Please ID this invert

[tonybologna000]

Hey everyone.....I'm fearful that this pictured invert may be eating my colt coral. It only comes out at night, and always goes for the colt coral pictured above it. Note the pieces of pink material beneath the invert. They are suspiciously the same color as my coral. Is this thing truly dangerous to my coral or am I all wrong? What should I do if it is hurting my coral?

What is this thing?

Thanks so much!

 

[Chibils]

Looks like a nudibranch of some sort, but I really have no idea.

 

[Aquabucket]

Its a soft coral eating nudibranch. It looks like it may feeding on the coral just above it. It may also feed on other soft corals of which it mimics in appearance.

 

[tonybologna000]

Will killing it release toxins into my aquarium? Is it poisonous to touch? Will it just multiply if I stab/cut it up with something? What is the best way to kill/get rid of it?

Thanks so much!

 

[AquamanE]

It looks like what Calfo and Fenner describe in their book "Reef Invertebrates" on page 208 as a Tritoniopsis sp. . They claim it eats soft corals and you should "remove promptly". I had some, same symptoms, only comes out at night some of the softies get irritated. Im no expert but ide remove them.

 

[AquamanE]

I removed with tweezers.

 

[tonybologna000]

Great, will do promptly. Thanks everyone!