Purple Nudibranch

[realnew]

I was at a lfs today and they just received a bunch of these on their shipment. What are they? and what are they good for? They look cool. Are they reef safe? How difficult are they to care for?
Thanks in advance...

 

[puffer32]

They are very difficult to keep. I had 1 for 3 days, and it died, kept getting sucked up in filter, ph, any thing with suction. I heard they give off a toxin when they die, mine didn't. I think it was supposed to eat algae but not sure if mine ate anything. i would not recommend getting one, look good, but are a real pain and hide in rock so not very visable.

 

[reefnut]

Most likely they are sponge feeders... most tanks do not have adequate food to keep them alive.

 

[the reef]

you need a established tank where you have a verry good coraline algea growth to give them adiquite nutrients

 

[reefnut]

I haven't heard of a species that feeds on coralline... which species is it??
When people refer to a "Purple Nudi" I think of the Hypselodoris bullockii (or something closely related) which is a sponge feeder.

 

[teresaq1]

I have 2 lettus nudibranches, and they are doing a good job of eating my bryopsis alge.

 

[reefnut]

Originally Posted by TeresaQ1
I have 2 lettus nudibranches, and they are doing a good job of eating my bryopsis alge.
Just a little FYI FWIW... a lettuce nudibranch is actually not a nudibranch, it's a sea slug. I had a couple a while back but failed to keep them out of the sump

 

[the reef]

Originally Posted by ReefNut
I haven't heard of a species that feeds on coralline... which species is it??
When people refer to a "Purple Nudi" I think of the Hypselodoris bullockii (or something closely related) which is a sponge feeder.
oh sorry rong thread I thought he said purple urchin. the nuddibranch can live without food for 30 days or so but you need proper soft corals for the nuddibranch to feed he is a carnivor as amost all nuddis are and is going to most likly die unless your willing to look up what kind of poylup he will eat and be willing to feed it to him
you nottice he will move around the tank all day because he is looking for food like I said carnivore

 

[reefnut]

I still disagree... but whatever. Bottom line is w/o proper food it will parish.

 

[nm reef]

Unfortunately most nudis are diet specific and seldom do well in captivity...even lettuce nudis can be prroblematic....depending on which species you have you may not be able to sustain it long term. The pic below is a Hypselodoris bullockii ... and most info I've seen on them sugests they can be poor shippers and very difficult to maintain.

 

[the reef]

do more resurch on this nudi I read many articals that state that these purple nudis are carnivors and comonly mistaken to be caled sea slugs most pet stores will tell you that they soly feed on algea and they do not eat any algea

 

[reefnut]

No, they do not eat algae... they eat sponges!!

 

[neev]

I've had my tank set up for 8 months, lots of lR. is this long enough to get a lettuce nudi. I think they are so neat.

 

[reefnut]

Well the main problem with the lettuce sea slug is keeping it out of powerheads and overflows. Screen need to be installed to protect them. Other than that if you have hair algae, Bryopsis Algae particularly, you can try one. They are naturally short lived but tend to die prematurely in aquariums.