonMark]

Sure looks like a nudibranch/flatworm to me.

 

[North Bay 101]

Mark, Not to be "funny" can flatworms not be flat? I thought about a nudi but there isn't a head/stalk. Maybe one of the night folks will know what it is.

 

[nanoreef58]

what ever it is it is awesome looking! I would definitely quarrantine it till you get an id

 

[Sk8r]

I'm voting nudi. Go to tridacia crispata and its relatives at saltcorner.com. I don't think it's this precise species, but probably a relative.

 

[sps_addict]

It's a polyclad flatworm. Get rid of it. They do not and will not benefit the system. They are predatory flatworms feeding on invertebrates or clams.

Ie. you may notice that snails may go missing/dying in your tank.

 

[Johnsteph10]

Agree with sps-addict.

Polyclad flatworms often lack the features found on nudis like the "head"/stalk.

They are predatory on snails/clams/crabs, etc. Good ID sps_addict.

 

[North Bay 101]

Thanks Guys for the ID. Yes most of my snails and crabs are gone. I attributed it to the Interceptor treatment that I just completed. I just can't figure out when it got into my system. I haven't added any rock in years and everthing else added has been frags or clams. This guy must of been around in my tank for quite some time.

 

[marine_freak]

HEY! HEY! HEY! GOODBYE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GET RID OF IT!!!!!!!

 

[melev]

North Bay, that is a very interesting specimen. I'd love to add it to my ID page. Did you take more pictures of it? Do you still have it? Can you put a penny in the picture near it for a size comparison?

The look of it reminds me of the mantle of a clam. They are designed this way to blend in and hide as they devour your pet.

 

[Reefflections]

Yep,I found 2 of these in my system the last couple of months also.At least you can "see" these guys,compared to the Acro Flatworms.I have a feeling they might hitch a ride when they are very small.Then chow down,and seem to appear only at night.Never see them when the lights are on.I found mine when using a flash light.A strange critter for sure.To bad he couldn't stay for awhile.