Lettuce Nudibranches

[Fade2White12]

I'm interested in getting a lettuce nudi to control my algae. I'm not able to afford an RO/DI unit, but I do spend the money to get RO water from Culligan. However, there are some trace phosphates which I think continues to sustain the algae. My snails, crabs, emerald, don't touch the stuff - so i was thinking I would possibly get a lettuce nudi to control my algae problem since I can't, in the short run, do anything to remedy the cause.

 

So, my question is, how long do these last in captivity? Any bad experiences? What should I know before I would go get one?

[ockben]

I'm interested in getting a lettuce nudi to control my algae. I'm not able to afford an RO/DI unit, but I do spend the money to get RO water from Culligan. However, there are some trace phosphates which I think continues to sustain the algae. My snails, crabs, emerald, don't touch the stuff - so i was thinking I would possibly get a lettuce nudi to control my algae problem since I can't, in the short run, do anything to remedy the cause.

 

So, my question is, how long do these last in captivity? Any bad experiences? What should I know before I would go get one?

 

 

I bought one of those little guys and a few hours later it was floating around.... dead. I have not lost anything more than snails and all my parameters were within range. I don't know if it has a certain accimilaiton procedure to them but I obviously did something wrong. It sure was pretty for those short hours though.

 

On the other hand, it did go straight to work as soon as I let him out.

[TheUnfocusedOne]

ive hear nudis are dangerous to keep

they get absolutly distroyed by powerheads

[Fade2White12]

Yeah, thanks. I've heard a lot of conflicting reports on their specific diets. I know they eat bryopsis, but some people have said that it can be supplemented with nori or something after it runs out.

 

Really, I need an animal that will eat hair algae - but I'm concerned about their diet and "incompatibility" with powerheads/overflows. I have had turbos, emeralds, and other snails that really barely touch the stuff, so my options really are:

 

Sea Hare/Lettuce Nudi - but my concerns are those above

Pincushion/Tuxedo Urchin - but scared of it being a bulldozer

Fighting/Queen Conch - but I'm scared it might get too large

[Rehype]

IME blennies do a fantastic job at getting rid of Green hair algae(lawnmower,bicolor, Klausewitz) If your tank can support the bioload why not give it a try

[MyCatsDrool]

how about saving up to get an RO/DI unit, and some ROWAPhos? Maybe increase your water changes in the mean time? Check with the LFS to see if you can buy RO/DI there?

 

I don't like seeing fragile animals die because owners are too lazy to take care of the root cause of the problem, or too cheap to fix it, and expect miracle cures out of an animal that may or may not resolve the problem and likely die in the process....

 

 

Just my opinion. Alas, I am sure you will ignore doing the right thing, and try to force an animal with an aleady short life span to do the dirty work you should...So, if you are going to anyway, try getting a few FW mollies, and acclimating them into SW over about 3 hrs in a bucket? They are brackish fish that will survive well in SW, even breed, and love hair algae. They have a better chance of survival than a nudi, as they are hardier animals, and fortunately, most mollies are bred in captivity, so you won't be further depleting the reefs of nudis that rarely survive in home aquaria...

[uglyamericanV1.5]

i have fighting conch in my 30 gal + a abalone (who is like 3 inches across).

 

conch is very cool to watch and he is busy all day

the abalone is shy,, but when he gets going, it really is like a vaccum.

 

and no bull dozing noted (and my rocks are all set up all over each other)

they are good little troopers

[Fade2White12]

how about saving up to get an RO/DI unit, and some ROWAPhos? Maybe increase your water changes in the mean time? Check with the LFS to see if you can buy RO/DI there?

 

I don't like seeing fragile animals die because owners are too lazy to take care of the root cause of the problem, or too cheap to fix it, and expect miracle cures out of an animal that may or may not resolve the problem and likely die in the process....

Just my opinion. Alas, I am sure you will ignore doing the right thing, and try to force an animal with an aleady short life span to do the dirty work you should...So, if you are going to anyway, try getting a few FW mollies, and acclimating them into SW over about 3 hrs in a bucket? They are brackish fish that will survive well in SW, even breed, and love hair algae. They have a better chance of survival than a nudi, as they are hardier animals, and fortunately, most mollies are bred in captivity, so you won't be further depleting the reefs of nudis that rarely survive in home aquaria...

 

Thanks for the self righteous and completely ignorant commentary. I didn't know that my plan was to kill some livestock - but now that you are able to inform me of my own intentions, thank you sir. Because obviously, as anyone can see, I am blindly running from store to store buying animals that I know nothing about, and throwing them into my tank. I mean, because it's not like I am asking questions trying to find out more information about the livestock I am considering or anything.

 

Really, this sort of behavior from the posters here is really really beginning to annoy me, and I'm sure many of the other members of this site. Some people here are so hostile, demeaning, and arrogant that I hate asking questions. Most advice given is not advice at all. Instead of providing helpful information, most questions are responded to by simply trying to find something to criticize. I don't even know where to begin. A person who has a legitimate problem and who also happens to have a Tang in their tank will get 9 responses by jerks to every 1 response that actually tries to answer the question.

 

Your assumption that I am some freaking noob that has no consideration for the animals in my tank, that I have not taken adequate steps to resolve the problem, and that you are so much better than me and everyone else here is misguided and condescending. Instead of bashing me over the head with your holier-than-thou demeanor, simply answer my question. I, as well as everyone else here, would appreciate it.

[KoolFish]

I'm interested in getting a lettuce nudi to control my algae. I'm not able to afford an RO/DI unit, but I do spend the money to get RO water from Culligan. However, there are some trace phosphates which I think continues to sustain the algae. My snails, crabs, emerald, don't touch the stuff - so i was thinking I would possibly get a lettuce nudi to control my algae problem since I can't, in the short run, do anything to remedy the cause.

 

So, my question is, how long do these last in captivity? Any bad experiences? What should I know before I would go get one?

I did some research before on this and most of the stuff I found said that they really don't eat hair algae and usually they end up in the sump/powerheads/filters, etc. I don't think there is anything better than a toothbrush/scraper to get rid of the hair algae. Most livestock won't touch it once it gets so long. This is at least in my experience.

 

Try using a phosphate pad or poly filter pad and running your lights for 8 hours/day. This will usually help.

 

Here is a link with a little info:

 

Lettuce Nudibranch

 

Sorry I could not be of any more help.

[svvad]

Thanks for the self righteous and completely ignorant commentary. I didn't know that my plan was to kill some livestock - but now that you are able to inform me of my own intentions, thank you sir. Because obviously, as anyone can see, I am blindly running from store to store buying animals that I know nothing about, and throwing them into my tank. I mean, because it's not like I am asking questions trying to find out more information about the livestock I am considering or anything.

 

Really, this sort of behavior from the posters here is really really beginning to annoy me, and I'm sure many of the other members of this site. Some people here are so hostile, demeaning, and arrogant that I hate asking questions. Most advice given is not advice at all. Instead of providing helpful information, most questions are responded to by simply trying to find something to criticize. I don't even know where to begin. A person who has a legitimate problem and who also happens to have a Tang in their tank will get 9 responses by jerks to every 1 response that actually tries to answer the question.

 

Your assumption that I am some freaking noob that has no consideration for the animals in my tank, that I have not taken adequate steps to resolve the problem, and that you are so much better than me and everyone else here is misguided and condescending. Instead of bashing me over the head with your holier-than-thou demeanor, simply answer my question. I, as well as everyone else here, would appreciate it.

 

He sounded a little harsh but he did give ya some advise .... and go get a job would ya LOL

[Fade2White12]

Point taken.

 

Anyway, I've already decided against the lettuce nudi. There's too many things he could climb into. I've simply decided to increase and diversify my standard CUC.

[shortstack]

I've had great luck with lettuce nudi's and bryopsis control. My nudibranch multiplied and I ended up with 12+ everywhere, enev roaming around inside my fluval. They were pretty indestructable in my tank.

[c est ma]

I've had great luck with lettuce nudi's and bryopsis control. My nudibranch multiplied and I ended up with 12+ everywhere, enev roaming around inside my fluval. They were pretty indestructable in my tank.

 

Wow, that's a very cool experience! Can you point to anything you did/didn't do that resulted in such success?

 

--Diane

[FishnWishn]

Never had luck with lettuce nudi's. The one I added to my tank disappeared the next day. However I had a Sea Hare that did a fast and fantastic job not only to my tank but a few other tanks that I loaned him out too. There was only one type of algae he didn't eat but he would mow down a 90 gal in a few days. But alas, poor Shrek was tempted by the garden growing around a C.L. intake. So be sure to cover up all intakes if you use one.

[c est ma]

Never had luck with lettuce nudi's. The one I added to my tank disappeared the next day. However I had a Sea Hare that did a fast and fantastic job not only to my tank but a few other tanks that I loaned him out too. There was only one type of algae he didn't eat but he would mow down a 90 gal in a few days. But alas, poor Shrek was tempted by the garden growing around a C.L. intake. So be sure to cover up all intakes if you use one.

 

Also very interesting. Aren't Sea Hares pretty big?

 

--Diane

[nanoreefnate]

I did some research before on this and most of the stuff I found said that they really don't eat hair algae and usually they end up in the sump/powerheads/filters, etc. I don't think there is anything better than a toothbrush/scraper to get rid of the hair algae. Most livestock won't touch it once it gets so long. This is at least in my experience.

 

Try using a phosphate pad or poly filter pad and running your lights for 8 hours/day. This will usually help.

 

Here is a link with a little info:

 

Lettuce Nudibranch

 

Sorry I could not be of any more help.

 

awwww darn it !!! if i had know this info i would never had bought that nona luttuce nudi from reefscavangers...darn...oh well...ill just take it to my LFS and see what i can get for it...thanks koolfish!