Help me identify these 2 nudibranchs

[Easily Distracted]

I noticed that the benificial, aiptasia eating nudis (Berghia) and the nuisance, zoanthid eating nudis are almost identical in on-line pictures.

I have two tiny nudibranchs that are in quarantine with right now. I think they came as hitch hikers from the swap so I automatically thought that they are most likely bad. The thing is, they are in close quarters with a tiny ricordea, a coupe of mushrooms and a few zoanthid polyps. So far, they could care less about any of them and have been roaming around the holding tank harmlessly.

This is from the web, but very similar:


The only thing that is slightly different from mine is that the pic does not show what is either a second set of tentacles or two rhinophores behind the tentacles.

These are the factors on why I think they might be good or bad:

-Both about 3mm long - Bad or baby Good
-Have green cerata on their back - probably zozanthelae(sp) from polyps they have eaten - Bad
-They have not touched the zoanthids near them for at least 4 days - Good

Does anyone near Dublin have an aiptasia or mojano they could spare? That might definitively tell me what they are.

[Hormigaquatica]

If its green or red, most likely a zoa eater- sorry Berghia are typically more of a cream color. Suck them outta there!

[Reefdiver72]

yes I believe those are zoa eaters I killed some off of stuff I got at the swap. they dont die when you chemical dip either.

[cougarguy]

They do die when you do a fresh water dip.

They look a lot zoa nudi's I found several on stuff I picked up at the swap.

[Easily Distracted]

Originally posted by Hormigaquatica
If its green or red, most likely a zoa eater

I'm leaning that way, too. I still want to try the aiptasia test to be 100% sure because one is green and the other is cream colored.

Does anyone have a little aiptasia to spare? (I never thought I would say that...)

[Hormigaquatica]

Originally posted by cougarguy
They do die when you do a fresh water dip.

Freshwater doesnt usually kill the eggs though- those things are Tough. Ive had them twice, and the only was I was able to get rid of them was by keeping a syringe by the tank, checking it every time I walked past, and sucking the little buggers out as I saw them. Tedious, but it works after a few weeks.

[cougarguy]

Yeah I usually do a series of fresh water dips over the course of a few weeks if I find any the first time.