Black Nudi hitchiker

[noirsphynx]

So today I found a new hitchiker in my tank. It's a pure black nudi, no other color on it except little white dots on the atennea's. Anyone know anything about these guys, good or bad?

Here's a pic, isn't it cute. Reminds me of a little black bunny, lol. The white specs on it's back are just debris.
http://canreef.com/vbulletin/picture.php?albumid=46&pictureid=1191

[justinl]

i can't tell you anything beyond the fact that it's a dorid nudibranch. it looks very small so likely harmless but unfortunately, outlook on its life is poor. We have no idea what most of the thousands of species of nudibranchs eat. The majority of them are also specialist feeders that often feed on only a single species of bryozoan, sponge, or cnidarian. If your tank runs out of food, the nudi dies. I would not reintroduce it into a coral tank in case one of those corals is the food.

[paddyob]

From what i have seen, a Dorid Should have bumps over its back. i have a book that shows a purple one with the same body shape and features. it says "chromodoris sp." i know alot of info is conflicting and maybe it is a dorid . but thats what i found. either way i agree that it will probably die and might eat coral (or aptasia If lucky ha ha)

[noirsphynx]

That really sucks because it's so cute. I guess he gets flushed........if I can bring myself to do it.

[Hangfire]

Maybe you could call a local, or not so local, place like the Vancouver Aquarium and see if they know what it is or would be interested in taking it off your hands. I've never done it myself, but you never know.

[RCFA]

IMO one of the best places to find info on nudis is: http://www.seaslugforum.net/ You can browse the database and try to find a match, or you can send in the photo and a description and Bill Rudman, or someone else working at the australia museum, will reply if they have an idea of what it might be. You might try getting some macro shots to show the detail for a better chance of ID, but nudis are notoriously hard to ID and unless they are found in their natural location and you can confirm their food source. Bill would know if anyone would.

Check out this post: http://www.seaslugforum.net/display.cfm?id=9224 for a similar hitchhiker find, so Bill is not overwhelmed by aquarium traffic!;)

[marie]

I had a similar thing in my tank, figured it was a Dendrodoris Nigra and just as I thought I never saw it again :lol:
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=49654

[justinl]

From what i have seen, a Dorid Should have bumps over its back. i have a book that shows a purple one with the same body shape and features. it says "chromodoris sp." i know alot of info is conflicting and maybe it is a dorid . but thats what i found. either way i agree that it will probably die and might eat coral (or aptasia If lucky ha ha)

all dorids have two rhinophores up front, and a mass of gills on their butts; bumps are not a defining characteristic of all dorids although some have them. a dorid is just one of the basic nudi forms. There are also aeolids like the monitpora munchers, as well as a few others.

Unfortunately the idea that public aquaria take unwanted animals is a bit of a myth. they're not animal shelters; if they took on every unwanted animal that people offered, they wouldn't have any space for anything but red-tail catfish! (and then where would they put the belugas?) go ahead and send them an email if you like, but don't expect a yes.

[noirsphynx]

Thanks everyone. If anyone has a hitchhiker tank and wants it in the Edmonton area let me know.

[Drock169]

looks like dendrodoris nigra, a sponge eater, i had a 3 inch one in my tank before i gave it away.

[noirsphynx]

If it is a sponge eater it hasn't touched my purple or blue sponge. Maybe it was eating the pineapple hitchhiker sponges.