Can you help Identify this hitchhiker?

January 13, 2006
From: Jimmy Carmichael

This Nudibranch has arrived in my Marine aquarium during the last month, I believe he has stowed away on a piece of liverock I recently purchaced. He seems to be quite active in the evenings sometimes on the glass but recently has taken a liking to a piece of Pussy Coral which I am worried he is eating!

Any information on his diet, species etc would be most appresiated.

Jimmy Carmichael

no1carmichael@icqmail.com

Carmichael, J.J., 2006 (Jan 13) Can you help Identify this hitchhiker?. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/15541

Dear Jimmy,
I have been planning a guide to the 6 most common aquarium hitchhikers and  this animal would be near the top of the list. It is Tritoniopsis elegans, a soft-coral feeding nudibranch which is widespread in the tropical Indian and  west Pacific Oceans. I am not good on common names so I am not sure what a 'pussy- coral' is, but from your photo it is definitely a soft coral, and from your account is the most probable food of the nudibranch.

I guess you have to make a value judgement on whether you want to keep the beautiful nudibranch, which will mean regularly buying new soft coral, or whether you want to stick with your dull bit of 'pussy-coral'. I guess I am a bit biased.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2006 (Jan 13). Comment on Can you help Identify this hitchhiker? by Jimmy Carmichael. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/15541

Factsheet

Tritoniopsis elegans

Related messages

  1. Tritoniopsilla elegans - egg laying
    From: Sven Kahlbrock, September 19, 2008
  2. A case of Caphira yoodokai eating Tritoniopsis elegans
    From: Seiko Kuroe & Akira Mada, July 7, 2007
  3. Tritoniopsis elegans in aquarium
    From: Andrea Urban, March 13, 2007
  4. Feeding Tritoniopsis elegans
    From: Vik Shah, August 17, 2006
  5. Unidentified Nudibranch in aquarium
    From: David Seibel, December 24, 2004
  6. Tritoniopsis elegans from Red Sea
    From: Oren Lederman, August 11, 2004
  7. Tritonopsis elegans from Kenya
    From: Ann Clear, July 19, 2004
  8. Re: Tritoniopsis elegans in aquaria [2]
    From: Albert Jeffer, March 16, 2004
  9. Tritoniopsis elegans in aquaria
    From: Wade Waldman, March 12, 2004
  10. Tritoniopsis elegans in aquaria [2]
    From: Albert Jeffers, March 12, 2004
  11. Finally found in Queensland
    From: Gary Cobb, November 19, 2003
  12. Re: Tritoniopis elegans in aquarium
    From: Chris Peacock, July 18, 2003
  13. Tritoniopis elegans in aquarium
    From: Chris Peacock, July 5, 2003
  14. Tritoniopsis elegans in aquarium
    From: Ember Barnett, May 30, 2003
  15. Tritoniopsis elegans in home aquarium
    From: Brian Lindsay , February 28, 2003
  16. ID Sea Slug
    From: Joe, February 13, 2003
  17. Re: Tritoniopsis elegans in aquarium
    From: Marc Daniels, January 25, 2003
  18. Are these Tritoniopsis elegans eggs?
    From: Onel, January 25, 2003
  19. Tritoniopsis elegans in aquarium
    From: Marc Daniels, January 22, 2003
  20. Tritoniid in aquarium
    From: Mary Middlebrook, January 18, 2003
  21. Tritoniopsis elegans - causing aquarium problems
    From: Sam Young, November 11, 2002
  22. Unexpected Tritoniopsis elegans guests
    From: Mark Armstrong, May 31, 2002
  23. Tritoniopsilla alba ? from the Philippines
    From: Erwin Koehler, April 24, 2002
  24. Tritoniopsis elegans and camouflage
    From: Nishina Masayoshi, October 18, 2001
  25. White nudibranch from Dendronephthya
    From: Wyatt Patry , September 26, 2001
  26. Another aquarium mystery
    From: Christy Falkenberg, September 16, 2001
  27. Tritoniopsis elegans - eggs
    From: Bernard Picton , August 19, 2001
  28. Tritoniopsis elegans feeding
    From: Leslie Chan, August 18, 2001
  29. Tritoniopsis elegans from Hong Kong
    From: Bernard Picton , August 18, 2001
  30. Tritoniopsis elegans - hitchhiker
    From: Tom O'Toole, July 31, 2001
  31. Tritoniopsis elegans from Hong Kong
    From: Leslie Chan, July 8, 2001
  32. Tritoniopsis elegans in aquarium
    From: Donna Pinnock, May 11, 2001
  33. Tritoniopsis elegans in aquarium
    From: Tracey Bollier, February 9, 2001
  34. Tritoniopsis elegans from South Africa
    From: Valda Fraser, January 27, 2001
  35. Unknown Nudibranch
    From: Marc Elig, December 12, 2000
  36. Tritoniopsis - another hitchhiker
    From: Jim Roth, September 23, 2000
  37. Tritoniopsis elegans in aquarium
    From: Cindy Nichols, January 4, 2000
  38. Tritoniopsis from Thailand
    From: Erwin Koehler, July 9, 1999
  39. Sponge-feeding tritoniid?
    From: David & Leanne Atkinson, April 14, 1999
  40. Nudibranch in reef tank
    From: Eirik Mack Eilertsen, January 4, 1999
  41. Re: Nudibranch in reef tank
    From: Eirik Mack Eilertsen   , January 4, 1999

Show factsheet and all related messages