Update on "It came from outer space!!"

[Whittam]

Thanks everyone for your advice in my last thread re my turbo snail killing flatworm.

I still havent managed to catch the blighter, but have caught one of its relatives!

Can anyone identify it as I'm reluctant to return him to the tank without knowing a little more about him.

Can't seem to post a pic for some reason.

He's approx 3cm long x 1 cm wide x 2 - 3 mm thick.

White / opake

with a solid white line running tip to tip, presumably his intestine.

I'll keep working on getting the photo down loaded.
Many thanks.

 

[Blossom112]

nudibranch maybe?

 

[Whittam]

Not sure,

I thought nudi's had gill structures on their dorsum. This has no structures at all, just like a peice of ribbon.

If I could get the **** attachments working on this I'd show you.

D

 

[Whittam]

<P>Bingo its worked this time, here are a couple of pics, unfrotunately the quality is not brilliant as the camara is a little out dated.</P>

 

[Blossom112]

Looks like a bristle worm to me
Hope this helps

http://www.xtalworld.com/Aquarium/hitchfaq.htm

 

[Artemis JT]

Hmmm. Maybe a bristleworm. Hard to tell though, pics kinda blurry.

Not really bad for the aquarium, that is, if it's Bristle worm.

 

[Charlesr1958]

Its most likely a polyclad flatworm of which many species are known snail predators. Please see the worm section of my hitch hiker pages.

A Hitch Hikers Guide to the Reefs

Chuck

 

[Fishieness]

It looks way to thin to be a polyclad to me. ANy chance of a better picture, perhaps with a friend's camera?
It just looks like a standard round or ribbon worm to me.

 

[Whittam]

Alas my little visitor is no more, removed him from the tank until I could get an id but I think the eventual temperature change was too much for him.

When my wife spotted him originally I thought it maybe a bristle worn, but on examination was completely smooth and extremely thin, to the point of almost transparent.

I think you maybe right Charlesr1958, it looks similar in body shape to some of the polyclad worms in your link, and may certainly explain why I've been loosing approx 5-10 snails per month, though I still feel he was not alone.

Time to rebait my traps me thinks, and see if i catch more.

Thanks everyone for your assistance.