Identfy Feathery Slug

[4lti7ude]

Originally Posted by ScubaSteve

Keep an eye on it. Nudibranchs are predatory and typically only feed on one or two things, and its usually something expensive. If it's surviving in your tank it's eating something... just firgure out what. Also, they can spawn asexually... so if it is bad you can end up with a lot of them real quick and they'll do some damage.

That being said, enjoy it. They are my favourite sea creatures! Some of the cool looking nudi's are hard to keep alive, so if he's surviving (and not destroying something) take care of him!

I think my trigger may have gotten to him...
I hadent noticed but the little trigger I have was eating away at my little feather dusters and brittle star fish.
Dunno if he got the nudi...
Im gonna cross my fingers on that.

[4lti7ude]

Hello again.
I recently had to switch my tank to a 20Gallon tall since the 10Gallon was leaking.

A few hours after the lights had been out and all the fish were settled, I saw the nudibranch again!

But I was reading up on nudibranchs lately and im kinda scared it might be a bad one.

http://www.peteducation.com/article....+2167&aid=3354

"A more recent nudibranch pest that affects SPS coral aquariums has recently become prevalent, and prefers to consume corals of the genus Montipora and Anacropora. These nudibranch are very small, attaining a maximum size only up to half of a centimeter, are pale white to tan in color, and have many branch-like appendages along their back. They are very damaging pests in a reef aquarium that can multiply and consume corals in a very short period of time."

Every time ive seen this I havent had a regular light so I can just see it with the moon light. I dont know the exact color but that sounds like him...

Any idea what I should do?

The only thing in my tank that I think would be eatable are my frogspawn and 2 mushrooms.
They both arnt damaged at all tho...

[ScubaSteve]

Like I've said, watch him and try to positively ID him before you give him the boot. If he's relatively harmless, keep him. Else, vote him off the reef. If it does feed on monti and acro and you don't mind letting them get nibbled on a little I'd leave him. Then again, you might want to keep the population under control so they don't get out of hand. It's all up to you. I like nudi's so I try to keep them if I can.

[4lti7ude]

Im not gonna lie hes real cool looking.
If he was for sure good then id love to keep him.

But then again if hes going to spawn more and become a problem then id rather get rid of him now.

I think id rather save what I have then risk losing it all in the future.

I was reading that I could do a fresh water dip of the rock. Problem is that the rock I last saw him on was the one with the 2 Mushrooms.
Would it hurt the mushrooms?

This way would apparently make him run out then I can take a picture of him.

If that doesnt work then how can I just kill him...

[ScubaSteve]

Doing a fresh water dip (don't use cold water!) won't really hurt your mushrooms. They're pretty resilient. A fresh water dip, preferably with Lugol's or Salifert, usually kills the nudi's or atleast makes them fall off the rock. Otherwise, you gotta doing it manually with your turkey baster or tweezers.

[4lti7ude]

Quick Update.
I havent taken the worm out yet but I have identified it as a Bristle worm!

[whatcaneyedo]

I have around 5 noticeably different species of bristle worms in my system (apparently thousands exist). The only problem they have ever caused me is when I touch them with my bare hands I receive some irritation for a day. Other than that most of them are harmless and actually beneficial to keep. Plus once they establish themselves in your tank they are pretty much impossible to get rid of.