weird hitchhiker

[peachie98]

Okay...this is the second time I've seen this thing at night after my lights go off. At first it appeared as though it was a dark mushroom that only came out without lights.
Tonight though, I shined a flashlight on it and realized it was running away from the light!
I can't take a pic as it won't stay out long enough with light on it.
It is circular shaped..black..about the size of silver dollar. It's definitely soft, no hard shell. The center is almost circular/round like a marble, with the edges soft and moveable (almost like fringes but smooth edge). It's obviously flat underneath and moves along the rockwork, but I don't know if moves as a snail or if it had any little "feet" type things since it was hugging the rock closely.
Definitely no shell or hard outer-part, it almost looked like a cool, smooth, mushroom upon first glance but then you realize it's moving and has the bump in the center (not flat).
Any ideas? It's really cool!

 

[nofish]

slug? just guessing....

 

[tankgeeks]

keyhole limpet??

although they aren't very fast as far as avoiding light being shined on them.

 

[peachie98]

Okay, I caught these pics before the lights went on this morning.
It's a little more oval in shape and definitely has antenna...maybe a slug?
I want to make sure it's not harmful...although with it's size I'd guess not since nothing seems upset in the tank and it's probably been around a while. It seems to just graze or move around on the live rock, not the corals.

 

[peachie98]

It does very closely resemble a black keyhole limpet (after looking up pics online). However, it doesn't have the little shell on it's topside. I wonder if the shell is more inside though...where that line/slit is on it's topside? Last night I coudn't see that slit but did today.
Well...it's pretty cool looking!

 

[teresaq]

its a type of nudibranch I think. not sure the name though-I did see another thread about them.

 

[reefreak29]

elephant slug .....Scutus antipodes

 

[morval]

+1 ON SCUTUS
CHECK IT OUT HERE
http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet.cfm?base=scutus

 

[peachie98]

that's it! cool...seems like it's safe to keep in the tank.

 

[95harley]

I have actually heard that some nudibranch eat aptasia. So nice freebe.

 

[peachie98]

This guy has ended up being the coolest hitchiker ever! He cruises around the tank now during the day (with lights on) and has grown at least 1/4-1/2 inch (hoping he doesn't get too big!).
Gotta love the freebies!

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by 95Harley
http:///forum/post/2664403
I have actually heard that some nudibranch eat aptasia. So nice freebe.

...and some eat leather corals, some eat Zoanthids, some eat blue sponges. Luckily the animal in question isn't a Nudibranch.

 

[peachie98]

Originally Posted by Bang Guy
http:///forum/post/2708501
...and some eat leather corals, some eat Zoanthids, some eat blue sponges. Luckily the animal in question isn't a Nudibranch.
This thing better not touch my leather or zoos!!! (or it's gonna find itself a new home real quick). I don't think it will...it cruises the rocks and now the glass just like the snails do.

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by peachie98
http:///forum/post/2708585
This thing better not touch my leather or zoos!!! (or it's gonna find itself a new home real quick). I don't think it will...it cruises the rocks and now the glass just like the snails do.
What you have is not a Nudibranch so don't worry. Scutus sp. are typically herbivorous grazers eating mostly Diatoms and hair algae. If you put it in the middle of a rock covered in hair algae it will make a clean path of rock as it travels. They're a great hitchhiker.