hitchhiker - good or bad?

Dolphin1 · Mar 15, 2016

Hi - I think this little guy came with my coral today - anyone know what it is?

Cory · Mar 15, 2016

First thought is some kind if sea squirt. Can you get a clearer image?

Wilsoni · Mar 15, 2016

Haha if you squint it almost looks like the mantle of a cuttlefish. Possibly a nudibranch? The photo is way out of focus

Lionfish Lair · Mar 15, 2016

Is it a Diminovula sp., like a D. alabaster or friend? There are also ouvulidae that look like that.

Dolphin1 · Mar 15, 2016

now my blue lights are on- the coral has shrunk and what did look a critter now looks like part of the coral ???

Lionfish Lair · Mar 15, 2016

Yup, that's a Alabaster Egg Cowrie.

Remove him.

Cory · Mar 15, 2016

I agree looks like part of the coral, it could be a hitchhiker evolved to live on this coral, like camflouge.I dont know what it is but its probably harmless.

Wilsoni · Mar 15, 2016

Lionfish Lair said:
Yup, that's a Alabaster Egg Cowrie.

Good call! I assume this is like most other Cowrie's right? Coral munchers?

Lionfish Lair · Mar 15, 2016

Ya..... he's having a chew.

Dolphin1 · Mar 15, 2016

Lionfish Lair said:
Remove him.

Lionfish Lair said:
Ya..... he's having a chew.

Is it a dendro or a kenya tree he is on?

Lionfish Lair · Mar 15, 2016

That's a leather coral.

Dolphin1 · Mar 15, 2016

Lionfish Lair said:
That's a leather coral.

Thank you - can you tell me what this coral is please and how I look after them both / where best to place them in the tank?

Lionfish Lair · Mar 15, 2016

I change my answer on the "leather". When you asked dendro or kenya, I was thinking of a dendrophyllia, which it definitely is not. That second is an NPS and those snails love Nephtheidae. Could both those corals be NPS? If yes, we gotta talk about their care and the specialized work involved.

Others need to weigh in on the coral ID, that's not my strong point, but that second one is an NPS or a dyed coral. It reminds me of the color of corals when dying was common practice.

Wilsoni · Mar 15, 2016

The pink one is (Scleronephthya sp.)
A very difficult NPS species to keep. I'm a huge NPS fan but I won't touch these due to their difficult nature. Pieces like this are usually doomed in captivity

Wilsoni · Mar 15, 2016

There are cross linked threads from this user on this matter

Lionfish Lair · Mar 15, 2016

I'm not up on NPS. Is it normal for the pink one (the OP's) to be so uniformly pink?

Wilsoni · Mar 15, 2016

If your LFS is being sold these and aren't aware of the fact that they're NPS, please help shed light on this with them so they're not being sold as "beginner" corals

Wilsoni · Mar 15, 2016

Lionfish Lair said:
I'm not up on NPS. Is it normal for the pink one (the OP's) to be so uniformly pink?

All of the ones that I've seen locally have been. As for the first one, it could be a faded Carnation Tree (Dendronephthya sp.)?

Wilsoni · Mar 15, 2016

A pic of the base may help to better identify it

Dolphin1 · Mar 15, 2016

will take a pic tomorrow under the lights - my lfs are on fb so have sent them a pic and asked them what they sold me yesterday - will let you know what they say