Hitchhiker nudi

Blndbunny

Active Member
Found this little guy on the rocks today. I pulled him knowing that 95% of the time nudis are a no go. Any idea what he is, or what he eats? My tank has all kinds of sponges and tunicates, and a few corals. Just trying to figure where to watch for more
15998305228_e54d153de4.jpg
[/url] image by jessica_haering, on Flickr[/IMG]
 

Oxylebius

Well-Known Member
Frisbee is right on the money.

It is an Aeolid nudibranch. Almost all of the nudis in this family feed on anemones (some on hydroids). This family includes the aiptasia eating nudi.

An interesting thing about nudis is that they can look completely white/opaque and then after they eat can color up beautifully. Yours has eaten recently, it has great color on it. The reason why they color-up is b/c they take in and incorporate what they eat into their system (zooxanthellae, nematocysts, etc.). On the one you have you can see is the zooxanthellae in its tentacles (Cerata/ceras). And the yellow tips, these contain some of the stinging cells (nematocysts) from the cnidarian/anemone. They then are able to reuse them in their own defense.

Did you get your rocks from the Gulf or Caribbean area? If so, then I believe what you have is this guy: http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/bergverr

There seems to be a name issues going on with the Aip eating nudi which is this one: http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/aeolstep

Both are from the Caribbean and it sounds like both may eat Aips based off this discussion: http://www.seaslugforum.net/bergverraq.htm
 

DianaKay

Princess Diana
RS STAFF
If indeed it was a good one to keep, maybe you will have another one that you haven't found yet. :fingerx:
 
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