Hitch Hiker id
 

I got an umbellulifera sp at blue world yesterday .. Nice looking pink softy thing that is probably non photo synthetic.

When I got home I found this little hitcher on it, I have watched it for a while and cannot see it doing any noticeable damage but who knows.


This is about the best picture I could get.

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/pic...pictureid=1878

now what to do with the little beastie

I have no idea what an umbellulifera sp is. Looks pretty cool. Oh there it is in google.

I'd say that the fact that it looks remarkably similar to your umbellulifera yet slightly different that it is likely a nudibranch (looks like it to me) or some sort of other predator that is specific to the coral. If I were you I'd yard it off of there right quick and get rid of it (keeping it in a separate tank will only prolong its death as I would expect that it only eats that type of coral).

Then again, some would also say that the critter is neater than the coral so you could leave it be, watch your coral get eaten and occasionally buy new ones to feed it.

It does look like some sort of nudibranch. I would keep a close eye on it and if it seems to be damaging the coral I would get rid of it, however if he's not doing any damage, I'd keep it.

There is a little matching crab on there too.. about 1/8th the size of the ?nudibranch. no picture yet.

I think its actually a snail that covers its body with a mantle kind of like cowries do, I've seen them on Dendroneptheas and just assumed because of the camoflage that they were predators.