I've got Chitons!

[metalhead]

Saw a couple of Chitons milling about last night after lights out, pretty darn cool little creatures. I nabbed one off the bottom and put him in a prop tray to get a better look at him and then had a whale of a time trying to get him released. Believe me when I say that when these guys lock on to something they are locked on for real! I finally just put the prop tray in the tank and let him release himself rather than injure him trying to pry him off.

I didn't take a pic but he looks like a regulation Chiton to me or at least judging by other pictures of Chitons I've seen. I've read that all species are reef safe and beneficial to have in the system... Is this true? I've also read that they are very proficient at controlling cyano-bacteria and other algal films.

I also noticed a nice cache of eggs on the rocks in the same vicinity... Could these be Chiton eggs or do they even lay eggs? I really don't know what else they could be other than maybe snail eggs. They are all in one mass, brownish-orange in color and there appears to be a hundred or so.

[mbunakeith]

do you have any pictures? how large are they? i have noticed a couple very small ones in my refugium. they are 7 mm long at best.

[Ninong]

Saw a couple of Chitons milling about last night after lights out...

Congrats!

I've read that all species are reef safe and beneficial to have in the system... Is this true?

As far as I know, they're all grazers. It's possible they might scratch acrylic tank walls but that's also true of urchins and some triggerfish.

I've also read that they are very proficient at controlling cyano-bacteria and other algal films.

I'm not sure about cyanobacteria. Do you remember where you read that? In general, they eat algae, algal films and possibly bacterial films. Also, bryozoans.

I also noticed a nice cache of eggs on the rocks in the same vicinity... Could these be Chiton eggs or do they even lay eggs?

Yes, they lay eggs.

I really don't know what else they could be other than maybe snail eggs. They are all in one mass, brownish-orange in color and there appears to be a hundred or so.

Hmmm... I don't know. The only chiton eggs I have seen are white -- small white capsules (cylinders) that come out the chiton's rear end in a sort of separated string and sort of clump together.

Maybe there are other types of chiton eggs. I really don't know.

[metalhead]

do you have any pictures? how large are they? i have noticed a couple very small ones in my refugium. they are 7 mm long at best.

They're a little over an inch I think, sorry no pics.

[metalhead]

Congrats!


As far as I know, they're all grazers. It's possible they might scratch acrylic tank walls but that's also true of urchins and some triggerfish.


I'm not sure about cyanobacteria. Do you remember where you read that? In general, they eat algae, algal films and possibly bacterial films. Also, bryozoans.


Yes, they lay eggs.

Hmmm... I don't know. The only chiton eggs I have seen are white -- small white capsules (cylinders) that come out the chiton's rear end in a sort of separated string and sort of clump together.

Maybe there are other types of chiton eggs. I really don't know.

Thanks Ninong, I don't remember where I read that exactly or if I am just confused again which is highly probable. I'll let you know if I run across it again.

Turns out what I thought was a clump of eggs is some kind of crazy looking anemone... almost looks like some kind of bubble-tip variety. I have absolutely no idea where it came from but that could be said about the Chitons as well. I'm just hoping it's not Majano at this point, it's in a bad spot to try to take a photo or I would. I guess I'll just keep an eye on it for now and see what happens.

[mbunakeith]

Quote- "Turns out what I thought was a clump of eggs is some kind of crazy looking anemone"

if it is small and looks like bubble-tip, then it is probably a mojano. darn pests.

[Doodaa]

I want some Chitons!

[metalhead]

I want some Chitons!

If those had been Chiton eggs I would have hooked you up.

[zhenya]

Quote- "Turns out what I thought was a clump of eggs is some kind of crazy looking anemone"

if it is small and looks like bubble-tip, then it is probably a mojano. darn pests.

Ditto! Try killing that thing as soon as you can because they spread much faster that Aiptasia anemones.

[metalhead]

Ditto! Try killing that thing as soon as you can because they spread much faster that Aiptasia anemones.

Eradicated... With extreme prejudice!

[zhenya]

Good job! Make sure they stay eradicated as they spread like wildfire.

How big is your tank? My chiton is about three inches long, hopefully yours are smaller.