What is this in my Reef Tank?!

DHouse · Jul 5, 2023

Afternoon Reefers,

Does anyone know what this is? It kind of looks like a Sea Slug but I'm not sure. Do I need to remove it from my Reef Tank or is it safe?

littlefoxx · Jul 5, 2023

Looks kinda like a lettuce sea slug to me hard to tell under blues. Does it look like this in person?

DHouse · Jul 5, 2023

littlefoxx said:
Looks kinda like a lettuce sea slug to me hard to tell under blues. Does it look like this in person?

It looks just like the live rock that it was on. It is dark in color, camouflaged. I would have never noticed it if I hadn't see the underside being white.

littlefoxx · Jul 5, 2023

DHouse said:
It looks just like the live rock that it was on. It is dark in color, camouflaged. I would have never noticed it if I hadn't see the underside being white.

Its for sure a sea slug or sea hare. I have a dolabella in my tank. This guy looks like a lettuce to me. They need specific algae (you would need to read up on it) otherwise they starve. If it is a lettuce sea slug its harmless

DHouse · Jul 5, 2023

littlefoxx said:
Its for sure a sea slug or sea hare. I have a dolabella in my tank. This guy looks like a lettuce to me. They need specific algae (you would need to read up on it) otherwise they starve. If it is a lettuce sea slug its harmless

Not sure what it is but the last time I added anything to my tank was about 2 weeks ago. So it hitched a ride on a coral that I purchased and it survived being dipped. I'm guessing if it has been in there for two weeks it is eating something. I just don't want whatever it is eating my corals. Thanks for your input.

littlefoxx · Jul 5, 2023

DHouse said:
Not sure what it is but the last time I added anything to my tank was about 2 weeks ago. So it hitched a ride on a coral that I purchased and it survived being dipped. I'm guessing if it has been in there for two weeks it is eating something. I just don't want whatever it is eating my corals. Thanks for your input.

For sure! If it is what I think it is then its reef safe! Maybe someone else can confirm what it is too

DHouse · Jul 5, 2023

littlefoxx said:
Its for sure a sea slug or sea hare. I have a dolabella in my tank. This guy looks like a lettuce to me. They need specific algae (you would need to read up on it) otherwise they starve. If it is a lettuce sea slug its harmless

Not sure what it is but the last time I added anything to my tank was about 2 weeks ago. So it hitched a ride on a coral that I purchased and it survived being dipped. I'm guessing if it has been in there for two weeks it is eating something. Thanks for your input.

littlefoxx said:
Its for sure a sea slug or sea hare. I have a dolabella in my tank. This guy looks like a lettuce to me. They need specific algae (you would need to read up on it) otherwise they starve. If it is a lettuce sea slug its harmless

Here is a better Pic of it.

littlefoxx · Jul 5, 2023

DHouse said:
Not sure what it is but the last time I added anything to my tank was about 2 weeks ago. So it hitched a ride on a coral that I purchased and it survived being dipped. I'm guessing if it has been in there for two weeks it is eating something. Thanks for your input.

Here is a better Pic of it.

Oh weird, not a lettuce slug. It does still appear to be some kind of slug though

littlefoxx · Jul 5, 2023

https://www.inaturalist.org/guide_taxa/421276
Im not seeing the blue on this guy but this slug kinda looks like the pattern on yours

DHouse · Jul 5, 2023

littlefoxx said:
https://www.inaturalist.org/guide_taxa/421276
Im not seeing the blue on this guy but this slug kinda looks like the pattern on yours

The one you just showed is NOT suitable for aquarium keeping. Hopefully this is not that same kind or similar. I have it in a breeder box for right now that is sitting in the tank. I'm not going to let it go in the tank until I know what it is and if it's safe for corals. Thanks for your help.

littlefoxx · Jul 5, 2023

DHouse said:
The one you just showed is NOT suitable for aquarium keeping. Hopefully this is not that same kind or similar. I have it in a breeder box for right now that is sitting in the tank. I'm not going to let it go in the tank until I know what it is and if it's safe for corals. Thanks for your help.

Yeah that one isnt reef safe for sure. Hopefully someone else can ID it better, that was just the closest one I saw on a google search!