Phyllodesmium briareum Nudibranch?

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Jekyl

GSP is the devil and clowns are bad pets
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Anyone have experience with these? I've heard they eat GSP and it got my hopes up.
 
I now see your tag line and things are starting to make sense

Can we see a pic of your infestation of gsp to see what you’re up against
 
I now see your tag line and things are starting to make sense

Can we see a pic of your infestation of gsp to see what you’re up against
I'm too shy for that. I will say that watching something eat it will be the best I've felt about my tank in some time.
 
Bump
 
I've heard these specific ones are sometimes found in GSP shipments and thrown away. Unsure where to even look.
 
A few different Dermatobranchus nudibranchs (which are tedious to ID due to how many species are in the genus) will also eat GSP, and these at least have been more common in the past than Phyllodesmium briareum.

Either way, with nudibranchs that feed on octocorals like GSP, be aware that they may potentially feed on other softies (like Xenia, which is a common food for a number of Phyllodesmium species), gorgonians, etc. as well (though GSP seems to be a favorite):
most nudibranchs can only feed on ~1-4 species.
Yeah, they may or may not go for any of the other soft corals in the tank. If they do, please document which ones for us.
Some other octocoral-eaters (like other nudibranchs from the Arminidae family) may eat GSP as well, but I not sure.

Anyway, to my knowledge, nowhere purposefully sells these nudibranchs, but they have been known to come in on wild/maricultured GSP on occasion. Since they're not found on the US East Coast, your best bet for getting them would be on GSP from the Western Pacific (specifically around Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Eastern Australia).

Edit: If you can find a reefer who has some of these slugs, you could also buy them from them - but finding them may be tough (these aren't super common, though at least the Dermatobranchus species aren't super uncommon either).
 
A few different Dermatobranchus nudibranchs (which are tedious to ID due to how many species are in the genus) will also eat GSP, and these at least have been more common in the past than Phyllodesmium briareum.

Either way, with nudibranchs that feed on octocorals like GSP, be aware that they may potentially feed on other softies (like Xenia, which is a common food for a number of Phyllodesmium species), gorgonians, etc. as well (though GSP seems to be a favorite):


Some other octocoral-eaters (like other nudibranchs from the Arminidae family) may eat GSP as well, but I not sure.

Anyway, to my knowledge, nowhere purposefully sells these nudibranchs, but they have been known to come in on wild/maricultured GSP on occasion. Since they're not found on the US East Coast, your best bet for getting them would be on GSP from the Western Pacific (specifically around Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Eastern Australia).
My only concern would be anemone I have. Otherwise they can feast away. Any specific nudibranch you can think of as well as how I might find them.
 
A few different Dermatobranchus nudibranchs (which are tedious to ID due to how many species are in the genus) will also eat GSP, and these at least have been more common in the past than Phyllodesmium briareum.

Either way, with nudibranchs that feed on octocorals like GSP, be aware that they may potentially feed on other softies (like Xenia, which is a common food for a number of Phyllodesmium species), gorgonians, etc. as well (though GSP seems to be a favorite):


Some other octocoral-eaters (like other nudibranchs from the Arminidae family) may eat GSP as well, but I not sure.

Anyway, to my knowledge, nowhere purposefully sells these nudibranchs, but they have been known to come in on wild/maricultured GSP on occasion. Since they're not found on the US East Coast, your best bet for getting them would be on GSP from the Western Pacific (specifically around Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Eastern Australia).

Edit: If you can find a reefer who has some of these slugs, you could also buy them from them - but finding them may be tough (these aren't super common, though at least the Dermatobranchus species aren't super uncommon either).
Do any of them eat toadstools?
 
My only concern would be anemone I have. Otherwise they can feast away. Any specific nudibranch you can think of as well as how I might find them.
I doubt they'd go for a nem, but I can't confirm they wouldn't if they're starving.

No specific species suggestions from me other than P. briareum (which would be the easiest to ID), but I'd guess a number of Dermatobranchus species below would be likely to feed on GSP (as noted below, however, there's not a lot of info on the diets for these, so I can't confirm these would eat GSP, but I strongly suspect at least a few of them would).

"Dermatobranchus funiculus should be compared to other species with a long narrow radula, namely D. fortunatus, D. substriatus, D. earlei, D. kokonas, D. piperoides, D. rodmani, and D. albineus."*

"Dermatobranchus albus is part of a complex of species that have a radula with a moderately broad inner lateral tooth, which possesses numerous comb-like denticles. The remaining laterals are devoid of denticles. Members of this complex include D. albus, D. otome, D. striatus, D. diagonalis, and D. oculus, all of which have this arrangement of radular teeth."*

"Dermatobranchus caeruleomaculatus is one of several large species with a broad body, smooth jaws, and a wide radula consisting of numerous teeth. These taxa include D. gonatophorus, D. ornatus, D. nigropunctatus, D. sagamianus, D. multidentatus, D. tongshanensis, D. multistriatus, D. leoni, and D. den-dronephthyphagus."*

"Data as to diversity of prey are lacking for most species of Dermatobranchus. However, within the semistriatus clade, D. caesitius has been observed feeding on xeniid soft corals, D. albus has been found on gorgonians and D. albineus has been found on Eleutherobia. Within the D. ornatus clade, D. ornatus has been found on gorgonians, whereas D. caeruleo-maculatus and D. dendronephthyphagus have been observed feeding on Dendronephthya. Dermatobran-chus gonatophorus has also been found feeding on Eleutherobia."*

(As a note, Eleutherobia variabile, one of the specific feeds mentioned in the study, is accepted as Alcyonium variabile.)

*Source:
 

IF YOU HAD TO TAKE A REEFING EXAM, WOULD YOU PASS?

  • Yes!

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  • Not yet, but I have one that I want to buy in mind!

    Votes: 9 12.9%
  • No.

    Votes: 26 37.1%
  • Other (please explain).

    Votes: 3 4.3%

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