Are These Sea Slugs/Nudis Reef Safe?

[ssunthar]

Hi Expert,

From time to time we can see these sea slugs/nudis at LFS..

They are so cool and very tempted to get them (for my mixed reef tank).. but thought I should check if they are reef safe first. Unfortunately the common answers we get from LFS will either be... "Yaaa" or "mmm.. I think so" but very few can share any reliable info.

Would like to know their ID and if they are reef safe?

Thanks.

 

[Chrisv.]

Hi Expert,

From time to time we can see these sea slugs/nudis at LFS..

They are so cool and very tempted to get them (for my mixed reef tank).. but thought I should check if they are reef safe first. Unfortunately the common answers we get from LFS will either be... "Yaaa" or "mmm.. I think so" but very few can share any reliable info.

Would like to know their ID and if they are reef safe?

Thanks.

So there are a great number of species here. Most if not all have extremely specialized diets. The black and blue one at the bottom is used by some to eat red planaria, but I think that's all it eats.

 

[a.t.t.r]

Majority of these will only eat a single type of tunicate or sponge. They will starve to death 100 percent. Don’t support an LfS that gets animals in that can not be cared for and sells them with 0 knowledge. People doing research on them are the only ones who should have any nudi. Exceptions being the aiptasia eaters.

 

[ssunthar]

So there are a great number of species here. Most if not all have extremely specialized diets. The black and blue one at the bottom is used by some to eat red planaria, but I think that's all it eats.

Thanks for the info. Researced on that one.. i believe it is called blue velvet nudi. Noted.

 

[Chrisv.]

Majority of these will only eat a single type of tunicate or sponge. They will starve to death 100 percent. Don’t support an LfS that gets animals in that can not be cared for and sells them with 0 knowledge. People doing research on them are the only ones who should have any nudi. Exceptions being the aiptasia eaters.

Also, keep in mind that the LFS itself can't keep these going in most cases.

OP there are some nice options: check out lettuce sea slugs and sea hares.

 

[ssunthar]

Majority of these will only eat a single type of tunicate or sponge. They will starve to death 100 percent. Don’t support an LfS that gets animals in that can not be cared for and sells them with 0 knowledge. People doing research on them are the only ones who should have any nudi. Exceptions being the aiptasia eaters.

Wow only a single diet... noted and agreed. Thanks.

 

[ssunthar]

Also, keep in mind that the LFS itself can't keep these going in most cases.

OP there are some nice options: check out lettuce sea slugs and sea hares.

I have a very hardworking brown sea hare. Just looked up on lettuce sea slugs.. they are algae eaters too. Thanks.

 

[a.t.t.r]

Wow only a single diet... noted and agreed. Thanks.

Sometimes as crazy as a single color or variation of that single species diet.

lettuce seaslugs e clarki are cool breed easily in tank and eat readily available bryopsis(and one or two other macro algae) . Check them out if you want a slug just watch out for power heads sucking em in. (Or overflows… they are kinda stupid)

 

[ssunthar]

Also, keep in mind that the LFS itself can't keep these going in most cases.

OP there are some nice options: check out lettuce sea slugs and sea hares.

Sometimes as crazy as a single color or variation of that single species diet.

lettuce seaslugs e clarki are cool breed easily in tank and eat readily available bryopsis(and one or two other macro algae) . Check them out if you want a slug just watch out for power heads sucking em in. (Or overflows… they are kinda stupid)

Hi @Chrisv. & @a.t.t.r,

Does these from the pics above could be lettuce sea slug?

Thanks.

 

[a.t.t.r]

Hi @Chrisv. & @a.t.t.r,

Does these from the pics above could be lettuce sea slug?

Thanks.

Nope. You can tell by the head and the frilly on the back that it is a nudi.

There are also multiple lettuce slugs. Only a few are easily fed in our tanks (some eat stuff that is slow growing like shaving brush algae). E crispata (spelling?) and e clarki are the two commonly available ones that are pretty much dedicated bryopsis eaters. Please note the bryopsis must be ALIVE they eat by sucking out its insides.

 

[a.t.t.r]

The Sea Slug Forum - Elysia clarki

Reefcleaners.org has them usually.

 

[a.t.t.r]

The Sea Slug Forum - Elysia clarki

Reefcleaners.org has them usually.

https://www.reefcleaners.org/aquarium-store/tank-cleaners/lettuce-nudibranch-detail it’s been clarki they have been sending lately btw

 

[Chrisv.]

I'm culturing burghia nudibranchs these days. You should also check them out, but have a serious source of aiptasia first.

 

[ssunthar]

Nope. You can tell by the head and the frilly on the back that it is a nudi.

There are also multiple lettuce slugs. Only a few are easily fed in our tanks (some eat stuff that is slow growing like shaving brush algae). E crispata (spelling?) and e clarki are the two commonly available ones that are pretty much dedicated bryopsis eaters. Please note the bryopsis must be ALIVE they eat by sucking out its insides.

Wow.. interesting.. found these while looking up as well... thanks for sharing.

 

[ssunthar]

I'm culturing burghia nudibranchs these days. You should also check them out, but have a serious source of aiptasia first.

A beauty...

 

[SlugSnorter]

Hi Expert,

From time to time we can see these sea slugs/nudis at LFS..

They are so cool and very tempted to get them (for my mixed reef tank).. but thought I should check if they are reef safe first. Unfortunately the common answers we get from LFS will either be... "Yaaa" or "mmm.. I think so" but very few can share any reliable info.

Would like to know their ID and if they are reef safe?

Thanks.

none of these will last long, very specific diets. Very very bad practice for lFS to stock them.

 

[SlugSnorter]

I have a very hardworking brown sea hare. Just looked up on lettuce sea slugs.. they are algae eaters too. Thanks.

some are picky, others don't eat algae once they mature

 

[SlugSnorter]

Nope. You can tell by the head and the frilly on the back that it is a nudi.

There are also multiple lettuce slugs. Only a few are easily fed in our tanks (some eat stuff that is slow growing like shaving brush algae). E crispata (spelling?) and e clarki are the two commonly available ones that are pretty much dedicated bryopsis eaters. Please note the bryopsis must be ALIVE they eat by sucking out its insides.

not necessarily just bryopsis, but they need live filamentous algae, as they eat the "sap" within it for food.