Who's got chitons?

[Stephany]

Do you have any pics?
From what I've read, depending on the species (which there are seemingly... a gazillion and two) most eat algae.
Although nobody says if its coralline algae or not...

I would think to be a possibility beacuse they live ON the rocks.
Some, eat crabs, worms, dead stuff, etc...

Anyone have any experiences with them?

[_ShotgunShrimp_]

i think everyone has them . they just are reclusive.. mine live in my sandbed and will appear once in a blue moon... but there cool :D

[Blugobi]

I know they eat Acrylic...I have the teeth marks to prove it... :)

[Gary Majchrzak]

I'll bet that I have the biggest Chiton in the URS. I guarantee that you wouldn't even recognize it as a Chiton. Sucker is fast, too. It's freaky.

I also have a lot of the typical smaller Chiton species. They're in my sump and skimmer as well as the aquarium. I like 'em- they clean the system.

[nwrogers]

Photo and info on here...

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/chitonfaqs.htm

I wish I had one : )

[Spartan]

I have three types purple, deep red, and a mottled white. No idea what species. They are all pretty small. Not sure if they are eating diatoms only or coralline or both, but since they are not causing an noticeable harm and look cool I leave them alone.

[Kent E]

Mine are slow and small. It fresked me out when I first saw one. It looks like it would be a bad thing.

Gary, can you show us your big chiton?

[Gary Majchrzak]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6876719#post6876719 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Kent E

Gary, can you show us your big chiton?
I've been trying to get a good pic of it but it's nocturnal and it moves fast.
Do a google image search of Cryptoplax.
Amazingly, some Chiton expert heard that I had Chitons in my aquarium and wondered how I managed to keep them alive! :lol:

[Stephany]

I got a picture this morning!
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d99/Steffcia/Tank/PhotoContest071.jpg

[Gary Majchrzak]

Hmmm. Very different. Nice picture. Nocturnal critters are hard to photograph, Steph.

[Kent E]

Okay, Gary and I were able to catch this thing after many hours of stalking and tearing the rocks apart. This thing is Huge! I thought Gary was "playing a prank" or over-stating the size of it, then when I saw it I nearly freaked out.

Here is a pic of Gary holding the monster! He is braver than I ever could be.
http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/img/environment/bigisopod.jpg


Here is a close-up
http://rmbr.nus.edu.sg/news/images/20060513-bathynomus_cf_gigas.jpg

Come to find out, almost all of these can grow to this size in a matter of a year or two. If you have them just keep an eye out.

[Gary Majchrzak]

Kent- I told you to keep quiet about those things. Now nobody will want my frags! :lol:

Seriously, The Shedd Aquarium in Chicago once had a display with huge Isopods like this in it.

[Jamie2337]

I am not a squemish person, but if I saw one that size in my tank...I would never sleep well again!

:rollface:

[SuzLucky]

That's bigger than some of our tanks.

[Stephany]

Wow.......

You're so BRAVE Kent. lol

[Gary Majchrzak]

Got a pic. Here's one of my two Cryptoplax chitons. This guy is about 4" long and moves really quickly (for a chiton).
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y270/gary334/IMG_1721keeper.jpg

[Kent E]

Yuck!

Unbelievable! Great picture.

[Gary Majchrzak]

Thanks, Kent. Night time pics are more challenging than daytime ones!

[RandyO]

Cool picture Kent. But you have the wrong Phylum. That looks like it belongs in the Arthropoda Phylum. Probably a crustacean.

Chitons are part of the Mollusca Phylum.

Interestingly enough, all Arthropoda are made up a hard substance called Chitin. I believe both Chitin and Chiton are pronounced the same.
Chiton = 'kî-t & n, 'kî-"tän
Chitin = 'kî-t & n

[Kent E]

Randy, it was a joke. Cool about the pronunciation, I was pronouncing it "chi" as in china and "ton" as in cruton.

[RandyO]

No worries Kent. :)
I knew it was, but I think others might not have picked up on it.

I'm not the Arthropod police, just a friendly reefer.

[Kent E]

k

[Stephany]

Very neat picture Gary!
I think it's cool how you can't see any definition of the plates that make up the chiton's body. I can't see mine either; does that brown oval coloration go all the way down the middle of its back Gary?

I actually believe I may have two as well. It was a bit smaller than the one I first pictured.

[Gary Majchrzak]

The plates are small on this species of Chiton. The coloration goes all the way down it's back.

[Stephany]

Got a better pic, thought I should resurrect the thread.
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d99/Steffcia/Tank/ChitonResized1.jpg
And after disturbing (poking) at the blasto: :D
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d99/Steffcia/Tank/ChitonResized2.jpg

[Gary Majchrzak]

I don't know if Stephany or her Chiton are still around but my Cryptoplax sure are. These Chitons are reclusive and nocturnal making sightings far and few in between. This one's been in my system for over a decade now. I caught it trying to hide on my algae magnet yesterday

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y270/gary334/Cryptoplax1.jpg

disturbed and rapidly moving downwards for cover
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y270/gary334/Cryptoplax2.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y270/gary334/Cryptoplax3.jpg

[low riderr]

so thats what they are, cool

[E_rock]

freaky