View Full Version : Hitchhiker ID
CalmSeasQuest
02/06/2010, 09:05 AM
http://i786.photobucket.com/albums/yy141/tconwell/DSC_0081.jpg
Can anyone ID This? It's about the size of a typical Amphipod but no shell. It's body and legs were soft. I've removed 2 from the glass so far, which probably means there are hundreds. :(
(Fingers crossed hoping that they are harmless)
Thanks!
Ohiomom
02/06/2010, 09:07 AM
It's a nudibranch but other than that I have no idea if it is good or bad..hth
Chiefsurfer
02/06/2010, 09:10 AM
^+1. Nudi, if you want more check out www.nudipixel.net. It is a pictoral Nudibranch ID. It is my understanding that there are like 300 bad nudis, and like 5 good ones. GL tho, hope its one of the 5.
CalmSeasQuest
02/06/2010, 09:22 AM
Thank You Sandra and Chief - I found the source.
They came from this Zoa frag *just* received (thankfully.)
http://i786.photobucket.com/albums/yy141/tconwell/DSC_0084.jpg
Both examples were found on the glass about an inch from the frag. Along with the 2 more Nudis, you can see what appears to be a clear egg sack - very scary.
http://i786.photobucket.com/albums/yy141/tconwell/DSC_0094.jpg
I'm contacting the online retailer and have removed the offending frag - Hopefully before any more have made it into my tank.
Thanks again!
robs.mark
02/06/2010, 06:17 PM
hope so as there probably zoa eating nudi's if they nested in a colony..
Octoshark
02/06/2010, 06:29 PM
Yep, those are nudis ;)
Octoshark
02/06/2010, 06:34 PM
Appears to be a species of Aeolid:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-01/ac/feature/index.php
CalmSeasQuest
02/06/2010, 09:29 PM
Appears to be a species of Aeolid:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-01/ac/feature/index.php
Pretty sure these are members of the bad guys - Although they appear similar, I don't think they are Berghia. The. coloring is different, the legs are paired differently and the eggs were in a clear sack instead of the spirals laid by Berghia - Most telling, they were munching on a Zoa frag.
I'm thankful I noticed them early and removed them. The ironic thing is I saw them when I placed the frag in the rack - but they appeared to be part of the skirt of a zoa just starting to open - very good camouflage.
Thanks everyone for the responses! This has convinced me to develop a thorough dip/QT program.
LeslieH
02/07/2010, 11:07 AM
There are thousands of nudi species. Whether one is good or bad is entirely subjective. To a true nudi lover all of them are good and corals are just food. To a coral lover an zoa-munching nudi is the devil himself. LOL
Tom's animal is definitely a zoa predator. The eggs he photographed tho' belong to some kind of snail. The nudi's own eggs would be in a spiral or at least an egg ribbon instead of clear capsules. Good defense on getting it out so quickly Tom!
CalmSeasQuest
02/07/2010, 11:17 AM
Thanks Leslie - And you were spot-on. Regarding the eggs, when I removed the Zoa frag and used a 6X magnifying glass, I found 4 more groups of eggs. More or less clear ribbon like lines. The eggs I initially photographed were much different than these.
My apologies to Nudi lovers, but these guys are toast. I don't think the Zoa frag will make it though, looks like they had been dining there for a while.
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