Talk to me about lettuce green nudibranchs...

[beesnreefs]

We have a 225g mixed reef with a moderate presence of some sort of GHA-type algae. My wife and I tend to really like to unique reef oddities and recently learned about lettuce nudibranchs. We'd love to keep one (or more) to help control some of the algae and just be another neat thing to look at in the tank.

My questions:

1. How many can/should I have for a 225g? I'm not looking for them to eliminate the GHA, per se, so I don't need an army to wipe everything out. But we'd like to have more than 1 if we can.
2. I know there is some risk of them getting into a pump/overflow. We have two Icecap 4K gyres in the display and our overflow has a lid on it and fairly narrow slits. Is this something we should be especially worried about?
3. We have a few wrasses including a Radiant, Ornate Leopard, and Melanurus. Think these types of nudis are big enough to not be an immediate snack for the well-fed wrasses? FWIW, our Melanurus is blind in one eye (ha!)
4. Anything else we should know about these guys?

Thanks R2R community!

 

[SlugSnorter]

We have a 225g mixed reef with a moderate presence of some sort of GHA-type algae. My wife and I tend to really like to unique reef oddities and recently learned about lettuce nudibranchs. We'd love to keep one (or more) to help control some of the algae and just be another neat thing to look at in the tank.

My questions:

1. How many can/should I have for a 225g? I'm not looking for them to eliminate the GHA, per se, so I don't need an army to wipe everything out. But we'd like to have more than 1 if we can.
2. I know there is some risk of them getting into a pump/overflow. We have two Icecap 4K gyres in the display and our overflow has a lid on it and fairly narrow slits. Is this something we should be especially worried about?
3. We have a few wrasses including a Radiant, Ornate Leopard, and Melanurus. Think these types of nudis are big enough to not be an immediate snack for the well-fed wrasses? FWIW, our Melanurus is blind in one eye (ha!)
4. Anything else we should know about these guys?

Thanks R2R community!

Yes!

few things:

Hard to say, they are seemingly picky, and may not eat that kind of Algae. They practice kleptoplasty (they steal the chloroplasts from algae and use them in their own bodies) and don't really munch on algae like other CUC snails, but instead puncture it and slurp it up.

They have weak feet and are prone to getting pushed off of things if the flow is too strong, they also are prone to getting into unscreened overflows but morso getting sucked into or launched by powerheads and the like.

The wrasses may eat the slugs.

They are interestingly not true nudis, and the term lettuce nudi/slug refers to multiple species, most commonly Elysia Crispata and Clarki in the hobby.

You may want to consider getting an abalone, larger cowieres or fleet of chitons, as they are typically more able to ressist predation from wrasses. You could also try getting a ton of dwarf trochus or other breed-able smaller snails, as they can breed in your tank to keep their numbers up. Depending on your wrasses I would also maybe recommend a sea urchin.

 

[coral49]

FWIW - I had a abalone for 12+ years in a 300 gallon reef, it did a wonderful job of clean up and was just a neat creature to watch. Mostly active at night and as the lights were ramping up and down. nothing bothered it

 

[beesnreefs]

Yes!

few things:

Hard to say, they are seemingly picky, and may not eat that kind of Algae. They practice kleptoplasty (they steal the chloroplasts from algae and use them in their own bodies) and don't really munch on algae like other CUC snails, but instead puncture it and slurp it up.

They have weak feet and are prone to getting pushed off of things if the flow is too strong, they also are prone to getting into unscreened overflows but morso getting sucked into or launched by powerheads and the like.

The wrasses may eat the slugs.

They are interestingly not true nudis, and the term lettuce nudi/slug refers to multiple species, most commonly Elysia Crispata and Clarki in the hobby.

You may want to consider getting an abalone, larger cowieres or fleet of chitons, as they are typically more able to ressist predation from wrasses. You could also try getting a ton of dwarf trochus or other breed-able smaller snails, as they can breed in your tank to keep their numbers up. Depending on your wrasses I would also maybe recommend a sea urchin.

Thanks for the awesome insight and recommendations, @SlugSnorter!

I hand't considered an abalone, in large part because I know nothing about them. But that sounds right up our alley! My wife and I are interested in the oddball critters for sure.

I'm nervous about adding an urchin because we do have some corals in the sand and I don't want an urchin redecorating

That said, a couple of questions I'm hoping you can help with:

1. Any special care with abalones?
2. Would one be sufficient for a 225? Or would it make sense to get multiple? (FTS attached to give you an idea of our setup plus a closeup of the algae we're growing right now)
3. We have a Melanaurs, Radiant, Ornate Leopard, Exquisite, and Golden Rhomboid wrasse. Think that would be a problem for an urchin?
4. If we were to consider an urchin, would it be OK in addition to the abalone? Or better to go with just one or the other?
5. Finally, any particular type of urchin you recommend?

THANK YOU!

 

[SlugSnorter]

Thanks for the awesome insight and recommendations, @SlugSnorter!

I hand't considered an abalone, in large part because I know nothing about them. But that sounds right up our alley! My wife and I are interested in the oddball critters for sure.

I'm nervous about adding an urchin because we do have some corals in the sand and I don't want an urchin redecorating

That said, a couple of questions I'm hoping you can help with:

1. Any special care with abalones?
2. Would one be sufficient for a 225? Or would it make sense to get multiple? (FTS attached to give you an idea of our setup plus a closeup of the algae we're growing right now)
3. We have a Melanaurs, Radiant, Ornate Leopard, Exquisite, and Golden Rhomboid wrasse. Think that would be a problem for an urchin?
4. If we were to consider an urchin, would it be OK in addition to the abalone? Or better to go with just one or the other?
5. Finally, any particular type of urchin you recommend?

THANK YOU!

1.
Nope, big snail with big diet, the only thing being once they are attached to something, you won't be able to get them off.

2.
start with one and see how it goes, theyre not territorial or anything though.

3.

I don't think so, but theres always somewhat of a risk.

4.

they can cohab with no issues.

5.

I would recommend a pincushion or longspine urchin


no problem! I love answering invert questions.

 

[coral49]

look at this link, hope the rules allow allow me to share. it describes it perfect. I had the same larger one giant mint green, never knock over any coral. I downsized to a 120 gallon and it died 2 years after in the 120. my best guess is starvation. I would only get one they get very large palm of hand size. I had it 10 year in a 300 gallon and 2 years in 120. I did nothing for it.. I have to clean my glass now, since gone. He would keep it very clear..

Abalones are Fascinating and Long Lived Aquarium Animals | Reef Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog

Abalones are some of the coolest gastropods in the ocean, they are tasty, have beautiful shells, but they can also make for great reef aquarium animals. We simply love having them in several of our…

reefbuilders.com

 

[coral49]

more notes.. I had a long spine great as well doesn't knock down but they get huge very fast. My was 18+ inches, i trade every 3 years to store for a smaller one. Pincushion are nice as well they are minor bull dozers..

 

[SlugSnorter]

more notes.. I had a long spine great as well doesn't knock down but they get huge very fast. My was 18+ inches, i trade every 3 years to store for a smaller one. Pincushion are nice as well they are minor bull dozers..

I think letting them grow out in a tank this size would be alright, and even helpful to further lower predation risk.

 

[Aiptaisia anemone]

they seem to only eat specific type of algae and further research suggest that some species eat certain types of algae according to their age, the most common algae they seem to eat is bryopsis and not gha.

 

[beesnreefs]

look at this link, hope the rules allow allow me to share. it describes it perfect. I had the same larger one giant mint green, never knock over any coral. I downsized to a 120 gallon and it died 2 years after in the 120. my best guess is starvation. I would only get one they get very large palm of hand size. I had it 10 year in a 300 gallon and 2 years in 120. I did nothing for it.. I have to clean my glass now, since gone. He would keep it very clear..

Abalones are Fascinating and Long Lived Aquarium Animals | Reef Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog

Abalones are some of the coolest gastropods in the ocean, they are tasty, have beautiful shells, but they can also make for great reef aquarium animals. We simply love having them in several of our…

reefbuilders.com

This is awesome! I'm DEFINITELY getting one now!

Just gotta find a vendor who has one in stock...

 

[SlugSnorter]

This is awesome! I'm DEFINITELY getting one now!

Just gotta find a vendor who has one in stock...

reefcleaners reefcleaners reefcleaners reefcleaners

they get them in stock every now and again. Best invert seller hands down.

 

[beesnreefs]

reefcleaners reefcleaners reefcleaners reefcleaners

they get them in stock every now and again. Best invert seller hands down.

Added my email to the "notify me when in stock" list!

 

[Stomatopods17]

We have a 225g mixed reef with a moderate presence of some sort of GHA-type algae. My wife and I tend to really like to unique reef oddities and recently learned about lettuce nudibranchs. We'd love to keep one (or more) to help control some of the algae and just be another neat thing to look at in the tank.

My questions:

1. How many can/should I have for a 225g? I'm not looking for them to eliminate the GHA, per se, so I don't need an army to wipe everything out. But we'd like to have more than 1 if we can.
2. I know there is some risk of them getting into a pump/overflow. We have two Icecap 4K gyres in the display and our overflow has a lid on it and fairly narrow slits. Is this something we should be especially worried about?
3. We have a few wrasses including a Radiant, Ornate Leopard, and Melanurus. Think these types of nudis are big enough to not be an immediate snack for the well-fed wrasses? FWIW, our Melanurus is blind in one eye (ha!)
4. Anything else we should know about these guys?

Thanks R2R community!

1. As many as the food source supplies. GHA tends to go away once the nutrients in the tank stabilize more and other stuff soaks said nutrients.

2. Those toy nerf fans you find at the grocery store could probably kill them. They are very fragile, and the one I had was VERY tiny (about the size of an amphipod when I first got it), sometimes they're sold closer to 2 inches or so but if I was ordering any I'd have pumps, intakes, anything they can fit in netted as much as possible.

3. Probs food tbh. As I said they're pretty tiny when starting off, wrasses in general might pick on inverts even if they can't swallow them whole so bigger ones aren't a guarantee either.

4. IIRC their food source isn't actually algae, they eat algae to recycle the chlorophyll in it, which then feeds them via photosynthesis. That's how they get their energy and nudibranchs in general are well known for recycling their food's 'gimmick' for lack of better word, whether its poison, chlorophyll, etc. This is why it's rare the real pretty ones in the hobby make it because their genetics are very specific to a type of food source they can use.

 

[SlugSnorter]

1. As many as the food source supplies. GHA tends to go away once the nutrients in the tank stabilize more and other stuff soaks said nutrients.

2. Those toy nerf fans you find at the grocery store could probably kill them. They are very fragile, and the one I had was VERY tiny (about the size of an amphipod when I first got it), sometimes they're sold closer to 2 inches or so but if I was ordering any I'd have pumps, intakes, anything they can fit in netted as much as possible.

3. Probs food tbh. As I said they're pretty tiny when starting off, wrasses in general might pick on inverts even if they can't swallow them whole so bigger ones aren't a guarantee either.

4. IIRC their food source isn't actually algae, they eat algae to recycle the chlorophyll in it, which then feeds them via photosynthesis. That's how they get their energy and nudibranchs in general are well known for recycling their food's 'gimmick' for lack of better word, whether its poison, chlorophyll, etc. This is why it's rare the real pretty ones in the hobby make it because their genetics are very specific to a type of food source they can use.

While they do practice Kleptoplasty, they do require food, also they're not nudis. Also, also, theres a verity of species with different behavior, requiring different care. They are less specialized than most nudis are, and can consume and use the chorloplasts of a decent assortment of algae.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Hopefully this’ll offer a little clarity on these guys:

You are most likely thinking of "Lettuce Nudibranchs" (which is a misleading name used to identify Sacoglossan slugs, as they are not actually related to nudibranchs).

Some lettuce slugs (typically from the genus Elysia) will eat nuisance algae species, but their wild diet varies pretty drastically from one species to another, and some species have some pretty specific wild diets (I don’t know if these are required diets or preferred diets, but Reef Cleaners reports that they'll eat just about any green, fleshy algae). That said, Elysia slugs generally feed on siphonalean algae such as Caulerpa, Codium, Acetabularia, Halimeda, Udotea, Byropsis, and Valonia spp. So, in theory, these guys should eat nuisance algae that pops up in your tank.

 

[jackiemon]

Hi! Anyone know if the live abalone you find at Asian groceries tropical ??

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Hi! Anyone know if the live abalone you find at Asian groceries tropical ??

It's most likely not - most commonly consumed abalones are coldwater/temperate rather than tropical. You can buy tropical abalones from a few places online now though (but most of the big name stores list them as out of stock currently).