What is this?!?!?!

David Reiche · Feb 17, 2017

We are new to the saltwater arena, and during our third week this little creature appeared. Does anyone know what this is?

We have nassarius snails, ninja snails, periwinkle snails, emerald crabs, red leg hermit crabs, real reef live rock , three type of coral, and two clown fish.

redfishbluefish · Feb 17, 2017

I believe that's a nudibranch.....get it out! Let's check with @Lionfish Lair

Tahoe61 · Feb 17, 2017

It's a nudibranch, what type of corals do you have specifically?

Lionfish Lair · Feb 17, 2017

I agree to remove it.

David Reiche · Feb 17, 2017

Tahoe61 said:
It's a nudibranch, what type of corals do you have specifically?

I wasn't very diligent about writing down the names. Here are pictures.

fragit · Feb 17, 2017

That is definitely a nudibranch. Remove it!

Tahoe61 · Feb 17, 2017

Zoanthids/looks like it could be Green Bay Packers or Radioactive Dragon eyes.
Clavularia/clove polyps.
Briareum/Green Star Polyps.

Agreed remove the nudibranch, but not sure what corals or algae it might be eating.

David Reiche · Feb 17, 2017

fragit said:
That is definitely a nudibranch. Remove it!

It has gone into hiding for now. We will remove it next time we see it.

I am just curious, why does it need to be removed?

DeniseAndy · Feb 17, 2017

Nudibrachs all have very specific diets. This one is on more than likely a zoa eating one. You will have to dip your corals or keep an eye out for more.

fragit · Feb 17, 2017

a lot of them eat corals for a living. They are very difficult to identify so unless you know where it came from and what kind it is chuck it. I had some come in on a soft coral once and didn't see them until they hatched and ate half the colony. Better safe than sorry.

David Reiche · Feb 17, 2017

DeniseAndy said:
Nudibrachs all have very specific diets. This one is on more than likely a zoa eating one. You will have to dip your corals or keep an eye out for more.

OH MAN!!!! I guess I need to go to my LFS. We bought those three corals last weekend....

David Reiche · Feb 17, 2017

fragit said:
a lot of them eat corals for a living. They are very difficult to identify so unless you know where it came from and what kind it is chuck it. I had some come in on a soft coral once and didn't see them until they hatched and ate half the colony. Better safe than sorry.

WOW!! Sorry to hear about your colony.

David Reiche · Feb 17, 2017

Any suggestions on how to remove it? Just use a net?

DeniseAndy · Feb 17, 2017

Just judging by the corals you showed to be zoa eating. Dipping repeatedly over time will get all the hatchlings. Search for Bayer dip or use flatworm exit. Good luck. I found one once too. I added a new zoa colony, so just made sure to treat tank with flatworm exit repeatedly. No issues. This is only a 6g tank though and is filled with zoa and rock nems.

DeniseAndy · Feb 17, 2017

David Reiche said:
Any suggestions on how to remove it? Just use a net?

Tweezers, net, fingers, any way you can.

David Reiche · Feb 17, 2017

DeniseAndy said:
Tweezers, net, fingers, any way you can.

Oky doky......

David Reiche · Feb 17, 2017

DeniseAndy said:
Just judging by the corals you showed to be zoa eating. Dipping repeatedly over time will get all the hatchlings. Search for Bayer dip or use flatworm exit. Good luck. I found one once too. I added a new zoa colony, so just made sure to treat tank with flatworm exit repeatedly. No issues. This is only a 6g tank though and is filled with zoa and rock nems.

Thanks for the information. We will make a trip to the fish store today.

Tahoe61 · Feb 17, 2017

I would inspect the Zoanthid piece for others, look at night after lights off as well. I would not treat the tank yet, but I would dip the coral in Bayer (please google specific type of Bayer and dipping protocal). Inspect the piece for eggs with which are a spiral formation. Manually remove eggs with a Q-tip and recheck frag again for eggs or nudibranch in a couple days.

David Reiche · Feb 17, 2017

Tahoe61 said:
I would inspect the Zoanthid piece for others, look at night after lights off as well. I would not treat the tank yet, but I would dip the coral in Bayer (please google specific type of Bayer and dipping protocal). Inspect the piece for eggs with which are a spiral formation. Manually remove eggs with a Q-tip and recheck frag again for eggs or nudibranch in a couple days.

This thing likes to hang by the Zoanthid piece, and that is where he has reappeared. My wife is attempting to extract it now.