I think I just found a chiton

[alyssia]

Are these okay in a reef tank?

 

[babyb]

im preaty sure they are, i think they are awsome looking

 

[steve24]

i to have seen two little ones in my tank, i`ve read the eat coraline algea (???)
steve

 

[alyssia]

Thanks, anyone else? I've got it in my fuge for now. Man that thing was hard to pry off the glass and then it tried to curl up.

 

[ophiura]

From your description it roughly sounds right. Often you can count eight plates down the "backside" of a chiton, which is one of the primary characteristics....in some groups these plates are obscured.
In general, they are grazers, and often display an interesting "homing" behavior, returning to the same spot each day. Do you have an acrylic tank? I have now and again heard of them scratching acrylic tanks.

 

[poniegirl]

Do chitons look like little soft top pyramids? Snail looking (sort of) from outside the glass?

 

[ophiura]

Um, that could be a limpet?

 

[poniegirl]

Swell, I'll go look, thank you.
And please excuse my barging, Alyssia!

 

[alyssia]

Originally Posted by PonieGirl
Swell, I'll go look, thank you.
And please excuse my barging, Alyssia!

ha ha, just kidding!

 

[alyssia]

Originally Posted by ophiura
From your description it roughly sounds right. Often you can count eight plates down the "backside" of a chiton, which is one of the primary characteristics....in some groups these plates are obscured.
In general, they are grazers, and often display an interesting "homing" behavior, returning to the same spot each day. Do you have an acrylic tank? I have now and again heard of them scratching acrylic tanks.

I don't have an acrylic tank. Are chitons okay to have in a reef? He was neat looking and if I can pry him back off the glass in my fuge I'd like to put him back in the DT where I can see him.

 

[alyssia]

bump

 

[alyssia]

Chitons are reef safe, right?

 

[rusting]

Theyare reef safe , and are good algea eaters