Aquarium finds - unlocalised, unidentified
This is a place for unidentified species found in aquaria and for which we have no good information on where they came from. Often 'unlocalised' specimens can be identified and in those cases the mesages are linked to te relevant species Fact Sheets.
Authorship detailsRudman, W.B., 2006 (August 28) Aquarium finds - unlocalised, unidentified. [In] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/unidentaq
Related messages
Purple nudibranch in aquarium
October 26, 2006
From: Nishan Ragoonanan
Hi,
I've recently set up a reef aquarium (two months old) and a few days ago, my girlfriend noticed a purple slug crawling around. He seems to have made his home in some green star polyps. He's about half an inch long and moves really slowly. About once a day from what we can tell, he'll explore the aquarium and then come back to "nest" in the coral. Since he's been there the polyps haven't been opening. Can anyone provide an id on him and tell me if he's reef safe. Also how do we keep him alive? My girlfriend loves him.
Thanks much
Locality: Houston, Tx, USA, Reef Aquarium, Aug 17th, 2006. Length: half inch
Nishan Ragoonanan
trinichild@houston.rr.com
Ragoonanan, N., 2006 (Oct 26) Purple nudibranch in aquarium. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/17643Dear Nishan.,
This is a tritoniid. Have a look at some of the species on the Species List in the family Tritoniidae. They all feed on soft corals so I suspect the animal arrived in your aquarium on some soft coral, which I am afraid it will be eating. I can't give it a name as there are still many problems in identifying memebers of this family, and not knowing just where in the world your animal came from, doesn't make identification any easier. I hope you and your girlfriend can reach an accomodation between her love of the nudibranch and your love of your soft corals.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Another mystery creature in my aquarium!
September 1, 2006
From: Daniel LaRose
Dear Bill,
I wrote you last week about a slug in my reef aquarium, but didn't have a good picture for you to ID it with. From my verbal discription you said it was most likely a type of Elysia. Well I finally got a couple good shots of my Elysia and was wondering if you could further ID it as to which exact species. Also I have observed one or more Elysia babys hanging out in my mermans brush since I last wrote you.
Now this morning while scouring my tank looking for the Elysia I found this unknown rather large creature slithering slowly between rocks in my tank. It looks to me like some form of invert but as to what I have no clue. This is my first time seeing this thing in my tank, as said above its rather large and I have no clue where it came from or how long its been in my tank. It is about maybe 3-4 inches in diameter, has been slithering between rocks. I'm unsure of where the head is or the exact shape of it as I havent seen it in the open. I havent had much time to observe it before this message so I can't even describe any behaviors of it. Attached are going to be 3 pics, 2 of my mysteria Elysia and 1 of the new mystery creature. If possible could you let me know if this thing is reef safe, please.
Locality: Albany, less than 1 meter, New York, United States, home reef aquarium, 30 August 2006, reef aquarium, found on bottom under rocks. Length: 3-4 inches in diameter. Photographer: myself.
Thanks in advance,
Dan
dlarose@nycap.rr.com
LaRose, D., 2006 (Sep 1) Another mystery creature in my aquarium!. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/17693
Dear Dan,
Thanks for these photos of the Elysia. For those of you who can't find Dan's earlier message it's not on the Forum. To speed things up I deal with some messages by email - especially impossible identifications. I am afraid Dan, that although I can tell they are of a species of Elysia, I can't say much more. One problem is that 'live rock' in aquariums can come from anywhere so we can't be sure where your animals came from. The 'mermaids brush' algae suggests that they are Caribbean in origin, but if you look at the various discussions on Caribbean Elysia on the Forum it's quite difficult to identify Caribbean species even with close-up photos and even live specimens. So I can't say anything more than a species of Elysia. If it likes your algae and you don't mind it eating them, then it certainly is worth keeping in your aquarium.
Your new animal is a flatworm. I wouldn't advise you to keep it in your aquarium if you want to have other small invertebrates like snails or even crustacea, as it will eat them. It may also start eating colonial animals like ascidians and perhaps cnidarians as well.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
Mystery slug in aquarium
November 29, 2001
From: Regina Barrera
Hello, I noticed in my tank some yellow "slugs" (I think) on the glass. Now there seems more of them then before. They look like yellow logs with two large atennae. I'd like to know what they are and if they are reef safe? Sorry for the quality of the photo
Thanks Ahead!
Regina
rbarrera@lee.edu
Barrera, R., 2001 (Nov 29) Mystery slug in aquarium. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/5760Dear Regina,
It seems to be a species of Elysia. If you want to see some variety, have a look at the Species List for photos and information on a numnber of different species of Elysia. They are herbivores which have probably hitched a ride on some green algae or an algal covered rock. They may not survive in your aquaria but I can't imagine them doing any harm.
Cheers,
Bill Rudman
