Nudibranch?

[JROC]

Just added some Fiji and Pacific LR to the Nano Satuarday. Tonight a tiny little nudibranch (i think!?) appeared. It looks like a tiny little slug with two feather like protrusions on top of it's head. It is about a quarter of an inch long and an eigth of an inch wide. It is a pale yellow color.  Is there any hope of keeping this alive?

 

Here are a few pics!

 

(Edited by JROC at 12:06 am on June 18, 2002)

[JROC]

Sadly I do not think this little one is going to make it. For whatever reason it keeps detaching and floating to the top of the water. We have let it attach to our fingers each time and then let it slide back onto the rock. Not sure what to do at this point.

[Sahin]

Sorry to hear about the creature not making it.

It sure looks cool though.  

[koiman16]

You definitely had a lettuce nudibranch. They are extremely difficult to keep however. Sorry that it passed though. It was so neat looking. I've been thingking about getting one for my tank.

[mysk]

They are super hard to keep alive.

[Carinya]

If he doesn't make it, get his body out of the tank ASAP.  Some nudibranches can release toxins in the water when they die that could be harmful to other inhabitants.  Sorry it doesn't look like this one's going to work out.

 

Carinya

[kennerd]

Definitely NOT a lettuce nudibranch.  Lettuce nudis are a  distinct green color with frilly backs, which look like curly green lettuce.  Although not terribly hardy, they are definitely cool, as they suck the chlorophyll out of various turf algaes, and the frills on their backs convert the convert the juice into nutrient via photosynthesis.  

 

Not sure what type of nudi you have there, but most don't handle current well at all.

[printerdown01]

It is highly probable, based upon the body structuring and coloration of the nudi (pronounced nude-ee), that he will consume sponge. Unfortunatly, aquariums cannot produce sponges fast enough to feed these guys! When he dies it is also highly likely that he will produce enough toxins to wipe out your entire tank (if you have anything less than a 20 gallon). Of course this is a very rough estimate: the exact species, your tanks filtration process, your live-stock, the feeding habits your your particular nudi, ect would all effect the amount of toxins and your tanks ability to handle these toxins. However, one positive note: I have seen a very similar nudi in a local fish stores display tank, and he as survived quite a long time (not to mention that the tank is 7 gallons)!! You might have gotten VERY LUCKY and have recieved this exact species or one VERY close to it... I'm not saying that you def have the same species, but it looks VERY CLOSE!! - I am very fond of nudis, and pay close attention to them...  

[JROC]

Here is the update. When I got home from work tonight he is no where to be found. I do not have any corals yet, but there are a few brown polyps on my LR and they are wide open. So, either it died and it was not too toxic or it still in there and went back into the rock. I will keep an eye out and see if it reappears.

 

Thanks for all the info gang.

[kennerd]

I agree with printerdown01 on the extremely species-specific diet of nudis.  for example: Greek Goddess Nudibranchs, which are a gorgeous cobalt blue & black with yellow striping only eat blue sponges, etc.

 

Hope he's fine & you may have gotten lucky with a more hardy species.  

 

Check this site out & add it to your fav list as a resource:

 

http://www.seaslugforum.net/

[Mr Spam]

for 1) NOT a lettice leaf SEA SLUG (not true nudibranch).

for 2) highly unlikle, almost sertainly positive he is not poisonous

for 3) he has a very specific diet.

 

All true nudies are highly carnivours, and have a very specific diet, usually only 1 species of sponge, coral, anemone or sensile invert. The chance this guy will live is highly unlikely. Only a select number of nudies might possably contain toxins, however not this one.

 

Many people seem to think the lettice leaf sea slug is the exeption however this is not true. It is not a true nudibranch and is more closely related to snails. I have personally found the lettice leaf slug to be fairly hardy in my aquariums, even reproducing.

[JROC]

Okay gang, the little trooper is still there! It was cruzing around the glass this morning when I woke up, seems to prefer to come out after the lights go out.

 

So, anything I can do to help keep this thing alive? No way to "feed" it sponges I suppose. Thoughts?

 

Should I pull it out and take back to the LFS? Anybody have a gigantic tank they would like try it in?

[koiman16]

Lettuce nudibranches do not secrete toxins, they are even a nudibranch. Their part of a different family. The sea hare does secrete toxins, but very mild, not as strong as a cucumber's toxin.

[koiman16]

typo: they are not even nudibranches

[Mr Spam]

What we call the lettice leaf nudibranch is a member of the order sacoglossa (sea slugs), not nudibrancia(nudibranch). All sea hairs (which can expell ink simular to octopus) are of the order Anaspidea.