Little White Bugs

What is that and where did it come from?

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Buzz
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Little White Bugs

Post by Buzz »

Can someone help me figure out what these little guys are? They just started popping up all over the tank. Usually on the glass. They are about 1/4 inch long.
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reefman8471
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bugs

Post by reefman8471 »

They are a species of nudibranch (sea slug)...although I don't know what species they are....or if they are harmful.

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Post by snoopdog »

They normally are short lived in the tank, keep an eye on your button polyps though.
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Buzz
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Update

Post by Buzz »

Posted the same thing on the Marine Depot site. Someone there said these were "arminid nudibranchs". I removed one soft coral today which had died over the past few weeks. The rock was covered with these things. Anyone know how to rid the tank of them or if there is a fish that likes eating them?

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Post by snoopdog »

Best way in my opinion is to wait till your lights come on in the morning. Since they like the dark they will be all over things like button polyps. Also the corals are closed so they are easy to spot. Then grab some forceps and yank them off.

http://www.mbrk.com/viewtopic.php?t=3425
"When they was no meat we ate fowl, when there was no fowl we ate crawdad. And when there was no crawdad to be found, we ate sand."--Cellmate
"You ate what?"--H.I.
"We ate sand."--Cellmate
"You ate sand?"--H.I.
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Re: Little White Bugs

Post by likes2fly »

I've seen many of these back home in Arkansas. They are harmless. Its a rabbit stretched out. lol
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Re: Little White Bugs

Post by Amphiprion »

Actually, they usually aren't harmless. Even though the thread is fairly old, it should be noted that the nudibranch in question is an arminid--a family that is well-known for micropredation on soft coral species.
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