Why is it so hard/impossible to find specialized nudibranchs?

[CEReefer]

We know that there are many species of nudibranchs useful to the hobby, I am wondering why there is no way to acquire some, even if they are native to NA (don't have to be imported)?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Most of them originate from areas where there are bans in livestock collection

 

[mdb_talon]

Generally speaking they are fragile, often hard to collect, require very specific food sources, and are in low demand other than a few specific ones (which are available).

In my QT tank though right now I do have some monti eating nudis if interested

 

[CEReefer]

Phidiana lynceus Bergh, (1867) is also found in Florida, this guy eats hydroids... but there are other nudibranchs that eat hydroids, and found in other parts of North America.. Hydroids is such a common issue that I can't understand why nobody collects/culture those guys..

 

[CEReefer]

Generally speaking they are fragile, often hard to collect, require very specific food sources, and are in low demand other than a few specific ones (which are available).

In my QT tank though right now I do have some monti eating nudis if interested

You can keep those!

 

[LegendaryCG]

Sounds like a business for someone that likes keeping pests, @king aiptasia

 

[CEReefer]

Another interesting one is Cratena peregrina (Described in 1791), supposedly eats hydroids too.. This one is not found in NA though..

 

[CEReefer]

Scyllaea pelagica, found in Florida, Texas and North Carolina.. eats branching hydroids too.. Nobody collects those guys?

 

[lafarrow]

give the folks at reef town a shout they can probably give you some ideas on the business model side of it or at least why they carry what they carry

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[JosephM]

I think it’s because it’s extremely difficult to culture. You can’t easily buy or acquire large amounts hydroids or aiptasia or whatever else they eat to keep them alive and reproducing long term

 

[CEReefer]

I sent them a message, hopefully I can source some through them. But it is definitely something overlooked

 

[CEReefer]

I think it’s because it’s extremely difficult to culture. You can’t easily buy or acquire large amounts hydroids or aiptasia or whatever else they eat to keep them alive and reproducing long term

Trust me, I can keep a steady population of hydroids..

 

[king aiptasia]

Sounds like a business for someone that likes keeping pests, @king aiptasia

most hitchhikers, obscurities and pest sorts of animals can't be purchased simply because it is not profitable to the collector company. there will never be supply of things consumers wont know to buy for themselves, after all how can someone order an animal they don't even know exists. It took me years and years to obtain my original collection because I had to personally be my own supplier, going though countless ditches, creeks, beaches, shores, forests and everywhere imaginable. In the end I had oddities of all sorts of kinds, freshwater, terrestrial, and saltwater.

 

[CEReefer]

most hitchhikers, obscurities and pest sorts of animals can't be purchased simply because it is not profitable to the collector company. there will never be supply of things consumers wont know to buy for themselves, after all how can someone order an animal they don't even know exists. It took me years and years to obtain my original collection because I had to personally be my own supplier, going though countless ditches, creeks, beaches, shores, forests and everywhere imaginable. In the end I had oddities of all sorts of kinds, freshwater, terrestrial, and saltwater.

Agree.. Let me argue though that some marketing and the right pricing may offset some of those. Like I would pay 30-50$/nudi.. that said , do you have any peregrina or pelagica to offload/rent out? Or know where I can find some?

 

[king aiptasia]

Agree.. Let me argue though that some marketing and the right pricing may offset some of those. Like I would pay 30-50$/nudi.. that said , do you have any peregrina or pelagica to offload/rent out? Or know where I can find some?

i had to start over from scratch after moving, I got no nudibranchs, i never keep animals i can't breed in my tanks.

 

[king aiptasia]

i had to start over from scratch after moving, I got no nudibranchs, i never keep animals i can't breed in my tanks.

a trip to the beach may prove fruitful

 

[elysics]

Another problem is that "eats hydroids" doesn't necessarily mean that it will eat your hydroids, there are probably as many differrent kinds of hydroids as there are corals, if not more.

The same goes for the ones that eat sponges, coral, bryozoans, whatever else

 

[CEReefer]

Another problem is that "eats hydroids" doesn't necessarily mean that it will eat your hydroids, there are probably as many differrent kinds of hydroids as there are corals, if not more.

The same goes for the ones that eat sponges, coral, bryozoans, whatever else

True, but some, like Peregrina, has been reported to eat different kinds, including the branching ones (commonly found in our tanks).. I was just getting my hopes up, that’s all..