Nudibranch I.D.

August 20, 1999
From: Adam Walbridge

I have recently set up a salt water aquarium in my home, I decided to use live rock from Fiji. About a month has passed and several Tube Worms, sponges, and other growth has sprouted up. One morning I noticed a sluglike creature crawling out of the rock. I have exhausted all my resources locally in identifing the species. It is approximately one inch long, all black, and a small fanlike tail. It doesn't appear to have any stripes or spots, and is very smooth. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated in identifying it, so as to know whether it will harm any other organisms in the system.

Thank You
Adam Walbridge

WalbridgeQ@aol.com

Walbridge, A., 1999 (Aug 20) Nudibranch I.D.. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/1210

Dear Adam,
I'm afraid you are not giving me many clues. The fanlike tail could be the gills of a dorid nudibranch, but have a look at the photo of Ceratosoma amoena to see where dorid nudibranch gills are situated, and what they look like. Failing that, the tail could be the feeding tentacles of a Sea Cucumber or even a fan worm. Sometimes fanworms can leave their tubes .... but that would be fairly risky business if you have fish in your tank. If it is an inch long you should be able to see if it has head tentacles or rhinophores which would pretty much confirm it is a dorid nudibranch. Another thing to look for is whether it has a foot. Sea cucumbers are essentially cylindrical and move by small tubular 'feet' much like a starfish.

If it is a dorid nudibranch it probably came with the rock as a recently settled larva on one of the sponge colonies which you say is now flourishing. Whatever it is, it is unlikely to cause harm, other than to eat a bit of one of the sponge colonies. Since 'live rock' is always a bit of a lottery I think you should give the beast a bit of a chance too. It has survived a fairly perilous few weeks being transported to your tank. Apart from natural curiosity in knowing what it will become, I think it deserves a second chance to prove itself.

Let us know if you succeed in confirming what it is. If a nudibranch, perhaps we can identify it for you. One possibility would be either Dendrodoris fumata or Dendrodoris nigra, both of which can be black.

Bill Rudman.

Rudman, W.B., 1999 (Aug 20). Comment on Nudibranch I.D. by Adam Walbridge. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/1210

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Keeping sea slugs in captivity

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