A nudibranch?

[cartery]

Any idea of species? Came in on live rock from @LiverockRocks. Comes out at night and crawls around on the glass. Thanks!

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I’m no expert but I want to say it’s a berghia

 

[cartery]

I’m no expert but I want to say it’s a berghia

That was my first thought, too. But the little hair things are maybe too curly and dense? Not that I have any idea... Just based on Google images. Thank you!

 

[Crabs McJones]

I’m no expert but I want to say it’s a berghia

I would agree

 

[cartery]

I would agree

Right on!

 

[LiverockRocks Verified Sponsor]

Any idea of species? Came in on live rock from @LiverockRocks. Comes out at night and crawls around on the glass. Thanks!

OHHHH my goodness.
The very first berghia reported hitchhiking on TBS rock! This is so exciting.
Thank you for sharing!

 

[cartery]

OHHHH my goodness.
The very first berghia reported hitchhiking on TBS rock! This is so exciting.
Thank you for sharing!

Oh, that's awesome! What a fun thing to be a part of!

I have aiptasia on the TBS rocks--apparently the kind that won't spread?--so maybe it'll eat that. Otherwise I was thinking about catching it and giving it to a LDS that's trying to breed them. Sort of a bummer to just imagine it starving

 

[Jmp998]

Cool critter-but not Berghia. Berghia cerata (spikes on back) are straight with pointed tips like a pencil, not curved or curly or branching (at least for the common Florida species).

@ISpeakForTheSeas would you agree?

 

[JoJosReef]

Any idea of species? Came in on live rock from @LiverockRocks. Comes out at night and crawls around on the glass. Thanks!

Cool critter-but not Berghia. Berghia cerata (spikes on back) are straight with pointed tips like a pencil, not curved or curly or branching (at least for the common Florida species).

@ISpeakForTheSeas would you agree?

Possibly a Spurilla? I don't know their distribution though:
https://shop.thebiotagroup.com/collections/invertebrates/products/spurilla-nudibranch-aiptasia-eater
P.s., go to the second image, which is a video and watch it. It is very therapeutic.

 

[cartery]

Possibly a Spurilla? I don't know their distribution though:
https://shop.thebiotagroup.com/collections/invertebrates/products/spurilla-nudibranch-aiptasia-eater
P.s., go to the second image, which is a video and watch it. It is very therapeutic.

That looks like it!

 

[JoJosReef]

That looks like it!

Make that think pop out some babies! They go for $75 apiece ar Biota! Also make sure it eats aiptasia and not corals..

 

[cartery]

Make that think pop out some babies! They go for $75 apiece ar Biota! Also make sure it eats aiptasia and not corals..

I just noticed the price tag and had the same thought lol. Apparently hermaphrodites, so I could buy another and try to get them to mate... Seems like there are tons of species, though, so who knows if it would work. I have aiptasia in the tank, we'll see if it starts to disappear

 

[Jmp998]

I can not positively identify as Spurilla (it may be). However if it is Spurilla, I think it will be much harder to breed than Berghia. Unlike Berghia, Spurilla neapolitana is reported to have an obligate planktonic phase that feeds on phyto. A subset of Berghia develop directly into crawling larvae that feed on Aiptasia, making them very easy to breed.

https://www.researchgate.net/public...lid_nudibranch_Spurilla_neapolitana#full-text
Regardless it is a really interesting find, thank you for posting.

 

[cartery]

I can not positively identify as Spurilla (it may be). However if it is Spurilla, I think it will be much harder to breed than Berghia. Unlike Berghia, Spurilla neapolitana is reported to have an obligate planktonic phase that feeds on phyto. A subset of Berghia develop directly into crawling larvae that feed on Aiptasia, making them very easy to breed.

https://www.researchgate.net/public...lid_nudibranch_Spurilla_neapolitana#full-text
Regardless it is a really interesting find, thank you for posting.

Thanks for posting the article!