blemmy_guy
Active Member
Nudibranch question??
- Thread starter blemmy_guy
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schneidts
Active Member
Hmm, this is a difficult question actually. There are over 3000 known species of Nudibranch. Very few are collected in the aquarium trade, however, many arrive as hitchhikers throughout the process. I guess most of the Nudi's collected for sale in the hobby are considered "reef safe", assuming the basic definition as not eating corals/"desirable" pieces. That being said, ALL Nudi's are carnivores. They are very, very specific carnivores, at that. Any slug that isn't a carnivore is not a Nudibranch. The lettuce slug that most hobbiest encounter is Elysia Cripata. They can be kept with success, but they have very specific needs as well. The purple nudi you mentioned could be one of many possible slugs, but I'll guess and say it's Hypselodoris bullocki. This slug only feeds on a species of sponge. Which exact species, we don't know. We do know that they will starve without it and we can't provide them with it. I can probably find a pic for you to confirm this is the same slug your interested in, if it helps. Nud's are extremely fascinating and beautiful animals and I hate being the one to tell people, that as a rule, Nudibranches should not be collected...
T
thomas712
Guest
Where is this purple one and can you post a pic of it?
Thomas
Thomas
blemmy_guy
Active Member
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_11...61bcae4adb8aba
this is it!! I really like it. And SWF.com says its reaf safe, i was just wanting some first hand expierenced answers. Scneidts you raise a good quandry there, about not raiseing them. I myself find that if its in my lfs and i know its survival rate is low , do i leave it to die, or do i buy it and consider it a challenge and try my best to give it some type of chance to live. Ive raised several things in my tanks, some made it a few have not. But ive given them all the best shot of survival possible. where as in the lfs im sure it wouldnt have had that chance, especially our lfs. I have a red feather duster star that has a low survival record, and so far ( cross my fingers) its done extremely well. i really like the challenging critters. And when they make, i feel a little bit of accomplishment and joy that i kept it alive and happy. So which do you choose? to let them die misserably at the lfs or try your best, all be it i cant buy the whole lfs, and give them a descent life.
Todd
this is it!! I really like it. And SWF.com says its reaf safe, i was just wanting some first hand expierenced answers. Scneidts you raise a good quandry there, about not raiseing them. I myself find that if its in my lfs and i know its survival rate is low , do i leave it to die, or do i buy it and consider it a challenge and try my best to give it some type of chance to live. Ive raised several things in my tanks, some made it a few have not. But ive given them all the best shot of survival possible. where as in the lfs im sure it wouldnt have had that chance, especially our lfs. I have a red feather duster star that has a low survival record, and so far ( cross my fingers) its done extremely well. i really like the challenging critters. And when they make, i feel a little bit of accomplishment and joy that i kept it alive and happy. So which do you choose? to let them die misserably at the lfs or try your best, all be it i cant buy the whole lfs, and give them a descent life.
Todd
schneidts
Active Member
So, my assumption was correct. That's the guy I thought you were talking about. Interesting side note; Hypselodoris bullocki isn't actually what's shown in the SWF image there. It's Hypselodoris apolegma. It hasn't been determined if the two are actually distinct species or just different color forms of the same species. Anyhow, H. bullocki is the slug commonly collected and labeled purple nudibranch. As I mentioned earlier, they are doomed to starvation in captivity.
I agree with what you're saying. It's very hard not to rescue something from the LFS, in hopes to rehabilitate it, or altogether save it from a slow death there. However, (big however here) by doing so, we are telling the LFS (and their wholesalers) that there is a market for that animal, and to replace the one you bought with two more...
I agree with what you're saying. It's very hard not to rescue something from the LFS, in hopes to rehabilitate it, or altogether save it from a slow death there. However, (big however here) by doing so, we are telling the LFS (and their wholesalers) that there is a market for that animal, and to replace the one you bought with two more...
blemmy_guy
Active Member
I agree with what you're saying. It's very hard not to rescue something from the LFS, in hopes to rehabilitate it, or altogether save it from a slow death there. However, (big however here) by doing so, we are telling the LFS (and their wholesalers) that there is a market for that animal, and to replace the one you bought with two more...
Good answer, i had not thought about that. I just see the poor critters and cant hardly help myself !! I was thinking that NMREeef had a purple nudi but im not sure if he still does, or if im even thinking the right person Well i may give up on the notion of nuying that little purple guy. And find something else to fill my oddity needs! I really like the strange critters too!!! Thanx for the replys to you all!!
Todd
Good answer, i had not thought about that. I just see the poor critters and cant hardly help myself !! I was thinking that NMREeef had a purple nudi but im not sure if he still does, or if im even thinking the right person Well i may give up on the notion of nuying that little purple guy. And find something else to fill my oddity needs! I really like the strange critters too!!! Thanx for the replys to you all!!
Todd
