Feather Calerpa eating slug on TBS LR

[DiazE]

I discovered two of these munching on the feather calerpa yesterday.

The little animal is a Caribbean species Oxynoe antillarum. It feeds on Caulerpa, so that is obviously how it arrived in my aquarium.

They have a transparent shell which is hidden between the two flaps of skin [parapodia] behind the head. Oxynoe is a sacoglossan sea slug, a group which includes the shell-less Elysia crispata which you may be familar with.

All sacoglossans feed by stabbing a hole through the cell wall of the algae that they feed on, and then sucking out the cell contents.

If Feather calerpa is growing like weeds on your rock I believe these guys are the solution. They have big appetites for this particular algae.

Here are some photos from the Sea Slug Forum

:rollface:Oxynoe antillarum

 

[DiazE]

More updates with links to info, for those interested that may have these hitchhike in on their TBS LR:

Family Oxynoidae
Oxynoe antillarum Mørch, 1863
Antillean oxynoe - 30 mm


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Link to info: www.shellmuseum.org/Sanibel/shells_oxynoe.html

 

[scowiii]

I have seen two in my first shipment. Not bad as my caulpera is growing out of control. So They can munch away for the time being.

 

[Spiffyguy]

Insanely weird. I figured I would go peek and see if I have any. Took me about a minute and I spotted the tiniest one on some algae. Crazy. Good to know what it is though.

 

[harday]

Man, where can I get one of these? I can't keep the stuff under control that came on my TBS rock. It grows like crazy.

 

[Seehag]

That's funny, glad you pointed it out. I went and looked and bang I found like 3 of them and I didn't even look that hard.

Art

 

[ClamIAm]

If anyone has any of these in the Chicago area would they be willing to part with some? Or if you are willing to ship I could pay for any costs. Feel free to PM if interested.

 

[markush]

My green guy has been on the glass for about a week now. I have plenty of Caulerpa for him but i haven't seen him on it. Is he lost...should i help him find his way? :hmm5:

 

[DiazE]

You should, he (her) might be starving. Knock him (her) off the glass.