Purple Sea Slug

Hello again all!

We were wandering about in a local chain pet store this evening and as usual headed to the fish section to look. We don't usually buy at this store as we are very lucky and have a local saltwater only fish store in town but we almost always still look. Anyway, we came across a purple sea slug and found the little critter to be very neat however, we managed to not impulse buy and instead came home to research. Most stuff I find on this guy states he is a algae eating, reef safe, peaceful critter....so does anyone have experience with one?

Recap of my tank 55 gallon, NEWLY established but was started with established live rock which had been in a tank for years. Inhabited by 2 clowns and a yellowtail damsel (as long as he continues to behave), picking up a solar fairy wrasse on friday. Future tank members will be a Flame Hawkfish and probably a Bicolor Blenny to round out the tank completely. Is a sea slug compatible with this tank??

Thanks again for the help!

 

Purple sea slug that eats algae? Most colorful slugs are obligate feeders that are better left in the ocean... Do you have a link as to what slug it is?

 

There is a 100% chance that it only eats sponge, and unless it hitchhiked in on sponge as a juvenile, there is a 99.99999% chance that it will starve to death without ever feeding on anything in your tank. They are beautiful, but are unfortunately almost always doomed to death within a few months after being collected for the aquarium trade, mainly due to their extremely specific dietary requirements. Good for you that you chose to research before you bought this animal.

The Sea Slug Forum - Hypselodoris bullocki

Cheers,



Don

 

The Sea Slug Forum - Hypselodoris bullocki

He looked like those, except where the orange is on that one was yellow. I had a feeling they would be a massive no go which is why they are still in the petshop. They are beautiful and I would love to have something like them in the tank, with the fact that we have decided on the hawk it means no shrimp (which is fine I prefer fish to shrimp) but I'd love to have a couple of different and neat inverts as well!

Thank you for the quick responses on this guy....only $15 but I'd prefer to NOT watch an animal starve to death as I sit by and watch it suffer. I wish that people would stop buying things like this so maybe there would be an end to collecting that which cannot live outside of the ocean

On a side note...snails, hermit crabs, emerald crab are my inverts is there anything else that can be added to the tank that will:
A-Not starve to death because I can't get their food
B-Not kill off my fish, corals or other inverts
C-Look neat (I know, I know selfish reason!)

 

he eats a blue type sponge and the type is still unknown he will not EAT ALGAE no matter what anyone says...he can go a few months without eating then he will die....very few slugs are able to live in a marine tank environment...save yor money...plus they drag around on glass and rock and what algae is on the rock will be drug up in slimy strings from the excrection from under his body...they are pretty creatures but better left in the ocean along with alot of other animals you will find at LFS's that are in it for the money only and do not care about the creatures they sell or the people they sell them too...leave it there or watch it die...its your call
Danny

 

There are a few starfish that are truly reef compatible...like the red star at saltwaterfish.com but they are a bit clumsy and will get on corals but wont harm them....they should be monitored though...

 

looking neat is not a selffish reason...if they didnt look neat no one would do this...good luck
Danny

 

my slug mistake

I bought one and it died this was the one here....

 

That's why I research and ask before I buy. I have no doubts I'll make mistakes while getting started in this hobby but I hope to minimize them by asking. Thanks for the advice! He'll not be joining my tank

 

Still kind of sad that the nudibranch will die regardless of being in your tank of the LFS's. I really wish there was more regulation in this hobby- too many countless creatures die because LFS's are just out to make a buck by selling things to the first uneducated customer who walks in the door.

If LFS's stopped purchasing fish/inverts that have a 0.0001% success rate in the typical home aquarium, than collectors at reef sites would no longer poach these already fragile inhabitants from their very specific habitats.

But in the end, I suppose we are all just as accountable for what is happening- after all, we drive the demand.