Live Rock Hitchikers Id Please

ozzy47

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Hi i got a few kilos of fijian lr on thursday and tonight i have noticed a few hitchhikers on the rock and i am unsure what they are and if they are good or bad in my tank i will include pictures they are not great but i am still getting used to the camera, but should be good enough to id. the first pic i think is a pulsing polyp? the second we only noticed about 10 minutes ago crawling over the rock, it moves almost slug like not sure if it is some kind of slug or not anyway thanks to all who can help.

stewy

the slug???????????
 

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first pic looks kinda like anemone i think.....

i'm not a saltwater expert. the second one is definatly a slug. i remember reading about a slug that looks like that before, don't remember much, but i think it's safe. looks kinda cool actually. i'd do a google search of live rock hitchikers, saltwater slug list, and things like that maby. good luck!
 
first pic looks kinda like anemone i think.....

i'm not a saltwater expert. the second one is definatly a slug. i remember reading about a slug that looks like that before, don't remember much, but i think it's safe. looks kinda cool actually. i'd do a google search of live rock hitchikers, saltwater slug list, and things like that maby. good luck!

the first looks like a pulsing xenia.
 
first pic looks kinda like anemone i think.....

i'm not a saltwater expert. the second one is definatly a slug. i remember reading about a slug that looks like that before, don't remember much, but i think it's safe. looks kinda cool actually. i'd do a google search of live rock hitchikers, saltwater slug list, and things like that maby. good luck!

the first looks like a pulsing xenia.
sometimes i wonder WHY people have to use scientific names insted of just saying the common name. some people say goldfish, but others say Carassius auratus auratus. well god dangit, just say goldfish :angry:
 
first pic looks kinda like anemone i think.....

i'm not a saltwater expert. the second one is definatly a slug. i remember reading about a slug that looks like that before, don't remember much, but i think it's safe. looks kinda cool actually. i'd do a google search of live rock hitchikers, saltwater slug list, and things like that maby. good luck!

the first looks like a pulsing xenia.
sometimes i wonder WHY people have to use scientific names insted of just saying the common name. some people say goldfish, but others say Carassius auratus auratus. well god dangit, just say goldfish :angry:

Because Scientific names can often stop confusion.

Second looks like it might be a nudibranch rather than a slug?
 
the first looks like a pulsing xenia.
sometimes i wonder WHY people have to use scientific names insted of just saying the common name. some people say goldfish, but others say Carassius auratus auratus. well god dangit, just say goldfish :angry:

Actually, a quick google tells me that this person *did* use a common name. The scientific name would have been Xenia elongata
Some people prefer to be told *exactly* what it is they have, to know they have a comet rather than just 1 of the 20 or so commonly classed goldfish. Absolutely nothing wrong with using the scientific name, most people that ask for identification help appreciate it, even if it does mean they have to google.
 
First one, Xenia for sure

Second one is a nudibranch, not a slug. I'm not certain which nudi you have there as there are thousands of different types. It looks a lot like a Lettuce Nudibranch in body structure but it doesnt have the green coloration of the Lettuce Nudi. It COULD be a coral eating nudibranch, but its tough for me to tell as I have little direct experience with them. Some useful facts about nudibranchs:

- They all have very targeted diets. Nudibranchs will eat one or two food items and no others. In the absence of their preferred food item they will perish.

- Some are coral eating nudibranchs, others eat anemones, still others eat algae or dead matter

- If they consume corals, anemones, or other invertebrates that sting via toxins or nematocysts, they will concentrate these toxins in their skin. If/when they die, they will release those highly concentrated toxins into the water column and CAN "nuke" a tank (kill most life within). Also because of their ability to concentrate toxins/poinsons, DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT squish them with your fingers or otherwise come in contact with them with your own bare skin. Anaphalactic reactions can result quickly from dangerous nudibranch contact. Always use gloves if you need to handle an unknown nudibranch.

- The general rule of thumb is that cream colored, dull green colored, or otherwise boring looking nudibranchs are NOT poisonous. It is more often the case that small and highly colorful nudibranchs are dangerous.

In short, some nudis, great. Others, bad.
 
thanks fletch and everyone else as well just a quick note i actually prefer the scientific nae for the simple reason some people or different areas may have slightly different comon names, in which case when you google you end up with varied info on what you have where as the scientific name is straight across the board where ever you are from and to google that you end up with much more specific and accurate info on the fish/creature you have.( ok thats my 2 penneth worth).
So in all what would you do remove on the chance its bad or take the risk and leave it in there?
thanks again to all of you.
stewy
 
Its a question of what you have in the tank aside from the nudibranch. If you dont have fish/corals in there yet, I'd leave it and keep a close eye on it. If it runs out of food and starves, it won't have anything to kill in the tank if it id poisonous. I'd give it a week before I made a decision for sure. Also, if you have powerheads with annything other than inlet foam, it wont last much longer than a week. Sooner or later it'll get stuck in the inlet strainer and perish :unsure:
 
Its a question of what you have in the tank aside from the nudibranch. If you dont have fish/corals in there yet, I'd leave it and keep a close eye on it. If it runs out of food and starves, it won't have anything to kill in the tank if it id poisonous. I'd give it a week before I made a decision for sure. Also, if you have powerheads with annything other than inlet foam, it wont last much longer than a week. Sooner or later it'll get stuck in the inlet strainer and perish :unsure:

Im with Ski, leave it if you dont have muich in the tank, and if its just cycling. Maybe The Sea Slug Forum could help you out identifying what you have. :good:
 
wow xenia coming in on live rock :good: you'll be selling on ebay before long :p

seriously tho when you come to frag it can you put me down for some - it looks quite nice and pink from that pic. :D


dave.
 

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