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FAQs about Nudibranch Foods/Feeding/Nutrition

Related Articles: Nudibranchs, Sea Slugs

Related FAQs: Nudibranchs 1, Nudibranchs 2, Berghia Nudibranchs, Nudibranch Identification, Nudibranch Behavior, Nudibranch Compatibility, Nudibranch Selection, Nudibranch Systems, Nudibranch Disease, Nudibranch Reproduction, Sea Slugs, Marine Snails 1Marine Snails 2Marine Snails 3

Phyllidia ocellata... if you liked the book, you're gonna love WWM 7/5/05
Hi Robert,
                   Thanks for publishing ' The Conscientious Marine Aquarist
'; My wife gave it to me as a Christmas present 18 months ago and has not
been too far out of reach since. I started our 350 gal tank about 6 months
ago and have just popped 2 Phyllidia ocellata in my tank after a snorkel
last Sunday. I have read all the bad news since but have you or any one else
had any experience with this particular one; at the moment their happily
working their way (ever so slowly) over the live rock. Any help or contacts
would be greatly appreciated;
                                           Regards, Ross Filmer
<Mmm, well... hope you have something to their liking in that big tank to eat... or you can get back to the ocean, find whatever some others of the species are on... Please see here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/nudibran.htm
Bob Fenner>

Flatworm- eating nudibranch
Hi everyone.
< Hi there. >
I noticed my supplier currently has C. varians in stock and thought it would be striking addition to my reef. However, in trying to get some information on them before buying - which there isn't much of - I noticed that this species is widely sought after because of they're flatworm eating abilities. Fortunately, I don't have a flatworm issue - knock wood - and am curious if you know anything about the eating habits of this nudibranch. < My understanding is that it is an obligate flatworm eater. In other words it will starve without them. > I'm beginning to suspect that flatworms are all they eat, and I have no intention of adding anything to my tank that could potentially starve. Can you shed any light on their eating habits? < I would probably not chance it. Even if it does eat something else, it may still slowly starve. I think nudibranchs in general should be avoided, and kept for very experienced reefers with mature tanks. >
Thanks, Neil
< Blundell > 

HOORAY FOR (flatworm eating) BLACK VELVET NUDIBRANCHS!!!!
Hi Gang:
<Chuck>
I took possession this afternoon of a pair of black velvet nudibranchs. . .
and watched with rapt fascination as they began devouring the rust red
planarians which have plagued my low-flow refugium for the past year. My
question is, are these nudibranchs differentiated sexually. . . how do they
reproduce. . . and what are the chances of a randomly selected pair
reproducing successfully in a well-stocked (with Chaetomorpha) mature
refugium?
Chuck
<They're monoecious, cross-fertilizers... not sexually differentiated... might reproduce... Bob Fenner>

New Nudi
hi
<Hello there>
I recently made a nudibranch the latest addition to my tank..... the guy at  
my LFS said it was very sturdy and that it ate algae
<Uh, no>
...well... by checking
your  website I fear that its a H. bullocki or some thing very similar...I don't
have  pics but ill describe the best I can....its a deep purple...a white band
going  around it (more solid than in most pics of bullockis I've seen) orange
"feelers"  and orange "gills " surrounding the anal gland.....ok...my
problem...obviously  not knowing what type the little guy is I don't know how to care for
it...I've had  it for 24 hrs and now it wont stick to anything...its secreting
from its anal  gland but if it is touched then it retracts all that is
orange....so I have some  faith that it is alive .....I just don't know how to keep
it alive...and now I'm  afraid of  the secretions being toxic.....what should I
do?
<Take it back>
thanks
Danielle
<Please, DON'T buy livestock w/o knowing what it is, its care requirements. Bob Fenner>

Chromodoris magnifica feeding
Hi,
<Hello> 
I've been wondering if I could possibly do a Chromodoris magnifica nudibranch in my nano reef tank. I've already read on the seaslugforum.com website about their unique sponge eating diet, and after looking at some pics of the sponges that they feed on, I realized that the sponges in the pics closely resembled some of the sponges that came with my Fiji live rock (almost positive) . I know that the sponges on my rock are alive because they're growing. Do you think I could possibly try one of these nudibranchs? Also, I read on the seaslugforum.com of one person being successful with these nudi.s because he got them to feed on the sponges that came with his live rock. Any help would be appreciated. 
<What will you do when the sponge is gone? Most nudes are difficult to keep for any length of time because of their diet. I would rather see the sponge in my tank. James (Salty Dog)> 

Tridachia diomedea - feeding
Bob,
FFExpress sells this Nudibranch - it is partially photosynthetic and
apparently eats algae. I'm interested in obtaining one/some, if its likely
to survive in a reef tank and had some questions for you:
1) Would you recommend this as a hardy Nudibranch (75 gal reef tank, 100 lbs
of Fiji LR, lots of macro algae (in tank and sump-refugium).
<For trying out as an algae eater? Not really... there are fishes that are superior. Please read: http://www.WetWebMedia.com/algeatrcontfaqs.htm
As a species, specimen to try? Sure>
2) What specific types of algae does it eat
<Mostly "soft" greens (chlorophytes), some reds (rhodophytes)>
3) Would Lysmata shrimp (fire and peppermint) eat it?
<Unlikely>
4) would it harm corals (leathers, SPS, LPS, mushrooms, anemones).
<Very unlikely>
I searched the web, but couldn't find much info on this Nudi - in terms of
suitability in a reef tank - although FFExpress had some FAQs that made it
sound like a relatively hardy animal.
<Have heard mixed results of using these naked gill slugs in captivity. Either positive or "just dissolved" (though not toxic), as with many Nudibranchs. Do consider using an algae-eating blenny, Ctenochaetus tang, investigating the root causes of algal problems... Bob Fenner>
Thanks!

Lynx Nudibranch
Hello all,
I went snorkeling yesterday and collected a lynx Nudibranch about .5" long.  Cute little fella in a gross slimy kind of way.  My question is:  Will this little predator eat my reef dwellers or fit right in to the family.  Right now I have a couple of anemones, file clam, feather dusters, green polyps, misc. small corals, two xenias, and a pair of CBS.
Thanks again for the info,
Aquah0lic
<Umm, seaslugforum.com, Google, Debelius... no one has a listing for this common name. Do you have a species identification? Bob Fenner>

Re: lynx Nudibranch
ok, so now that we are on the same page (sort of) lol, back to the original question:
My question is:  Will this little predator eat my reef dwellers or fit right in to the family.  Right now I have a couple of anemones, file clam, feather dusters, green polyps, misc. small corals, two xenias, and a pair of CBS.
Thanks again for the info, Aquah0lic
<No idea. The info. I can find on this species is principally identification in orientation, e.g.: http://www.seaslugforum.net/phidlync.htm
I suspect it is a hydroid feeder however, so I doubt it will prove deleterious or survive in your system. Bob Fenner>

Hypselodoris
Hi! I recently purchased a Hypselodoris bullockii -(pink/purple slug thingy) the salesman had assured me it ate algae and is low maintenance. after I got home I looked it up on the internet (which I should of done before I bought it)... and found little information... but apparently they are impossible to keep alive... since Mr. pink is already in my aquarium... I don't want to give up on him so soon... do you have any information on these guys? I read they have a picky diet of Dysidea and Aplyilla sponges... I am also concerned about if he tragically does die, would he infect my take with toxins and what-nots. any information would be appreciated. Thanks! Angie
<You learned a valuable lesson today, let the buyer beware. You are correct, they eat sponges. Nothing you can really do at this point. You are also correct, there is a potential for release of toxins into your tank water upon its death. I would try to return him and get your money back. -Steven Pro>

Re: Hypselodoris bullocki
T
hanks for responding so quickly! we tried to return the Hypselodoris bullocki... although they did not give us our money back, they did take him back.
<Did they at least give you a credit or are they going to sell it again and double their money?>
now unfortunately I have other questions... I have a 30 GAL tank
1-Protein skimmer (left on 24-7)
50 LBS live rock
40 LBS live sand
1-rotating power head
<How is this working for you? I have heard mixed reviews and was just curious.>
2 snails
3 peppermint shrimp
2 clowns (percula)
temp of tank is: 80F (too high??)
<Do not let it get much higher than that, but 80 is ok in particular if you wish to maximize growth rates.>
my tank is 2 months old and the life stock has only been put in during the last 10 days. 2 days ago I had purchased the "tank raised" clowns and did as the salesman said (adding a cup of our tank water to the bag he was in every 15 minutes for an hour before we let him into our tank... our tank salinity is at 1.021 of the 2 clowns purchased... one was kept at 1.017 (they explained they keep their "fish only tanks at this level so the fish can breathe easier and the other was at 1.023 (he was in a reef tank) so as you can see. both fish would have a little adjusting to do for our tank. the clowns however have been spending a lot of time near the top. I haven't even seen them go halfway down into the tank yet. and it seems as if they are somehow too light for my tank. as they need to kind of struggle to keep in the water. I thought that maybe my salinity was too high. so I bought a new instrument and it showed that my water is at 1.021 this morning when I got up I saw that 1 of the clowns was near death. almost floating sideways on the top of the water. after I turned on the tank light and a few hours later. he seemed fine. though they both still hanging in the upper tank. is there something wrong? all my levels tested fine. I can only think that they are either still adjusting or I'm missing something.
<IME, tank raised clownfish always hang out near the top. They do not know to hide from predators and always wait at the top for you to feed them. They do not even hide when you put your arms in there to clean the tank or move something, completely oblivious. The floating on his side thing and struggling concerns me. Possible swim bladder problem. Do they seem like they have to fight hard to go down and float up without any swimming motion?>
also... in the past 2 days some little green hairs have been growing on the inside of my tank walls... is this a good or bad sign?
<Normal, part of algal succession.>
should I scrape and vacuum off?
<As part of routine maintenance when it gets too bad.>
the snails seems to like them... and some green coloration algae???)to some parts of the sand - is this a good or bad thing?
<Better to not be on the sand.>
and today while I was watching my clowns... I noticed little tiny... almost microscopic type creatures swimming to the top of my tank.... before they reached their deaths -as the clowns ate them!  are these things good guys?
<Yes, probably Amphipods. Tiny shrimp like creatures, arched backs, and two antenna.>
and at last... final question today... I was wondering if a 10% water change every week is too much for my 30 gallon tank...
<Nope, sounds great.>
any and all input is appreciated. thank you thank you thank you, Angie
<You are welcome. -Steven Pro>






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