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Been noticing these little buggers start to multiply over the past 2-4 months.  Any idea what kind of slug they are?  I see them on glass occasionally, but mostly on the rock.  Between these guys, my tang, and foxface - I have no algae.

Corals look great so they don't eat those...

 

 

18783782036_8253194e7d_b.jpg

Based on the mouth, parapodia, color, and general shape, they look like a species of Elysia. You don't have any macroalgae in the system?  Can you post a bigger photo?

(edited)

Based on the mouth, parapodia, color, and general shape, they look like a species of Elysia. You don't have any macroalgae in the system?  Can you post a bigger photo?

 

No macro algae at all in the system.  I have no idea how they even got in there as I haven't added anything new in a long time.

Unable to post a bigger photo as I don't have a macro lens unfortunately.  You don't live too far from me want me to bring you a few?  :laugh:

 

It looks like they eat the crap out of algae that's for sure...

I suspect as the algae gets depleted so will their population?

Edited by Orion

You don't live too far from me want me to bring you a few?  :laugh:

 

It looks like they eat the crap out of algae that's for sure...

I suspect as the algae gets depleted so will their population?

I would love to get a few.  Are they eating hair algae?

forget the slugs for a moment and look how awesome everything looks in the background. good job, bud.

 

ok, ok.. back to the slugs...

forget the slugs for a moment and look how awesome everything looks in the background. good job, bud.

 

ok, ok.. back to the slugs...

:laugh:

 

Must be the slugs.

  • 2 weeks later...

Just checking back in to thank Evan for going to all the trouble to meet up and hand off a bag-o-slugs.  I took them back to the office, shot a few photos and put them in one of the tanks in the hatchery.

 

What I can say is that they are definitely a species of Elysia.  Yaaay!  Below are a few photos that I took before releasing them.  They are small (~7 mm), have big heads, white dots, and stubby rhinophores (the tentacle-things on the head).  

Elysia_sp_7X_65.jpg?zoom=1.5&resize=400%

Elysia_sp_15X_92_062815.jpg?zoom=1.5&res

 

Rummaging through various slug web sites, especially the Sea Slug Forum, my best guess would be E. serca or E. flava from the western Atlantic, or maybe E. obtusa if it is a Pacific species.  I would still love to know how they arrived in your tank.  You didn't get any macroalgae for a fuge or anything like that?

 

They have a smorgasbord of algae to choose from.  We'll see how they do.

 

1826_Unk_062915.jpg?zoom=1.5&resize=299%

 

Thanks again.

 

PS.  Marco's right, the corals in the background look awesome.

Just checking back in to thank Evan for going to all the trouble to meet up and hand off a bag-o-slugs. 

 

Ryan, not Evan.  Not sure where that came from.

 

They are really cute. let me know if they multiply i would be interested

Will do.  

Dave,

 

Thanks for checking them out!

If I had to guess, they are from the Pacific.  As any coral I have added in the last 4-6 months has been from that part of the world.  

 

As I told Dave when meeting with him the population over the last week or two has declined quite a bit.  Many of them were in my filter sock as they have a lot of trouble hanging onto the glass and rock with the fast current in the tank.  We will see if they come back.

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