Lettuce Nudibranch
- Thread starter Cracken
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Lettuce Slug Primer
1. Lettuce slugs are not nudibranchs.
2. Lettuce slugs will only eat living algae.
3. Lettuce slugs will only eat certain, specific living algaes.
4. Each species of lettuce slug has its own specific certain living algae species that it will eat.
5. Scientists and hobbyists do not know what algae species the vast majority of lettuce slugs eat.
For example, I am not aware of any studies that have identified the food source of lettuce slug Elysia diomedea, which hails from the Pacific and can be found in the trade. In the case of E. crispata from the Western Atlantic (also found in the trade), it is known that this seaslug feeds on calcareous algae (Halimeda incrassata and Penicillus capitatus.) Most hobbyists consider calcareous algae to be "decorative" and may not want a seaslug sucking the chloroplasts out of it.
E. clarki, which can be found in the Florida Keys, is one lettuce slug for which food studies have been performed. In its natural habitat, the juveniles will feed on Bryopsis while the adults feed on Penicillus and Halimeda.
Some things to consider before getting a lettuce seaslug
1. Only one species of lettuce slug is known to feed on Bryopsis, but there are at least 41 species in the lettuce slug genus, three of which are routinely seen in the trade in the United Sates.
2. Bryopsis is only one of many kinds of hair algae that could be growing in your tank. If your hair algae does not appear distinctly "feathered" at its ends, then the algae is not Bryopsis.
3. Even the "right" slug will not rid your tank of the "right" algae. Lettuce slugs feed by piercing algae cells and sucking out their contents -- think of them as the "vampire bats of the undersea herbivore world" -- they leave some parts of the algae behind.
4. Seaslugs of anykind (especially ones who have little to no defensive capabilities) are easily killed by tears in their fragile flesh. They are not appropriate in set ups that have unmodified filter intakes, overflows, or powerheads.
5. Neither should seaslugs be housed with animals that are likely to pick at them, like coral banded shrimp, cleaner shrimp, lawnmower blennies, tangs, angelfish, or anything else that likes to pick or may mistake them for tasty algae. Finally, they can also be eaten or stung and killed by anemones and strong corals like elegance, hammers, plates, etc.
Your best bet is to take care of your hair algae outbreak yourself, by both manually removing the hair algae and cleaning up your tank. Something is going on that is feeding the growth of the hair algae. You may need to clean up your feeding practices, your water change practices, or add aditional filtering capabilities.
1. Lettuce slugs are not nudibranchs.
2. Lettuce slugs will only eat living algae.
3. Lettuce slugs will only eat certain, specific living algaes.
4. Each species of lettuce slug has its own specific certain living algae species that it will eat.
5. Scientists and hobbyists do not know what algae species the vast majority of lettuce slugs eat.
For example, I am not aware of any studies that have identified the food source of lettuce slug Elysia diomedea, which hails from the Pacific and can be found in the trade. In the case of E. crispata from the Western Atlantic (also found in the trade), it is known that this seaslug feeds on calcareous algae (Halimeda incrassata and Penicillus capitatus.) Most hobbyists consider calcareous algae to be "decorative" and may not want a seaslug sucking the chloroplasts out of it.
E. clarki, which can be found in the Florida Keys, is one lettuce slug for which food studies have been performed. In its natural habitat, the juveniles will feed on Bryopsis while the adults feed on Penicillus and Halimeda.
Some things to consider before getting a lettuce seaslug
1. Only one species of lettuce slug is known to feed on Bryopsis, but there are at least 41 species in the lettuce slug genus, three of which are routinely seen in the trade in the United Sates.
2. Bryopsis is only one of many kinds of hair algae that could be growing in your tank. If your hair algae does not appear distinctly "feathered" at its ends, then the algae is not Bryopsis.
3. Even the "right" slug will not rid your tank of the "right" algae. Lettuce slugs feed by piercing algae cells and sucking out their contents -- think of them as the "vampire bats of the undersea herbivore world" -- they leave some parts of the algae behind.
4. Seaslugs of anykind (especially ones who have little to no defensive capabilities) are easily killed by tears in their fragile flesh. They are not appropriate in set ups that have unmodified filter intakes, overflows, or powerheads.
5. Neither should seaslugs be housed with animals that are likely to pick at them, like coral banded shrimp, cleaner shrimp, lawnmower blennies, tangs, angelfish, or anything else that likes to pick or may mistake them for tasty algae. Finally, they can also be eaten or stung and killed by anemones and strong corals like elegance, hammers, plates, etc.
Your best bet is to take care of your hair algae outbreak yourself, by both manually removing the hair algae and cleaning up your tank. Something is going on that is feeding the growth of the hair algae. You may need to clean up your feeding practices, your water change practices, or add aditional filtering capabilities.
chiclet
Non-Photo Lover
i have a lettuce!!! I also have a bryopsis out break lol. man he feeds all day and get so green he blends in, its really quite amusing. an amazing creature too!!! I dont think my 1 lettuce will ever rid mytank of all the bryopsis, but hey it keeps him alive, it cleans my water, and doent look too bad imo, of where it is in my tank...
i also know it can pread like wild flower's left untreated and my lettuce i think keeps it under wraps. hey worse comes to worse ill ghet a second. but hey if you got bryopsis and dont mind the site GET 1!! Hes pretty hardy doesnt bother anything and nothing in my tank bother him either. I dont have any shrimps or crabs but 1 scarlet hermit and 2 blue legs hermits and they are plenty busy....
i also know it can pread like wild flower's left untreated and my lettuce i think keeps it under wraps. hey worse comes to worse ill ghet a second. but hey if you got bryopsis and dont mind the site GET 1!! Hes pretty hardy doesnt bother anything and nothing in my tank bother him either. I dont have any shrimps or crabs but 1 scarlet hermit and 2 blue legs hermits and they are plenty busy....
