Does any one know what this is?

Hi everyone,

I got some live rock about a month ago, and eventually noticed this little slug. Every now and then I get to see him and I finally got a few pictures of him. I have no idea what it is, and whether its good or bad.

Thanks in advance!

Here are the pictures:

 

Im sorry but I cant help on the id but those are some nice clear photos. Someone should be able to help with a picture that clear. Whether good or bad I think its pretty cool looking. Looks like a Welcome to 3reef is in order.

 

don't know what it is or if it's reef safe, but I would remove it until someone here can tell you what it is and if it's reef safe.

 

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that it's a juvenile nudibranch of some sort. This is just an educated guess judging by its vibrant colors and shape

 

Good job on removing it, Nudibranches can do some damage. Sorry cant really answer what it is,

 

It's reef safe, and is a sacoglossan sea slug but not a nudibranch. Pics of the bottom are not all that useful in ID'ing slugs, or snails either for that matter, but the reflection on the side view shows enough to identify it as an elysiid, almost certainly Thuridilla gracilis.

The Sea Slug Forum - Thuridilla gracilis

Cheers,



Don

 

Wow thats it! Thank you Pagojoe, and everyone else for your input. You are all tremendously helpful!

 

Indo Pacific Snails

its not reef safe, scroll down the site

 

What part of Chuck's site that makes you think it's not reef safe, Guru?

 

Let me rephrase that: you're misinterpreting the "safe/not safe" thing to include the ENTIRE section on slugs and nudibranchs. There are many reef safe slugs, including all the sacoglossans.

http://www.seaslugforum.net/showall.cfm?base=thurgrac

From the Feb. 14, 2004 post on the above link:

"I found this little guy in my tank a few days ago. At first he was just hanging out on my back glass, and not moving at all, and now he is moving all over the live rock. My tank is a 20 Gallon High, the Live Rock is Tonga Deep water rock, and there is a 1.5" sand bottom in the tank.

Just curious what htis guy is, and wanted to make sure that he's okay for the tank, thanks for your help.
Marc"

Dr. Rudman's response:

"Dear Mark,
I assume that if it is on Tonga Live Rock then the rock came from Tonga? Your animal is a species of Thuridilla. I am not sure of the species as there is some confusion, at least in my mind, as to just how many species there are. Your animal looks quite like what has been called Thuridilla bayeri, with the blue? spots along the parapodia and the white band on the rhinophores. However if you look at the other photos on this page there seems to be a range of pattern between this and Thuridilla gracilis. I guess we will have to wait until more material is available.

Is it for your tank. Species of Thuridilla are herbivores. I presume it is growing in your tank so I guess its finding thinks to eat. Perhaps it can survive on the green algae covering your live rock. It certainly shouldn't harm other occupants in your aquarum.
Best wishes
Bill Rudman"


Cheers,



Don