What in the World is this Creature. ID Please

[Str8linespeed]

Sitting in front of the tank having my coffee this morning, I decided to get the flashlight out and play I spy with my little eye. Well, this thing caught my attention, hidden deep inside one of my rocks. I could only get a pic of this one side. The center (with the lines) would retract down and the flaps would close up. On the back side of it, it has a lot of spines. Its black/greyish in color and the flaps are see through. Its about 2" long. What in the world is this thing???

 

[SeaCucumberFan]

Does it move around or stay in place? Can you take it out and put it on something? I've never seen anything like it, but it could be, just maybe, be a tunicate of some sort.

But I am an idiot

 

[Str8linespeed]

Well this is the first time I have ever seen it. I even had to wake my wife up and have her come out and look at it. Since this is the first time I've seen it, I've only seen it duck back into the hole that its in. Like I said deep inside the rock. I have no way to get to it unless I break the rock apart.

I looked up a Tunicate and its definitely not that. This thing reminded me of a Nudibranch or some sort of creature that will crawl around, but has not come out of the rock, as far as I know.

 

[SeaCucumberFan]

Can you get a video of it retracting or moving around the flappy flaps?

 

[Str8linespeed]

How do you upload videos??

 

[SeaCucumberFan]

Just put a youtube link

 

[Str8linespeed]

Well this is my first video ever uploaded to You Tube. It took me some time to figure it out. Hope this helps some, you can kind of see the spines Im talking about in this video. Sorry its hard to get a good video of it, since this thing doesnt like the light so much and I couldnt get the camera to focus.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ih4-ja0o0xo&feature=youtu.be

 

[SeaCucumberFan]

Wow! Very interesting! Looks like something I would want for my tank. Perhaps a bivalve of some kind?

 

[Str8linespeed]

Its pretty dang cool, I have to say! Its been in my tank for about 3 months and none of my fish or corals have been ate or missing. It seems reef safe so far. I sure would like to see more of it!

 

[SeaCucumberFan]

Its pretty dang cool, I have to say! Its been in my tank for about 3 months and none of my fish or corals have been ate or missing. It seems reef safe so far. I sure would like to see more of it!

Please give me updates via this thread, visitor messages, or PMs

 

[jeperry3]

Does it stay in one place or move around. The way it moves and the "spines" make me think of a Black Nudibranch. Hard to tell from the pictures and video.

 

[ssick92]

I can't really say I've ever seen anything like that before, but it does like kind of nudibranch-ish, but the video makes it look more like a filter feeder of some sort.

 

[Str8linespeed]

Please give me updates via this thread, visitor messages, or PMs

Definitely

Does it stay in one place or move around. The way it moves and the "spines" make me think of a Black Nudibranch. Hard to tell from the pictures and video.

I've checked on it a few times today. Its still in the same location, but has come further out of the hole its in. Although it has not changed its orientation. It still looks the same as in the pics. Looking at the pic you posted the spines do look close to what it is.

I can't really say I've ever seen anything like that before, but it does like kind of nudibranch-ish, but the video makes it look more like a filter feeder of some sort.

If it changes its position I will be sure to post another picture. Just thinking if this could be the bottom of it. Does anybody have a picture of the bottom of a nudibranch? I cant seem to find one on google.

 

[fishchef]

What is this?

What is this?

You should post on " Other Invertebrates." A broader group of RC.

 

[Str8linespeed]

Ok curiosity got the best of me. this is from the other side of the hole it is in. Or course it retracted into the hole, but this part was sticking out. It did have little spines/ hairs that are brownish. Pics are again not the best since it was hard to hold the rock and take the pic at the same time.

 

[Str8linespeed]

You should post on " Other Invertebrates." A broader group of RC.

Will do, thanks for the suggestion.

 

[jeperry3]

After that picture I'm changing my answer to - no idea.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Joshua I.]

I belive he is just a harmless sea slug if I'm right he will only eat sponges

 

[Str8linespeed]

Ok, so I turned the rock around in the tank. Thank gosh its the top display rock!

I watched it for awhile from the other side. It does appear to be a Bivalve of some sort. It looks like it has 2 halves that open up. I was able to reach in with a tweezers to feel if it was hard or soft. As soon as I touched it looked like it closed 2 halves and retracted into the rock. Once closed, I touched the shell and it has a hard shell. It also seemed to be stuck in place. Like it was attached somehow.... Hmmm, The mystery's of our hobby! This is why I love this stuff!

I've tried Googling Mollusks, Clams, Scallops and still no luck with anything that resembles this.

 

[SeaCucumberFan]

Can you get a pick of the "bivalve proof"?