Nudibranch Identification

[KnownStrangeR]

We purchased some chaeto and found this guy inside of it.. anyone know if its reef safe? I hate to just kill it..

[LeslieH]

I'm pretty sure it's a sacoglossan sea slug which means it's an algae eater & explains why you found it in a bag of chaetomorpha

[KnownStrangeR]

Are they safe to put into a reef tank? I've had it in a cup since Wednesday.. I put some chaeto in there with it and I think he ate some..

[LeslieH]

If by reef-safe you mean it won't attack corals then it's reef safe. It only eats algae and nothing else.

[pagojoe]

Some of the aeolids and sacoglossans can look fairly similar, but I agree with Leslie, it's probably an algae eater. Looks pretty close to some variants of Placida dendritica.

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.nudipixel.net/photos/1/medium/3577.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.nudipixel.net/species/placida_dendritica/&h=375&w=500&sz=114&tbnid=fNThxVzUyE0IiM:&tbnh=97&tbnw=129&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dplacida%2Bdendritica%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=placida+dendritica&usg=__moXyPQO0rDaCBNbWy7ii0cFws58=&docid=4NRHc78qQ_FafM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=1mA2UcjYEqv82gWJo4DYCw&ved=0CEYQ9QEwBA&dur=5890

Cheers,



Don

[SantaMonica]

A good find, unless you have someone who will munch on them.

[Kiwigirl]

We purchased some chaeto and found this guy inside of it.. anyone know if its reef safe? I hate to just kill it..

I just purchased some chaeto from a local fish store and prior to placing in my refugium I noticed 3 guys identical to your pic in there with egg strings. Were these the sacoglossa (good alage eaters?)
See attached photo

[Caronte]

They looks similar to the Bergias/ Did you see it eaten?

[Kiwigirl]

I have had bergiha nudibranch before and these are very different. Bergiha's are a whitish color and these definitely aren't that. They seem to be thriving on the chaeto which would make them a herbivore and possible sacoglossa