Any tips for spying nudi's?

[dlwalke]

I would love to see some nudibranch's while diving (or even while not, but assume that diving would provide the best opportunity), but have not yet seen a single one while diving in Florida and a few other sites in the Caribbean. Does anyone have any tips as to sites, techniques, etc. For example, are night dives more productive than day dives, do you look for certain types of habitats, etc? Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Dave

 

[alcina]

I haven't dived Florida but nudibranchs are a passion of mine.

Slow down. No matter how slow you are going, you are going too fast.

Look through books, photos, web galleries of nudibranchs. This helps you "get your eye in" - even if the specific species vary from area to area you are teaching yourself to recognize shape and form.

Slow down.

Dive as much as you can!

 

[fishballer]

the goal for my upcoming trip to cozumel is
- nudis
- cleaning station
- mermaid.

 

[David P]

come out here to So Cal! They're all over Other than that swim slow and low.

 

[mlloyd]

Learn to know what they like to eat.

 

[Doc]

Learn to know what they like to eat.

That, and go to the South Pacific. The Philippines are lousy with them.

The Nudis in the Caribbean are much more camouflaged than most others, they seem to really blend in. The most common one I see is the Lettuce Leaf type, and boy- do they disappear when you turn your glance aside for a second.

You've probably looked at hundreds- seeing them is the trick. Another hard to see critter is the Sea Hare. There all over the place in the shallows, all but impossible to tell them apart from the spooge that they slither around upon, and isn't that the point?

Like MLLOYD said above, figure out what they like to eat, understand what makes them all but invisible in that environment. (Darwin rules)

Don't try to find the critter, but find its highly specialized niche environment... there it will be.

 

[Rick Murchison]

Slow down. No matter how slow you are going, you are going too fast.
... Slow down.

Slow down; stop. Watch an area for a while for something creeping rather than darting...
Did I mention you need to slow down?
--
For a guaranteed cleaning station, find a corkscrew anemone. There will nearly always be a Pederson's shrimp hanging out with it... if you put a finger beside the anemone (on rock, not coral, of course) the shrimp will come clean around your fingernail.
Rick

 

[Doc]

For a guaranteed cleaning station, find a corkscrew anemone. There will nearly always be a Pederson's shrimp hanging out with it

Now, take the next step. Look underneath the Pedersen Shrimp, look at the base of the Corkscrew Anemone.

See the tiny symbiotic Crustacean living below?

Most do not.

 

[thomjinx]

S-l-o-w d-o-w-n.....
and as a Roatan Man said, go to the Philippines. On one dive in Puerta Galera, I saw more than I had previously seen in my life!

A good DM or guide can usually help you find them too.

They are very cool little critters. Once you get the hang of spotting them, it will be as if all of a sudden there are more of them around.

 

[HowardE]

I would love to see some nudibranch's while diving (or even while not, but assume that diving would provide the best opportunity), but have not yet seen a single one while diving in Florida and a few other sites in the Caribbean. Does anyone have any tips as to sites, techniques, etc. For example, are night dives more productive than day dives, do you look for certain types of habitats, etc? Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Dave

With more than 200 dives in Florida, I've only seen nudibranchs in Florida a few times (2 or 3 sightings).

In So Cal, I saw several in just a week of diving.

The location is critical to the sighting of nudis.

If you really want to see nudis. Go someplace where they are seen more often. Look at sites where they will be hanging out (habitat wise)

Obviously, you have to look carefully, move slowly and methodically. Diving in a strong current is not a good way to find nudis.