ID Please

[manfred]

Hi all,
Name is Fred, live at Regina Beach. New to the reef hobby.
Set up tank about a month ago. Started with live sand, live rock (from Bayside Corals, Saskatoon) and most recently the clean-up crew. I was shocked to find what I think is a really big hitch-hiker on the live rock, it must have been hiding for all these weeks in my tank. It decided to make it's debut today and has been slithering around the tank at a fast pace. I would really appreciate if anyone could ID it. My concerns are: will it be harmful to corals, anemones or any future inhabitants in the tank? If safe to keep, does it need to be fed?
Thanks.

[fishytime]

First off.....welcome to Canreef!:biggrin:......

looks like some sort of cucumber to me......

[chris88]

i was going to say cucumber as well but that thing is pretty long in the third pic.

[fishytime]

some species can grow to about a foot long or more.....if I remember correctly:wink:

[Flash]

it's a chiton! totally safe!

[chris88]

from all of the pictures i have just looked up chitons have a sedmented shell covering and do not grow long. after looking at pics i am pretty sure its a sea cucumber but i am not an expert when it comes to hitch hikers.

[fishytime]

are you sure Lyndsy????.....I didnt find an exact match when I Googled it but from the pic the OP posted you can see that what ever it is, is smooth....with no "plates" like a chiton has???.....

chiton
http://www.google.ca/search?q=chiton&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=uc6&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&prmd=ivns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=640bTqa_MMPkiAK-4rzRBQ&ved=0CEIQsAQ&biw=1280&bih=861

sea cucumber
http://www.google.ca/search?q=sea%20cucumber&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi&biw=1280&bih=861

[manfred]

Hi all,

Thanks for your comments. Still puzzled but it gives me some basis for research. Further comments welcome.

[ScubaSteve]

I was going to say some sort of chiton or relative of... but that things is huge! Only answer I can give you at the moment is: WTF?

But I'll look in some ID books when I get home as I am curious and admittedly slightly creeped out.

[Flash]

yup i am sure! we get them as hitch hikers all the time on certain live rock shipments!

[poleyc]

Hi all,

Thanks for your comments. Still puzzled but it gives me some basis for research. Further comments welcome.

Thats one hell of a hitchhiker, to be honest i'm kind of jealous lol.
Welcome to Canreef and Saskreef. There's lots of good people on both sites that are always happy to help.
P.s. Colby is my favorite LFS (Bayside)

[ScubaSteve]

Found it. It's definitely a chiton. It is a Cryptolax sp.

[poleyc]

Found it. It's definitely a chiton. It is a Cryptolax sp.

Here's a link to a decent write up
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/chitonfaqs.htm

[manfred]

Found it. It's definitely a chiton. It is a Cryptolax sp.
You nailed it! Thanks so much. Hoping it won't crawl into my bed!!!!!

Fred