Yet another Hitchhiker ID really am clueless on this one though

[FishRN]

So I was doing some night hunting in my tank for any straggling isopods and I saw this guy just chilling. I don’t trust anything anymore so I took him out he looks just like a giant berghia nudibranch. When I touched him with the tweezers some oh his frills shed and stuck to the metal. I haven’t noticed any coral damage so really have no clue if he’s bad or not.

 

[Auto-pilot]

Woah that guy looks interesting. No clue what it is.

 

[FishRN]

He definitely doesn’t like the light he thrashes around when I shine my head lamp
On him

 

[Nano sapiens]

Nudibranch. Many species practice Kleptopredation on various organisms, like coral.

Just one example:

https://www.sciencephoto.com/media/107823/view/shaggy-mouse-nudibranch

 

[MoshJosh]

I also vote Nudibranch

 

[FishRN]

It’s all rock from Tampa bay if that helps narrow down the type of nudi. Won’t be adding him back to the tank I don’t think.

 

[Tired]

Definitely some sort of nudibranch- very cool! Probably not an enormous concern for your corals? Most coral-eating nudibranchs are very specific in what they target, so, if he does eat corals, he'd likely only be interested in one species or group- and that group would be something native to Florida. Kinda like how I probably don't have to worry that some ivy I dig up in California will bring in a caterpillar that likes to eat my tropical orchids. Crickets, sure, which in this metaphor are gorilla crabs, but not caterpillars/nudibranchs.

Wonder who might know what he is? Maybe have a quick flip through here https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=21&taxon_id=47113&view=species and see if anything looks right; it's not an exhaustive list, but it has plenty of entries.

 

[FishRN]

Definitely some sort of nudibranch- very cool! Probably not an enormous concern for your corals? Most coral-eating nudibranchs are very specific in what they target, so, if he does eat corals, he'd likely only be interested in one species or group- and that group would be something native to Florida. Kinda like how I probably don't have to worry that some ivy I dig up in California will bring in a caterpillar that likes to eat my tropical orchids. Crickets, sure, which in this metaphor are gorilla crabs, but not caterpillars/nudibranchs.

Wonder who might know what he is? Maybe have a quick flip through here https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=21&taxon_id=47113&view=species and see if anything looks right; it's not an exhaustive list, but it has plenty of entries.

Thanks for the link he definitely looks like the

Phidiana lynceus​

He has the same head appendages and the same color and texture of the frills!

 

[FishRN]

Apparently they eat hydroids I really don’t think I have any in my tank so this guy will eventually starve to death. And just as a heads up to anyone else that ever comes across this thread that finds one- the frills definitely sting. I peeled off the one that was sticking to my tweezers and now my finger is tingling pretty good…

 

[Amber.]

Apparently they eat hydroids I really don’t think I have any in my tank so this guy will eventually starve to death. And just as a heads up to anyone else that ever comes across this thread that finds one- the frills definitely sting. I peeled off the one that was sticking to my tweezers and now my finger is tingling pretty good…

Interesting find! I hope your finger feels better. Have you tried adding vinegar to your finger? I don’t know if it might help kind of like a bug bite or sting to neutralize the toxins.

 

[Tired]

Oh, neat! I mean, unfortunate way to find it out, but that's cool! You've definitely learned it eats something that stings, then, since it will have gotten those stinging cells from its diet.

Pop it back in your tank, give it a chance. You probably have a few hydroids lurking on that rock anyway- may as well get 'em eaten.