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FAQs on Chiton Compatibility
Related Articles: Chitons,
Mollusks, Sea Slugs,
Related FAQs: Chitons 1, Chitons
2,& FAQs on: Chiton Identification,
Chiton Behavior, Chiton Selection,
Chiton Systems, Chiton Feeding,
Chiton Disease, Chiton Reproduction
& Mollusks,
Sea Slugs, Sea Slugs,
Marine Snails 1, Marine Snails 2,
Marine Snails 3, | 
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Chiton Questions 3/26/04
Hello Bob, I am a member at Reef
Aquarium Guide and I am trying to find information if there is possible
a bad hitchhiker Chiton that can arrive on live rock.
<hmm... Chitons
are overall very very "reef safe" as algae grazers. Limpets are often
confused with Chitons and can be predatory no reef animals. Are you sure
it is a Chiton?>
I have a 125 gallon reef . I watched as my post
prized zoanthids disappeared over a few days time. The rock is mostly
covered in coralline except where the polyps were at. I noticed a
bright pink to purplish bumpy spot on the rock. I watched the rock for
several days and the Chiton finally moved. I took the rock out
immediately and took the Chiton off.
<yes perhaps>
I had 2 huge
rock with polyps disappear in 2 days time. The Chiton was the only thing
on the rocks. Any info you can give me would be great. Vicki
<without a picture of the animal, there is not way for me to be able to
ID/confirm. There are many possible predators on your zoanthids. Do keep
an eye out for prosobranch snails instead of your suspect
polyplacophorid. Anthony>
Chitons in the Reef Tank.
Hello Kind Sirs,
It's been quite
a while since I sought your advice; for the most part things have
been going very good. Low and behold last night I notice a new
inhabitant slowly crawling on my live rock. This little beastie is
about 1.5 inches long with what appears to be a flexible segmented
center shell surrounded by the white and purple mantle. The tank has
been up and running for a couple of years the live rock was from
Walt Smith and has been in there for well over a year. Soft Corals,
cucumber, starfish shrimp and fish all doing fine so I don't think
he's doing any damage??? I've been an avid reader of your website
for quite a while and I don't think I ever seen anything quite like
this guy. He does look pretty cool and I'm guessing some kind of
Chiton. Any idea if he's a good neighbor or should he be banished.
Chuck
>>>Hello Chuck!
I just love those Chitons, one of my
favorite marine inverts. I think it's all the time I've spent
tidepooling over the years and finding those little guys.
Anyway,
no worries. They are algae/surface film grazers for the most part,
and not a threat to your other inverts. You're quite lucky to have
such a large individual, as most hitchhiking Chitons are quite
small. I have several small specimens in my tank currently.
Cheers
Jim<<< |
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Chiton, and possible quarantine 5/27/07
<Hello Kent, Mich
with you today.>
I live in Australia, on the east coast,
<Lucky
you! I live in the USA, on the east coast.>
and today happened upon
a nice piece of dead coral. Thinking I could use it in my tank I will
soon be setting up, I took it home and put it in my QT.
<Starting the right way! Good for you and all the future creatures in
your care!>
Well, now I have a 2-inch chiton crawling around in the
QT, and I was wondering if there would be a problem with introducing it
into my existing tank.
<No, not likely to be a problem.>
I am worried about disease being introduced, but have not seen anything
on this using your site.
<I am unaware of Chitons posing
much threat as a vector for disease.>
Would this be a good idea to
put it straight in?
<I would keep it in your QT tank for
now.>
Thanks for any advice you can give me, really enjoy your site.
<Welcome and glad you like the site! Mich>
Kent
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