reefpeace Posted January 15, 2006 Share Posted January 15, 2006 I found this critter living in a little hole in my LR a while ago. It never seems to move but I got the flashlight out last night and found it out and about in the dark. I am just curious to know if anyone can ID it from the photo attached. There are about 20 or more legs, the body is oval and very thin, the size is about 1/2" or so long, and the appearance is mainly white. Thanks for the help! Link to comment
reefpeace Posted January 15, 2006 Author Share Posted January 15, 2006 chiton Thanks for the quick ID, bowfront26. I have just tried to do a quick read on them on the net but did not find a whole lot. I looked on the NR forums and found a few hits and it seems that they are nothing to worry about..true/false? Will it get big? Link to comment
bowfront26 Posted January 15, 2006 Share Posted January 15, 2006 if it is a chiton, i had a couple in my tank never bothered anything. I say chiton just from the pic but in your description you mention legs but chitons are like snails no legs:). how many segments on the shell? Link to comment
reefpeace Posted January 15, 2006 Author Share Posted January 15, 2006 if it is a chiton, i had a couple in my tank never bothered anything. I say chiton just from the pic but in your description you mention legs but chitons are like snails no legs:). how many segments on the shell? Well, it is small and I can not see it that well since it hides in the rock. It does not look exactly like all of the other Chiton ID's but it really appears to have short legs spaced evenly all the way around it. I can not get a better picture with my current camera. If I was to guess on # of segments, I would say 6. Link to comment
bowfront26 Posted January 15, 2006 Share Posted January 15, 2006 hmmm probably something else Link to comment
SCUBALeah Posted January 15, 2006 Share Posted January 15, 2006 In anwser to your earlier question Chitons are nothing to worry about. Link to comment
Angel Posted January 15, 2006 Share Posted January 15, 2006 I thought it was a chiton also, but the legs threw me off. Can you get a better pic? Link to comment
c est ma Posted January 15, 2006 Share Posted January 15, 2006 Here's a picture of a hitchhiking chiton I found a few months back. It's not the best pic, taken through a 12X loupe, but may look a little like yours. Perhaps what you think are legs are just the white shell regularly interrupted by black markings? BTW, it's not always easy to count all 8 segments... --Diane Link to comment
reefpeace Posted January 15, 2006 Author Share Posted January 15, 2006 Perhaps what you think are legs are just the white shell regularly interrupted by black markings? BTW, it's not always easy to count all 8 segments... --Diane I will try and get a better shot tomorrow and will take a closer look. Maybe I an throwing everyone off with the statement about legs... Link to comment
Caesar777 Posted January 16, 2006 Share Posted January 16, 2006 Chiton or isopod, then. Does it move slowly, like a snail? That'd mean chiton. Link to comment
reefpeace Posted January 28, 2006 Author Share Posted January 28, 2006 OK, here is a way better picture. This guy finally came out under the lights in a place where I could get a good shot. For my own curiosity and education, is the consensus still "Chiton"? Link to comment
RayWhisperer Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 Chiton, those aint legs, just markings around the edge. No problem, harmless. Link to comment
Gili Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 thats a chiton alright - ive got a couple of them too.. You can see them on rocks at low tide at the beach too, and they can grow to 2-3inches in length - good algae eaters Link to comment
c est ma Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 Great picture! Great hitchhiker! I see mine only rarely, at night, but when I do they usually look as if they've grown... BTW, I recently found a nice picture of hitchhiker chitons on Melev's web site: http://www.melevsreef.com/id/collonista.jpg --Diane Link to comment
reefpeace Posted January 28, 2006 Author Share Posted January 28, 2006 thats a chiton alright - ive got a couple of them too.. You can see them on rocks at low tide at the beach too, and they can grow to 2-3inches in length - good algae eaters 3 inches ...I hope it won't get that big in my tank! Link to comment
sierrafoxtrot1 Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 yeah, ive got two of those in my tank.....i swear i thought they were trilobites first time i saw em....they dont seem to really do anything,just move slowly around the rockwork Link to comment
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