I have no idea what I just saw!

Snoopdog

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I am not new to just seeing some strange creature in a tank. I have had reef tanks long enough to not be surprised on seeing something that I did not purchase many years after setting up my tank. Things I find are normally small though, not massive. Last night while scoping out the tank before going to bed my GF starts yelling "look, look, now!". I took my red flashlight and shined it where she was looking and my job dropped. It happened so quickly there was absolutely no way to get a picture. I will try to describe this thing, pretty easy to do.

So it was flat and ruffled, much like how a Nudibranch looks and moves. Flatter than what I see as a Nudibranch, same ruffles and movement pattern though. This thing was almost 2" inches a cross though and I have no idea how long but at least 6 inches long, likely a foot. My tank is not but 60 gallons so on the rock it looked massive, hence the jaw drop. It was leaving one hole in the rock and going under the rock into another hole, quickly. We look at the tank a few times a week at night looking for things and after a year, this is the first time seeing this. We have no missing corals or fish, I have no idea what it eats. As far as coloring, hard to tell because of the red lights but my guess would be a brown or grey, mottled coloring. Any ideas?
 

ScottR

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I am not new to just seeing some strange creature in a tank. I have had reef tanks long enough to not be surprised on seeing something that I did not purchase many years after setting up my tank. Things I find are normally small though, not massive. Last night while scoping out the tank before going to bed my GF starts yelling "look, look, now!". I took my red flashlight and shined it where she was looking and my job dropped. It happened so quickly there was absolutely no way to get a picture. I will try to describe this thing, pretty easy to do.

So it was flat and ruffled, much like how a Nudibranch looks and moves. Flatter than what I see as a Nudibranch, same ruffles and movement pattern though. This thing was almost 2" inches a cross though and I have no idea how long but at least 6 inches long, likely a foot. My tank is not but 60 gallons so on the rock it looked massive, hence the jaw drop. It was leaving one hole in the rock and going under the rock into another hole, quickly. We look at the tank a few times a week at night looking for things and after a year, this is the first time seeing this. We have no missing corals or fish, I have no idea what it eats. As far as coloring, hard to tell because of the red lights but my guess would be a brown or grey, mottled coloring. Any ideas?
Any pics? But sounds like a polyclad flatworm based on your description.
 

vetteguy53081

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Siphoning up usually rids of them but do inspect tank and coral daily for presence of eggs which are tiny
 
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Snoopdog

Snoopdog

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Siphoning up usually rids of them but do inspect tank and coral daily for presence of eggs which are tiny

I saw a video of a guy on Youtube that had a trap with one in it. I really wish I could find that trap. I will just construct something tonight though. From what I read they like clams and mussels.

 
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This look like the same trap?


1611677633758.png
 

CMMorgan

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If he hides in the holes of the rock, why not remove the rocks and dip them? Maybe he'll fall out?
photo report GIF
 

High pressure shells: Do you look for signs of stress in the invertebrates in your reef tank?

  • I regularly look for signs of invertebrate stress in my reef tank.

    Votes: 24 34.3%
  • I occasionally look for signs of invertebrate stress in my reef tank.

    Votes: 17 24.3%
  • I rarely look for signs of invertebrate stress in my reef tank.

    Votes: 12 17.1%
  • I never look for signs of invertebrate stress in my reef tank.

    Votes: 17 24.3%
  • Other.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
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