florida joe
Well-Known Member
Ok so I am back from my LFS with some caulerpa to put in my QT as long as it is empty in preparation for my refug and I get this guy as a hitchhiker. Nudibranch (chromodoris SP.) anyone have any luck keeping them.
Hitchhiker
- Thread starter florida joe
- Start date
clownfish11
Active Member
thats one really cool nudi
florida joe
Well-Known Member
Thanks I just don’t know if I should give him back he was in my LFS refug so I assume he was getting what he needs to eat, or take a chance and put him right in my DT
mscarpena
Member
DO some research on the web to try to find out what they eat. Most nudibranch only eat one or two things and are difficult to feed. I would say most likely you are a better caretaker than your LFS. They usually get them in by chance and have not ordered them. Also LFS usually don't even attempt to feed these guys or keep them alive. It is probably better off in your hands. Also I think they are called a spanish dancer. An exact identification might be difficult. Good luck though. Very beautiful.
notsonoob
Member
They like to pop around your tank and eat any algea they can find.
I had bought one for my wife to add purple to the tank. He lasted about a month until he got caught up in a powerhead and deposited him all over hte tank.
Non-toxic as it didn't crash my tank as some nudibraches have been suspected to be.
I don't have luck keeping those alive and the lettuce ones always wind up in my sump.
I had bought one for my wife to add purple to the tank. He lasted about a month until he got caught up in a powerhead and deposited him all over hte tank.
Non-toxic as it didn't crash my tank as some nudibraches have been suspected to be.
I don't have luck keeping those alive and the lettuce ones always wind up in my sump.
florida joe
Well-Known Member
Thanks guys as usual I trust the grass roots hobbyists on these boards. I know they are very food specific that’s why I never purchased one. I will give his guy a home in my DT and see how it goes
acrid
Member
I am very new to all this, and for the most part probably don't know what I am talking about. But I googled "Purple and Yellow Nudibranch" because that guy is awesome & I thought I may want one. And like, the second link said this about it:
"...Your purple slug is what I am calling Hypselodoris bullocki. ... The short answer is that anyone who tells you they eat green algae either doesn't know what they are talking about or is trying to trick you. ... Hypselodoris bullocki is a carnivore, feeding on sponges. Unfortunately we do not know which species of sponge it eats, but I would suspect that like related species it will only feed on one or two particular species. Your supplier obviously doesn't know what species they feed on so he won't be able to supply it for you. The other major problem is that even if you knew which sponge to feed it, keeping sponges alive in aquaria is difficult. And keeping sponges alive, while they are being eaten is even more difficult."
Just trying to help.
"...Your purple slug is what I am calling Hypselodoris bullocki. ... The short answer is that anyone who tells you they eat green algae either doesn't know what they are talking about or is trying to trick you. ... Hypselodoris bullocki is a carnivore, feeding on sponges. Unfortunately we do not know which species of sponge it eats, but I would suspect that like related species it will only feed on one or two particular species. Your supplier obviously doesn't know what species they feed on so he won't be able to supply it for you. The other major problem is that even if you knew which sponge to feed it, keeping sponges alive in aquaria is difficult. And keeping sponges alive, while they are being eaten is even more difficult."
Just trying to help.
scopus tang
Active Member
Joe, he's beautiful, and I agree with your I.D. of Chromodoris ssp. I have to support Acrid on this one, Nick Dakin, in his Complete Encyclopedia of the Saltwater Aquarium, has the following to say on Chromodoris ssp.
"although commonly available and among the cheapest of sea slugs, their life expectancy in captivity is short . . . All are predatory, feeding on a wide range of sessile invertebrates, from sponges to barnacles, sea squirts to soft corals, and most seem limited to just one prey species.
I've tried a couple long ago, but gave it up when I couldn't keep them alive over the long run. They usually lasted a couple months, and I assume eventually starved. However, as the others also said, the LFS seldom has any idea of how to keep these alive, and seldom has a reef tank with sufficient biodiversity to support them. Personally, I'd probably put it into my reef and see how it does, confident in the knowledge that it has a much better chance in the greater biodiversity of my reef, than in the limited biodiversity of a LFS display tank. Good luck with him!
"although commonly available and among the cheapest of sea slugs, their life expectancy in captivity is short . . . All are predatory, feeding on a wide range of sessile invertebrates, from sponges to barnacles, sea squirts to soft corals, and most seem limited to just one prey species.
I've tried a couple long ago, but gave it up when I couldn't keep them alive over the long run. They usually lasted a couple months, and I assume eventually starved. However, as the others also said, the LFS seldom has any idea of how to keep these alive, and seldom has a reef tank with sufficient biodiversity to support them. Personally, I'd probably put it into my reef and see how it does, confident in the knowledge that it has a much better chance in the greater biodiversity of my reef, than in the limited biodiversity of a LFS display tank. Good luck with him!
notsonoob
Member
Originally Posted by Acrid
http:///forum/post/2574554
I am very new to all this, and for the most part probably don't know what I am talking about. But I googled "Purple and Yellow Nudibranch" because that guy is awesome & I thought I may want one. And like, the second link said this about it:
"...Your purple slug is what I am calling Hypselodoris bullocki. ... The short answer is that anyone who tells you they eat green algae either doesn't know what they are talking about or is trying to trick you. ... Hypselodoris bullocki is a carnivore, feeding on sponges. Unfortunately we do not know which species of sponge it eats, but I would suspect that like related species it will only feed on one or two particular species. Your supplier obviously doesn't know what species they feed on so he won't be able to supply it for you. The other major problem is that even if you knew which sponge to feed it, keeping sponges alive in aquaria is difficult. And keeping sponges alive, while they are being eaten is even more difficult."
Just trying to help.
This guy might be thinking about the blue velvet one that eats flatworms.
I read that too, but bought one anyway. All it did was eat off the rocks and spend most of it's time on the glass eathing algae like a snail. I have sponges all over my rocks that it never touched (or anything really touched)
The Lettuce variety spent most of it's time on the upper reaches of my tank, where alot of algea grew, and my purple one was there all the time too, except when he would perch on the rocks in the front of the tank.
http:///forum/post/2574554
I am very new to all this, and for the most part probably don't know what I am talking about. But I googled "Purple and Yellow Nudibranch" because that guy is awesome & I thought I may want one. And like, the second link said this about it:
"...Your purple slug is what I am calling Hypselodoris bullocki. ... The short answer is that anyone who tells you they eat green algae either doesn't know what they are talking about or is trying to trick you. ... Hypselodoris bullocki is a carnivore, feeding on sponges. Unfortunately we do not know which species of sponge it eats, but I would suspect that like related species it will only feed on one or two particular species. Your supplier obviously doesn't know what species they feed on so he won't be able to supply it for you. The other major problem is that even if you knew which sponge to feed it, keeping sponges alive in aquaria is difficult. And keeping sponges alive, while they are being eaten is even more difficult."
Just trying to help.
This guy might be thinking about the blue velvet one that eats flatworms.
I read that too, but bought one anyway. All it did was eat off the rocks and spend most of it's time on the glass eathing algae like a snail. I have sponges all over my rocks that it never touched (or anything really touched)
The Lettuce variety spent most of it's time on the upper reaches of my tank, where alot of algea grew, and my purple one was there all the time too, except when he would perch on the rocks in the front of the tank.
mscarpena
Member
I think the problem with keeping these guys alive is no one knows, but the nudibranch what it likes to eat. Some eat algae, some eat corals, some eat flatworms, and some eat who the heck knows. All I know is you will be better off keeping it than returning it to the fish store. If you know some one that has a huge tank I would give it to them. Also if you do keep it just monitor it to make sure it is not bothering anything in your tank. Also sreen off pumps, PH, and overflow boxes. These are sure to kill it faster than starvation.
perfectdark
Active Member
I agree 100%, although they are awesome to look at and you have one of my favorite colors, I think they are more trouble then they are worth. Heres a few facts about them in general. Of course some are slightly different than others but are all classified in the same general catagory.
These snails are empowered with skin glands that produce potent poisons; some species make sulfuric acid, others non-acidic noxious substances. There are some that even use the stinging cells, nematocysts that they reprocess from eating stinging-celled animals. Others have spicules embedded in their mantle. With their sudden and mysterious death, this stuff ends up in your water.
To reduce the potential for disaster you need good chemical filtration with adequate circulation, regular partial water changes and a watchful eye on what you have and where it's at in your system.
I read of one experience with a species called a swimming nudi branch. A tank that whatever fish were put in, they would become shy and perish within a few days. All the usual methods of tracking down the issues were tried, massive water changes, dumping the tank completely, even throwing away the substrate, including the decor, all to no avail. Enough study and discussion led us finally to realize that the Spanish Dancer (swimming nudibranch) that had been in the tank had bumped up against the tank walls depositing stinging cells all over. These were zapping and debilitating everything they came in contact with. Once more we dumped, acid-bleach washed and salt-scrubbed the sides of the tank. Subsequently we were able to keep other livestock alive. FYI, Some of these snails even feed on the Portuguese-man-o-war. nuff said.. LOL.
These snails are empowered with skin glands that produce potent poisons; some species make sulfuric acid, others non-acidic noxious substances. There are some that even use the stinging cells, nematocysts that they reprocess from eating stinging-celled animals. Others have spicules embedded in their mantle. With their sudden and mysterious death, this stuff ends up in your water.
To reduce the potential for disaster you need good chemical filtration with adequate circulation, regular partial water changes and a watchful eye on what you have and where it's at in your system.
I read of one experience with a species called a swimming nudi branch. A tank that whatever fish were put in, they would become shy and perish within a few days. All the usual methods of tracking down the issues were tried, massive water changes, dumping the tank completely, even throwing away the substrate, including the decor, all to no avail. Enough study and discussion led us finally to realize that the Spanish Dancer (swimming nudibranch) that had been in the tank had bumped up against the tank walls depositing stinging cells all over. These were zapping and debilitating everything they came in contact with. Once more we dumped, acid-bleach washed and salt-scrubbed the sides of the tank. Subsequently we were able to keep other livestock alive. FYI, Some of these snails even feed on the Portuguese-man-o-war. nuff said.. LOL.
florida joe
Well-Known Member
Boy I have to say I have had my hand on the trigger 3 times already to put him in my DT and I backed off. He has been in my LFS refug for a while I believe since he really does not sell out of it and it’s a pretty elaborate row of tanks set up about 50 ft long so I would think what ever was in there the nudi was eating, he does seem to be eating algae off the glass. For now he stays in my QT. My biggest fear is that he will die in my DT the cleaning crew will not dispose of him because of the toxins and the natural brake down of him tissue, and organs and glands will poison my tank
scopus tang
Active Member
Not that It is based on any emperical fact or anything, but I lost two different ones in a 30 gallon reef with no ill effects. The spanish dancer is I believe a bigger nudi, and therefore presents far more danger than this guy. JMO.
florida joe
Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by Scopus Tang
http:///forum/post/2575369
Not that It is based on any emperical fact or anything, but I lost two different ones in a 30 gallon reef with no ill effects. The spanish dancer is I believe a bigger nudi, and therefore presents far more danger than this guy. JMO.
lol just the push i needed
http:///forum/post/2575369
Not that It is based on any emperical fact or anything, but I lost two different ones in a 30 gallon reef with no ill effects. The spanish dancer is I believe a bigger nudi, and therefore presents far more danger than this guy. JMO.
lol just the push i needed