HELP what is this strange bug/creature?

[apexi]

I have had a new button polyp in my 180g for a couple weeks which has been doing great until just yesterday. Now it seems that the top section of the colony isn't opening up fully. Tonight I found 3 of these critters hiding in the polyps and was wondering if anybody knows what these are, and if they are harmful?





Here is a closeup of the polyps that aren't opening fully. You can see some kind of stub like extension protruding from the center. Anybody know what this is?? The rest of the polyps are closed tight, however even with the lights off and even if I touch these half open polyps with my gloves, they don't respond at all or close up. Are these polyps dead??

[nominis]

zoa eating nudi - kill

[demonsp]

A good reason to QT new frags. Its a nudibrach not sure on spelling but look here and fix fast.

http://www.melevsreef.com/id/

[Kigs]

http://zoaid.com/index.php?module=Ga...&g2_itemId=628

They are most likely zoanthid munching nudibranches.

[apexi]

THANKS everyone for your quick responses! I've been banging my head trying to figure out what was going on with my zoa colony which was otherwise doing so great. I found 3 of these little buggers, and it looks like they clearcut a patch in my colony! Are those effected polyps dead and gone now?

[airinhere]

Might be.
Regardless, the zoas will spread and cover the dead polyps over time.

Make sure the nudibranches (nudibranchi?) dont spread to other colonies.

And look out for eggs.

You really should isolate that colony into a QT tank for a month.

[Mr31415]

It is sad - that nudibranch sure is pretty.

[greenbean36191]

nudibranches (nudibranchi?)

Nudibranchs. Nudibranch sounds like nudibrank.

[uscharalph]

Originally posted by Mr31415
It is sad - that nudibranch sure is pretty.

You're right that thing looks kind of cool, but so does a mantis shrimp. LOL!!!

[apexi]

THANKS to everyone again who helped out with the responses. I found and removed 3 of these nudis and found one more the other night, for a total of 4. The zoa is already looking great again with about 90% of it fully open again within the past day.

[KCZoanthid]

Be on the lookout for eggs. They look like a tiny spiral shaped white smudge. Hard to get them off the polyps.

I'd get that colony out of the DT and QT it right away. It might take multiple dips to get rid of each generation that hatches out of eggs that you can't see.

Good luck.

Feed those nudis to a mantis!!

[seapug]

yeah, if you found 3 there are probably dozens more. I've kept Zoas since I started in the hobby and never seen those little buggers until this year. You'll need to check them every day and siphon them off with a baster. They are a royal PITA. Here's a thread with a dip recipe/process to help get rid of them:

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...hreadid=451720