Awesome looking Sea Slug ID Needed!! (Pics)

ryebread

ryebread

Active Member
I haven't ever seen this thing before and to be honest I am a little bit freaked out by it.......it's pretty big. I probably should have removed it but, it moved quickly and I just had enough time to shoot a few pics.
The thing that stinks is that usually something this beautiful is very harmful to your reef.
This SeaSlug or Nudi or whatever it is is about 3" long and 1" wide.
 
ryebread

ryebread

Active Member
The coloration of this thing is phenomenal......I've never seen anything like it.......the pics don't do the color justice at all.
 
ryebread

ryebread

Active Member
It's got a strange tail end that looks somewhat like a Sea Apple.....the pictures don't really show that but, when I first saw it this morning it had these really wierd tentacle looking things sticking out of it's butt. :D
 
007

007

Active Member
Try doing a search on polyclad flatworms. Not too much info on the site here, but there is a waelth out there as well as thousands of pics on google. Some are predatory (like mine :mad: ) others are docile. See if thats what you got. It looks like it to me, but I could be wrong . . . .
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
Looks like a Nudibranch to me Rye. The "really wierd tentacle looking things sticking out of it's butt" are probably gills.
I would guess that it eats coral of some specific type. Do you know what coral it came in on?
 
ryebread

ryebread

Active Member
I don't know what coral it came in on but, my most recent additions are Zoanthids. I checked and it doesn't look like it did anthing to the Zoos in which it was photographed upon.
 
D

daniel411

Guest
That is amazing! Hope its not to destructive for you. Did it come on a shipment to your store, or a home addition?
 
jawfishray

jawfishray

Member
Hey I am fairly sure it is known by the common name of Rosey Sea Hare. Most Sea Hares are brownish/gold. It is a polyp eating nudibranc...and the "sea apple" looking bit on the end are indeed gills...hense the "

[hr]
lungs" family name.
I guess you have a tough choice. It will eat the coral polyps, usually of a certain type only, and then starve...unless you dispose of him now, offer it up to the local aquarium, or buy it more coral to eat.
It is quite beautiful and to be honest I would be torn to dispose of it. Keep an eye on your corals and watch for faded areas. These will be the "empty plates" left by your little friend. If it is a fast growing coral you may be in luck. A fair number of nudibranc eat soft corals. Good luck eitherway.
Ray
 
ryebread

ryebread

Active Member
Thanks for the input JawfishRay-
I still don't know what to think. From what I have researched......it seems to be a "Spanish Dancer" Nudibranch.
Hexabranchus sanguineus is the scientific name and it apparently eats mostly sponges. I am fairly certain that this is a Spanish Dancer from all that I have read and I have viewed many images. It seems like a match. I will have to do some more research and check out the Rosey Sea Hare.
I want to keep it if I can.
 
aarone

aarone

Active Member
Rye,
I looked at the site that carole mentioned and it definately looks like the Hexabranchus sanguineus to me.
This is the pic from that site.

aaron
 
nm reef

nm reef

Active Member
Looks like you got a good ID...but that is beside the point....Those are some outstanding photos!!!! Great camera work...:cool:
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jawfishray

jawfishray

Member
Hey if it is a sponge eater you may be in luck. Sponge is alot cheaper than coral. Check with local aquariums they may have sponges in a breeding program.
Good luck!
Ray
 
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