Lettuce nudibranch—keeping for longevity

[SimplyVibing]

I love lettuce nudibranch. I’ve recently set up a 10 gallon vase to use as a lettuce-only paradise (not my first nano or first lettuce). I know they photosynthesis and enjoy bryopsis and don’t mind growing bryopsis like a lawn if it keeps them healthy and making babies.

Do y’all have any suggestions for keeping these guys for their entire natural lifespan? There will be predators in the tank, just lettuces and maybe feeder shrimp. Do they need a coral light to photosynthesize? Will a normal LED work?

 

[Copingwithpods]

From some recent studies I recently read (I have a lettuce nudi currently) they require reef parameters with invertebrate care like no copper and low nitrates, reef (or atleast plant/algea) lighting for success. In one experiment a group was kept with cheatomorpha another algae they will consume from juveniles to adulthood, the cheato and nudis were under a grow light and spawned several generations. If your vase will be kept under reef specs I don't see why this shouldn't work.

 

[SimplyVibing]

From some recent studies I recently read (I have a lettuce nudi currently) they require reef parameters with invertebrate care like no copper and low nitrates, reef (or atleast plant/algea) lighting for success. In one experiment a group was kept with cheatomorpha another algae they will consume from juveniles to adulthood, the cheato and nudis were under a grow light and spawned several generations. If your vase will be kept under reef specs I don't see why this shouldn't work.

Thank you so much for the info! Believe it or not, I actually have a spare grow light from when my dad decided to start seedlings indoors. I’ll get that bad boy set up and let some bryopsis start going ham.

While I have you here, do you know about how low nitrates should be for keeping nudis? Normally my reef tank (which I transferred filter media from) is under 10ppm. Would that work?

 

[albano]

What do you think their ‘entire natural lifespan’ is? I’ve always heard that it can be 6 months to a year!

 

[SimplyVibing]

What do you think their ‘entire natural lifespan’ is? I’ve always heard that it can be 6 months to a year!

Well, most lettuce nudis die after just a few weeks in a new tank due to starvation or an encounter with a power head or intake. Keeping them for a year would be awesome!

 

[SimplyVibing]

What do you think their ‘entire natural lifespan’ is? I’ve always heard that it can be 6 months to a year!

Oh and to answer your question, I’ve read that nudis max at around 3’. Personally I’ve seen larger nudis, and if you consider that they grow maybe half an inch a month, that would put their full lifespan at at LEAST six months. Personally, I don’t see why it couldn’t be longer (maybe a year, maybe more) in the proper conditions!

 

[albano]

Back in the early 90s when I was helping a friend order for his lfs... we often received Florida live rock that apparently had lettuce leaf nudi eggs on them. Many hatched and we had a tank full of tiny green ‘bugs’ moving across the live rock.

 

[Copingwithpods]

What do you think their ‘entire natural lifespan’ is? I’ve always heard that it can be 6 months to a year!

From what I've read 6 months to a year is about right, the problem with this is the slug might already be months old by the time of purchase, the many deaths of this slug could be just age related. Also remember that as they age they eat less and less and adopt a basking behavior where most of their energy is provided by the chloroplasts in their bodies and single cellular algaes they ingest. They really aren't the lawnmowers they are made out to be. It isn't unusual to see one fixed on a rock and not move for days.

 

[SimplyVibing]

Back in the early 90s when I was helping a friend order for his lfs... we often received Florida live rock that apparently had lettuce leaf nudi eggs on them. Many hatched and we had a tank full of tiny green ‘bugs’ moving across the live rock.

Cute!! Do you have any idea how long those babies lived? And we’re they kept in a tank with a coral or plant light, or just LEDs?

 

[SimplyVibing]

From what I've read 6 months to a year is about right, the problem with this is the slug might already be months old by the time of purchase, the many deaths of this slug could be just age related. Also remember that as they age they eat less and less and adopt a basking behavior where most of their energy is provided by the chloroplasts in their bodies and single cellular algaes they ingest. They really aren't the lawnmowers they are made out to be. It isn't unusual to see one fixed on a rock and not move for days.

I love how the big ones turn so green and just chill out. And the babies move surprisingly quickly for not have legs or fins.
I’ll be sure to track the ages of different slugs and correlate with their size so I can let anyone I sell them to know their approximate age

 

[albano]

Cute!! Do you have any idea how long those babies lived? And we’re they kept in a tank with a coral or plant light, or just LEDs?

Having thought about it more, I had these in 1986... over 30 years ago. I think the lighting was T12s, daylight and actinic. Caulerpa was growing in tank, sump was a wet dry unit.
The ‘hatchlings’ were first noticed at about 1/4-1/2” length. They grew but did not survive long.
Not sure what you plan on doing with your
‘survivors’, but they sell for less than $10, so not really worth the effort.

 

[SimplyVibing]

Having thought about it more, I had these in 1986... over 30 years ago. I think the lighting was T12s, daylight and actinic. Caulerpa was growing in tank, sump was a wet dry unit.
The ‘hatchlings’ were first noticed at about 1/4-1/2” length. They grew but did not survive long.
Not sure what you plan on doing with your
‘survivors’, but they sell for less than $10, so not really worth the effort.

Thanks for the info. I’m keeping the tank for pleasure mostly, and plan on stocking with pygmy seahorses too. I figure if I sell a couple of each here and there I can pay for salt, my hopes aren’t astronomical