Hitchhiker ID please

[S_Stoney_S]

Just got a nice button polyp live rock with 3 or o different colours on. I noticed this guy making a break for it when I put it in QT.

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff140/s_Stoney_s/DSCN0180.jpg

Any ideas on what he is, is he reef safe etc. Im thinking nudibranch.

Quick reply helpfull as hes sitting in a jug right now in case I couldn't catch him later. :p

P.S. this is also posted in the Newbie corner

[SSalty]

Holy [profanity], I have never seen anything like that.

[dc]

I would chuck it. Chances are it was feeding on the coral. I'd also do a nightime flashlight run, there may be more.

[tkeracer619]

I would FW dip that rock and toss whatever that was. Always FW dip polyps or you will eventually get one of the bad hitch hikers that will demolish your polyp collection.

[S_Stoney_S]

Thanks for the good advice.

In this hobby I need to always keep telling myself to be patient. Its worked so far :rolleyes:

[dp reefer]

wow thats a cool nudibranch, I've seen that on a show in HD on the reefs in indonesia but I don't know anything about it.

[muerk1]

Wow, I had to look that one up. At first it looks like some sort of annelid, like a odd bristleworm. But it could also be a gastrotrich. Taken from "The Marine Aquarium Reference: Systems and Invertebrates" by Martin A. Moe Jr.(1992) it says "Gastrotricha (stomach hair): About 400 species of lobed headed, bilaterally symmetrical, flattened worms 1/2 to 4mm in length with some bristles and scales. Freshwater and marine species. Their unsegmented bodies cling to vegetation with adhesive tubes that project from their bodies. They are an important food source for many tiny marine predators." There is also a drawing of it that looks very much like the picture you have. If its in that size range, it could be that. If it is much larger, like in the 1 inch range to 6 inches, it's probably some sort if annelid worm. It's probably harmless, but if you want, you could get rid of it

[scottfarcuz]

I wish more was known about keeping some of the cool/colorful nudi's. Most like this one are awesome looking, and a species tank keeping them would be really neat. Seems they are all really particular about diet.

Heres one that showed up in my sons tank about 2 years after set up. Not nearly as colorful as yours.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/scottfarcuz/DSCF1346.jpg

[justinl]

im not SURE about the OP's thing, but i think it's a cucumber. not a nudi i dont think. how big is it? does it have tube feet? if it's a cuke, small enough not to crash your tank if it dies, and able to live with its tankmates, then keep it. if its a nudi, chuck it.

the pic in the post above mine is a filter feeding cucmber. notice the tube feet, as opposed to how nudis move around (they're called "sea slugs" for a reason).

[S_Stoney_S]

Hes about an inch at most in length, hes sitting arround in my fuge now, so when he gets on the glass I'll get some 'upskirt' photos of it.

Night time shots I think.

[justinl]

if you want pics now, you could just put him in a glass (a clear one) and just take a pic through that... if the glass is thin enough to let you get a good look anyways. I wouldnt handle him barehanded for now though... at least not until we can figure out wth it is.

most nudis ive seen in this hobby stay under half an inch (although i know some nudis can get up to a foot long).

[LeslieH]

Stoney - you've got a nudibranch in the family Tritoniidae. All family members are fairly specific predators on gorgonians, sea pens, & other soft corals. I couldn't find a match on it so it might be undescribed or rare.

Scott - your's is indeed a sea cucumber.

[pagojoe]

I'm with Leslie on both accounts. The tritoniid looks a lot like Marionia olivacea . I don't see the blue spots on the Sea Slug Forum specimen, but overall it looks very similar.

http://www.seaslugforum.net/factsheet.cfm?base=marioliv

Cheers,



Don

[LeslieH]

Yeah, I thought the blue spots were very distinctive which is why I didn't go with M. olivacea but the presence of these could be variable.

[S_Stoney_S]

thanks guys, he is indeed sluglike, was on the fuge glass this morning. Going to do some fragging now so I think I might just flush him. Harsh as it seems I dont really want to take the risk.