HELP! What is this???

PuffersKick · #1 12/04/2007, 10:11 PM

These things have just popped up and are covering my Green Star Polyps that no longer open because of them.

At first is just looked like it was the tips of the Star Polyps just opening up, but then I saw a few of them on the glass!

They are mobile!

What is this? Is this some sort of Nudibranch? If so are they bad? I don't notice any damage on the GSP, but they are all over it and it won't open any more!

What do I do???

demonsp · #2 12/04/2007, 10:33 PM

Heres a pic of nudi's. http://www.melevsreef.com/id/snails.html

adtravels · #3 12/04/2007, 10:35 PM

how mobile they cold be pest anemones

nemonick84 · #4 12/04/2007, 10:35 PM

If they're visibly moving around then I'd say yes, they are nudi's. Man, that's a lot! I discovered one on my GSP that was causing the polyps to remain retracted but removed it by simply sucking it up with a turkey baster. Usually if the Nudi is making a coral its home it's chowing down. I banished mine to my fuge where I see it occasionally. That amount, however, is a little intimidating. Anyone you know of have GSP that's taking over their tank? You might be able to offer a solution.

I'd also mention it to your LFS - they make want to consider switching their supplier.

demonsp · #5 12/04/2007, 10:35 PM

Looks more like glass anemone. http://www.melevsreef.com/id/anem.html

Im a little conserned about the SB. Do you have water readings?

huskyrider · #6 12/04/2007, 10:38 PM

could be a type of aipstatia or another anenome that is stinging the coral and it's staying closed

nemonick84 · #7 12/04/2007, 10:41 PM

demonsp · #8 12/04/2007, 10:42 PM

Nudis are a zoo eater and will change there color to blend in to the zoo. They appear all the color.

nemonick84 · #9 12/04/2007, 10:44 PM

The site featuring that pic has it named as a Mossy Aeolid Nudibranch.
Haven't been able to find any supporting information so I wouldn't rely on that name too heavily.

nemonick84 · #10 12/04/2007, 10:51 PM

Here's a link that will give you some info on Aeolid Nudi's:

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-05/rs/index.php

PuffersKick · #11 12/04/2007, 11:00 PM

[profanity] I'm afraid it might be this guy...

http://www.philippine-sea-slugs.com/...m_briareum.htm

chrismunn · #12 12/04/2007, 11:03 PM

mojanos?

PuffersKick · #13 12/04/2007, 11:11 PM

How do I get rid of these? Can I dip this coral in something?

Is there a fish that will eat them? Some sort of wrasse maybe?

reefman13 · #14 12/04/2007, 11:12 PM

Unfortunately, PuffersKick, I have to agree with what you said about the one in the link.........they look very similar....

PuffersKick · #15 12/04/2007, 11:22 PM

would Sailfert "Flatworm Exit" work on these things?

I know it is not a flatworm, but would it still work?

I was thinking about taking this GSP out and dipping it.

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewIt...ct~SF5111.html

LeslieH · #16 12/05/2007, 12:19 AM

Wow, that is the worse case of nudibranch infestation I've ever seen posted. I'm afraid it is Phyllodesmium briareum or a relative and with that kind of density there's bound to be tons of eggs ribbons in the tank as well. Flatworm Exit won't work. Very few fish or other inverts will eat them because the nudis transfer the coral's stinging cells into their own appendages (called cerata) for defense. They also transfer the zooxanthellae from the coral to their cerata. that means even when the coral is completely eaten the nudis may be able to survive on the nutrients they get from the zooxanthellae.

You'll have to take your soft corals out, dip them repeatedly in FW, inspect them over & over again for both adults & eggs, and keep them in quarantine for several months at least. I hate to be negative but you may not be able to get all of them out of your tank without getting rid of your soft corals completely & hoping the remaining nudis (and there's bound to be some in the rockwork) starve.

There's a lot more information on P. briareum here http://www.seaslugforum.net/showall.cfm?base=phylbria but unfortunately nothing about predators or how long they can survive without soft corals to eat or life span. The little good news is that they won't affect other animals in your tank .

sm51498 · #17 12/05/2007, 02:22 AM

what an awesome animal, a species display would actually be neat. star polyps might even reproduce fast enough to feed it. Too bad its unsuited to most aquaria.

melev · #18 12/05/2007, 03:45 AM

I found this at my LFS last November, and I swore when I saw it that it was a GSP eater. Is it similar to what you've seen in your tank?

These aren't hard to see, so I would siphon out all that you can reach. And watch for them daily, constantly reducing their population. LeslieH is the expert though, so what she says would be your best route.

Frick-n-Frags · #19 12/05/2007, 08:02 AM

I would love to have a species tank with those. encrusting gorgs grow like weeds anyway. and these are pretty. the zoo nudi's are gross

ps: total agreement^ stalk the the worm wrangler and the reluctant snail killer. you will learn much from their posts.

greenbean36191 · #20 12/05/2007, 08:06 AM

Man, I've been looking for a pair of these things for years and finally a whole swarm shows up right as I'm tearing things down.

I wouldn't kill them, since there are likely to be quite a few people willing to take them off your hands.

Frick-n-Frags · #21 12/05/2007, 08:26 AM

murphy's law IS the most powerful force in the universe, bar none.

PuffersKick · #22 12/05/2007, 09:41 AM

Well the good news (sort of) is they seem to be isolated on my GSP. I inspected the rest of my tank and did not see them anywhere.

So I will try to siphon them out as much as I can.

I'm afraid to take that GSP out b/c then if any of them are left they will move on to something else!

I've read a 6 line wrasse might eat them. Is this true or no?

If it is I'll go get one TODAY! LOL

greenbean36191 · #23 12/05/2007, 10:32 AM

They won't move on to anything else. They eat GSP and nothing else. If there is no GSP for them they will starve. Some wrasses will eat aeolids, but I doubt a 6 line would do much to these guys.

LeslieH · #24 12/05/2007, 11:29 AM

According to the Sea Slug Forum there are pictures of them eating briareid soft corals, Solenopodium stelleri, Briareum stecheri, a stonolonifera, Pachyclavularia violacea, and now your GSP. Mike & Frick are right - there are people who would love to get some from you to get rid of problem softies so there's a silver lining. I bet the person who breeds Aeolidiella stephanieae for sale would be interested.

If you don't take the GSP out the Phyllodesmium will eventually finish it off & move onto your other corals anyway. An image on the SSF showed one laying eggs so you can have an idea of what the egg ribbon looks like. Opisthobranchs concentrate all their energy on 2 things: eating & reproducing and it's not unusual to find pictures of them doing both at the same time. They normally lay their eggs on or close to their food so you'll need to take out the GSP just to check for egg ribbons.

Marc - that's the same species. Looks like something got to it as the body seems torn & cerata are missing (they shed them when stressed or to deter predators). Did that happen when you captured it or do you think something in your tank tried to eat it?

Thanks for the kind words but I'm not an expert. Remember I have no tanks. What I know I've learned here from the members of RC!

PuffersKick · #25 12/05/2007, 11:47 AM

So basically the safest option is to just remove this rock completely and siphon out any "straggers" on the glass and such?

Apparently it's just going to be a breeding ground for these guys from here on out...

This really stinks, I paid about $300 for this rock! It's about 20" x 10" HUGE showpiece!

I know this is not a selling forum, but for all of you wanting these things, I guess I would be willing to sell this whole thing or possibly just a few of these Nudis.

Have to recoup my loss here somehow...

My email address is kavonrajabi@hotmail.com.

Shoot me an email and we'll work something out.