What's this...

[Cesar]

I just found a new creature in my tank. I think it's a sea slug but I want to make sure. It's black. It looks like it has wings actually and it has antenas on it's head. I can post a picture when I get home, but does this sound like a Sea Slug?

[Caesar777]

Sounds like an elephant sea slug, harmless. (Not a true nudibranch.) It's kinda big, right, like an inch or so? Slit along its back? But if it's tiny, then it may be something else...

[Cesar]

Yes it's like an inch and a half. So I guess it's pretty big. Last I saw him, it was on the back glass. Not sure if it was eating algae or something like that, but it was moving down towards the sand.

[Caesar777]

Is this him?

 

 

More info:

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

[Cesar]

Yeah that's him alright. Are they safe in my tank?

[MaryHM]

We actually breed them in our main coral systems. I have yet to catch one doing anything bad- and that's after observing them for over 3 years. They generally come out at night and eat algae off the sides of the tanks.

[adinsxq]

thing of nightmares. ew.

[Caesar777]

Yup, great algae-eaters.

[Six]

I believe they can lay eggs on soft coral colonies, like sarcophyton. Im too lazy to do a search to prove that though... LOL.

[Caesar777]

I've heard that they'll eat soft corals, but I haven't experienced that in my own tank. Mary vouches for them, and she has dealt with more corals than most of us have ever seen.