Unidentified Nudibranch in aquarium
December 24, 2004
From: David Seibel
![](/images/m12700a.jpg)
Dear Bill
I’m hoping someone with more nudibranch identification experience might have an idea about the two pink-white slugs that appeared in my tank recently. I’m afraid my pictures are coming out slightly blurry. I haven’t added anything but fish to the tank in about 6 months. Suddenly, one of the soft corals started to look increasingly ill. Then the slugs pictured appeared crawling all over it. They have stayed on the coral for 3 days and I can only assume they are eating it. Odd curly white strands have also appeared in bunches in the immediate area. The slugs are less than 2 inches in length and the strands can be as long as 5 inches— I have seen the strands appearing to come from the slugs themselves like waste product (or reproductive structures?).
Any guidance would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks.
David
dseibel@insightpartnersonline.com
Seibel, D., 2004 (Dec 24) Unidentified Nudibranch in aquarium. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/12700Dear David
This is Tritoniopsis elegans. As you will see by the other messages on this page this species is a common aquarium 'hitchhiker'. The white strands you mention are its egg ribbon.
Best wishes
Bill Rudman.
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