Good or bad nudibranch?

[BAMslam93]

Hi all,

I recently came back from my LFS to pick up some corals and I thought I got lucky enough to get a berghia nudibranch hitchhiker on my acan but I'm not sure if it's a good nudi or a bad one like a zoa or montipora eating nudibranch.

 

[Tahoe61]

Well I would isolate it until you get an ID.

 

[BAMslam93]

Well I would isolate it until you get an ID.

Yup, I have it in a measuring cup and trying to keep it aerated with a pipette. So fascinating!

 

[BAMslam93]

Bump

 

[PolypPocket]

How cool! But it doesn’t look like a Berghia, at least not the color.

Following to see who can ID

Edit: I take it back, after looking at photos it could be. I guess ignore what I said lol

 

[Baldyreef]

Could this be it?

 

[BAMslam93]

Could this be it?

Possibly? At least it's body looks similar. I don't have an aiptasia problem anymore so I wouldn't want it starving in my tank but I don't want to risk my corals either

 

[troublemaker]

A full Bertha will darken substantially, the white ones you see are hungry. I’m not IDing what you have, only letting you know that Bertha are not always white.

 

[PolypPocket]

A full Bertha will darken substantially, the white ones you see are hungry. I’m not IDing what you have, only letting you know that Bertha are not always white.

The Berghia nudis get darker?

 

[EnterName]

The Berghia nudis get darker?

Yes, when they feed on (Ex)Aiptasia they store some of the tissue in their cerata (it's part of their digestive system). While Berghia uses the cnidocytes of the eaten (Ex)Aiptasia to defend against predators other Nudibranchs extract chloroplasts or symbionts and then profit from the photosynthesis these cells are capable of... fascinating creatures.

Unfortunately that makes the identification a bit more difficult from images... There are MANY white nudibranchs that have these long cerata (many Aoelids look that way), that's why I'm not feeling comfortable giving an ID here. The images are very blurry and there are just so many that look similar...

 

[PolypPocket]

Yes, when they feed on (Ex)Aiptasia they store some of the tissue in their cerata (it's part of their digestive system). While Berghia uses the cnidocytes of the eaten (Ex)Aiptasia to defend against predators other Nudibranchs extract chloroplasts or symbionts and then profit from the photosynthesis these cells are capable of... fascinating creatures.

Unfortunately that makes the identification a bit more difficult from images... There are MANY white nudibranchs that have these long cerata (many Aoelids look that way), that's why I'm not feeling comfortable giving an ID here. The images are very blurry and there are just so many that look similar...

That’s really interesting! And makes sense being other Nudibranchs like the lettuce one gets its color from food (like you mentioned).

 

[BAMslam93]

Sorry my phone is a potato lol. Maybe these help?

 

[PolypPocket]

Sorry my phone is a potato lol. Maybe these help?

You could always test it if you have any Aiptasia. If it eats one then you know

#re#reefsquad

 

[Fish Fan]

I don't know, I'm certainly not an ID expert, but I've been shopping for Aptasia Eating Nudibranchs all day, and what I see here doesn't quite look like one of those to me

I don't know if @ISpeakForTheSeas or @thamnasteroid would have a minute to take a look, but it would be great if they could

 

[Rocks reef]

I’d be hard pressed that the LFS has berghia roaming around their systems…
Personally, I wouldn’t chance it

 

[BAMslam93]

Sorry my phone is a potato lol. Maybe these help?

You could always test it if you have any Aiptasia. If it eats one then you know

#re#reefsquad

I managed to find one in my sump and I gave it to it and it ate it! Funnily enough, the LFS I got it from sells berghias lol

 

[EnterName]

I managed to find one in my sump and I gave it to it and it ate it! Funnily enough, the LFS I got it from sells berghias lol

That's a good sign but it's possible this specimen eats a variety of cnidarians in which case your corals might be a potential snack as well. But maybe you are lucky and it's just a Berghia stephanieae

 

[PolypPocket]

Sorry my phone is a potato lol. Maybe these help?

You could always test it if you have any Aiptasia. If it eats one then you know

#re#reefsquad

I managed to find one in my sump and I gave it to it and it ate it! Funnily enough, the LFS I got it from sells berghias lol

That’s awesome!!