ID on giant flatworm

[coral_lagoon]

I always check on my reef at night. To see what kind of organisms lurk. Lastnight I saw this guy. I peeled him off the rock and now he is in my sump. Does anyone know what kind of flatworm this is? The thing is pretty big and has two stumpy antennas on top of his head.. Thanks
http://i483.photobucket.com/albums/rr197/rapid25_2008/flatworm.jpg

[EMV7904]

Looks like it MIGHT be a stomatella? (sorry about spelling) It might be a type of snail that has no shell.

Just a guess from the pic.

[luther1200]

Maybe it some kind of Nudi? But I have seen pic of the giant flatworms, and they look similar to that.

[Elysia]

The predatory polyclad flatworms do not have the rhinophores that seaslugs have. Can you post some additional photos of this creature?

[coral_lagoon]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15420882#post15420882 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Elysia
The predatory polyclad flatworms do not have the rhinophores that seaslugs have. Can you post some additional photos of this creature?

You think its some sort of sea slug?

[EMV7904]

I'm no ID expert, but I don't think this is a flatworm at all. Not only does it not look like one, but you'd see them during the day as well as at night and you'd see more than just one.

[Peter Eichler]

Really need a better photo, if it is in fact a polyclad flatworm it's best to take it out as they're rarely beneficial.

[RRaider]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15421056#post15421056 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by EMV7904
I'm no ID expert, but I don't think this is a flatworm at all. Not only does it not look like one, but you'd see them during the day as well as at night and you'd see more than just one.

Not true at all. I had one large predatory flatworm who had to be in my tank for months undetected. He lived in the holes in the rocks and I only found him when he attacked a snail. I think I killed him by injecting boiling water into the hole in the rock where he retreated but he could possibly still be in my tank.

[Elysia]

Yes, I think that this could be something other than a flatworm. Its not that your photo isn't good, but we just need to see more detail of the animal in question, and possibly from some additional angles. You never know what it is that will give the ID of an animal away. It looks as though the animal has rhinophores, which would suggest a seaslug. If it is truly issolated in your sump, then there is little reason to take draconian measures before the animal is identified.

[rendogg]

Not to say it isn't a slug or nudi but, many Polyclad flatworms have protuberances on their heads similar to rhinophores on slugs and nudis, don't be fooled by its looks.

[briangg57]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15419921#post15419921 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by EMV7904
Looks like it MIGHT be a stomatella? (sorry about spelling) It might be a type of snail that has no shell.

Just a guess from the pic.
x1 He looks like the one I had. not the greatest picture but if it a stomatella, he's a good guy. I haven't seen mine in a while. I hope I still have him. Stomatella snails move pretty fast "for a snail'

[Elysia]

I'm sorry, I should have been clearer. The predatory flatworms often seen in tanks do not tend to have noticable tentacles in the pictures posted here.

Flatworms do have dorsal pseudotentacles, which are often simple folds in the animal's margin, although in some these pseduotentacles are located farther back in the animal's "neck" region. Thanks rendogg for making me check on that further.

Still, a close up image of the animal would be of greater assistance in identifying it.

[coral_lagoon]

Ok heres a zoomed pic of that worm. Hope this helps..

http://i483.photobucket.com/albums/rr197/rapid25_2008/worm.jpg

[rendogg]

Great pic! Looks like a nudibranch of some sort.

[Cbravo212]

Can you smooth back the skin on his back to reveal a white shell. With the two antennas, sort of looks like a scotus. If so, good score, if not....

[briangg57]

Not a stomatella, X1 on the nudi

[pagojoe]

You won't find a shell on that one. As some of the others have suggested it's a nudibranch. It's one of the sponge eaters, so you don't have to worry about it eating anything that's decorative. It likely won't live very long unless you are accidentally growing it's food sponge in your tank. Leave it there and enjoy it while you can.

http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet.cfm?base=dendfuma

Cheers,



Don

[rendogg]

Excellent ID pagojoe! I figured it was a Doris of some type.

[Elysia]

PS -- it was the feathery gills on the back that gave it away as a nudi! Thanks Don. And thanks Coral for the detail of the slug. Don't know if I will ever tire of seeing them.

[coral_lagoon]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15435155#post15435155 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by pagojoe
You won't find a shell on that one. As some of the others have suggested it's a nudibranch. It's one of the sponge eaters, so you don't have to worry about it eating anything that's decorative. It likely won't live very long unless you are accidentally growing it's food sponge in your tank. Leave it there and enjoy it while you can.

http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet.cfm?base=dendfuma

Cheers,



Don

Nice find Don. I have tons of live sponges on my Tampa Bay liverock. Hes defitnetly going to thrive and make it in my system. Thanks pal..

[pagojoe]

No problem, C_L. Elysia is learning fast, she's gonna know everything I know soon, in addition to a lot of stuff I DON'T know, LOL. Keep up the good work!

Cheers,



Don

[Elysia]

And here I thought we could trust Don, but if he makes statements like that....

I'm just advocating good treatment of slugs and Scutus!