Strange worm with hard body!! What is it??

[deucey]

Last night I was looking at my tank with just the moon light on......I noticed a "worm" about 1/2in in lenght and maybe a 1/4 wide....it is realy flat and rises up in the center and the riased spot is longways on its body with an equal amout of flat area around it totally.....it stays on the one piece of rock and moves very slowly...it has like a spoted brown/grey/whiteish appearence....you guys ever seen anything like this and if so what could it be?? Thanks in advance!!

 

[uncle fester]

Only thing I can think of that MAY remotely look like what you're describing sounds like a chiton. Did it look like this?
<a href="http://www.reefs.org/hhfaq/pages/picture_pages/faq_chiton.html" target="_blank">http://www.reefs.org/hhfaq/pages/picture_pages/faq_chiton.html</a>

 

[susiepan]

Uncle Fester, what are those, are they good, bad Ive got about 4 so far in my tank....I figured they were just hitch hikers on my LR..
What do you know about them and are they safe for reefs??????
Thanks
~Sue <img src="graemlins//eek.gif" border="0" alt="[eek]" />

 

[taku]

Not to worry they are a nice addition to your reef tank. I have several as well. Here's more information on them:
<a href="http://www.animalnetwork.com/fish2/aqfm/1999/aug/wb/default.asp" target="_blank">http://www.animalnetwork.com/fish2/aqfm/1999/aug/wb/default.asp</a>

 

[bt_1999_66]

One day I was looking at my LR.... and I said... I know that Coraline does not move like snails do...!
I was a Purple segmented Chiton.... followed it for about 45 minutes, thus they move very slow.
This was about 6 months ago... Never seen him again... I do have about 145-165 lbs of lr, and lots of coraline....

 

[deucey]

That is exactly what it is.....Thanks Uncle Fester and Taku.....mine is alittle different color but that is it!!...So are they bad in anyway....do they multiply?....Thanks guys.....HAPPY REEFING!!

 

[uncle fester]

Dunno about the multiplying thing. The sources I've seen state that they will eat coralline algae. however, they do so VERY slowly in my experience. In my opinion, when they clear a spot new coralline usually grows there just as fast.

 

[deucey]

Well cool thanks for the help....know I know what this critter is!! YAY!