PDA

View Full Version : Question from wildeone about ID

BrianPlankis
10-15-2006, 09:12 AM
Hey all,

I got a PM from Duane and thought I would share the question with everyone. He is looking for an ID on this critter:

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/wildeone/P1010049-1.jpg

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/wildeone/P1010050.jpg

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/wildeone/P1010051.jpg

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/wildeone/P1010052.jpg

Duane knew it is better to remove the critter and take closeup pictures of it, but it was crawling fast for cover, so no time to do that.

The pictures tell us it is a mobile black blob of some sort. Unfortunately it is not clear enough to get beyond that. A couple of possibilities I have seen before would be a Scutus sp. snail (generally considered a good guy, in fact we are looking for those to breed!) or a black nudibranch (could be good or bad). Hopefully Duane can get better pictures and we can go from there.

Brian
Wildeone
10-16-2006, 10:58 AM
I found the lil' guy in my tank again this morning. I attempted to extract and he held on tight! I tried to "slide" him off the rock and he fell down further into one of my caves and got away. I will try again tomorrow morning. He felt as though he was hard, like a stomatella. I have never heald a nudi, but I think they are soft are they not?
BrianPlankis
10-16-2006, 01:19 PM
I found the lil' guy in my tank again this morning. I attempted to extract and he held on tight! I tried to "slide" him off the rock and he fell down further into one of my caves and got away. I will try again tomorrow morning. He felt as though he was hard, like a stomatella. I have never heald a nudi, but I think they are soft are they not?

Yes a black stomatella is another possibility. Nudibranches will generally feel soft, but some of them have a hidden shell that is hard. Just be gentle with him when trying remove him, Stomatellas can die easily from rough treatment.

Brian
PUMA
10-16-2006, 02:10 PM
Looks like it could be a small black scutus, an excellent cleaning critter. These guys can reproduce well in an established aquarium
Wildeone
10-16-2006, 09:42 PM
Here are a few photos. I actually released him back into the tank. After a close inspection, he seems to be a stomatella in my rookie identification. At any rate I have yet to see him on anything except rocks. He does have a hard shell underneath.

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/wildeone/P1010032-3.jpg

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/wildeone/P1010033-2.jpg

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/wildeone/P1010037-2.jpg

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/wildeone/P1010039-1.jpg
BrianPlankis
10-16-2006, 11:23 PM
Yep, I would agree, you have a nice fat healthy looking Stomatella there! Great snails to have.

Brian
PUMA
10-17-2006, 05:30 AM
oh yes stomatella for sure. Good picts
wwest
10-17-2006, 06:58 AM
Very nice duane, the pictures are really good :)