Tritonia Diomedia sighting?

[carpoza]

My daughter and I were diving San Carlos beach yesterday and on the way out to the Metridium we saw what looked like a huge nudibrach swimming a few inches above the bottom at about 40-45 ft. It was 6-8 inches long and a dark maroon color (in the low light anyway). We talked with Glen and his son Scott at Aquarius II and Scott told us he had seen a large nudi in the same area and different one at the wall. He sent me some photos of what he thought it might be and both my daughter and I thought it looked most like the Tritonia Diomedia. I didn't know such large nudibrachs were found in the Monterey area. Has any one else seen one in that area? If it wasn't the Tritonia then what could it be? Unfortunately my GoPros batteries gave out just before the dive, otherwise I would have video for you all.:depressed:

 

[KRL1973]

probably a rainbow aka giant nudi. Don't know the latin name off hand. I have seen then in that area they climb onto and eat the tube anemones out on the sand there, lay their eggs on the anemone stalks as well. Very interesting to watchHow was the vis there yesterday. I am about to dive down there to dive now and am curious to knowthanks

 

[deadbilly]

If it was large, red, and swimming and you saw it at breakwater, chances are more or less certain iit was Dendronotus iris.

 

[reefvagabond]

did it look like this?
rainbow nudibranch dancing - YouTube

 

[carpoza]

Yes, after looking at the video I'm sure we saw the Dendronotus Iris.

 

[3D diver]

One of these fellows:

Dendronotus, I believe. I've seen them swim and eating anemones at the breakwater.