Are flying carpets available?

[stringcheese]

I'm fairly new to reef tanks and i'm wondering if Flying Carpets (flying slugs,swimming slugs) are around. I haven't seen any yet but i am interested.

 

[greenbean36191]

Do you have a picture of what you're talking about? I'm not familiar with the common name. In any event the only swimming slugs I know of that show up even occasionally in the hobby are a few of the larger species of Aplysia. Even so, growing to about a foot, they are much too large for an average tank and I've never heard reports of them swimming in captivity anyway. I've never seen any of the swimming bubble shells in the hobby

 

[kookerson]

when I was a kid, my dad tried to keep a Spanish Dancer with little success.....not sure what the "proper name is", but it is a nudibranch that swims through the water......

 

[kmk2307]

I have heard "flying carpet" used to refer to swimming polyclad flatworms in general. Either way if you are referring to polyclad flatworms or nudibranches, they are sporadically available but virtually all have extremely specific diets. Most nudis are grazing predators on sessile invertebrates (commonly sponges, bryozoans, or hydroids). Polyclads vary a lot in diet but most are also grazing predators. Both polyclads and nudibranches are commonly monophagous - they have only one host (food) species. Also, 99% of nudibranches live only one year so it wouldn't be a longevid pet. Another problem with these swimming soft-bodied animals is they are easily sucked into powerheads and overflows and destroyed.

Kevin