Purple Nudibranch

[boinorvaia]

I'm new to the whole aquarium hobby and recently impulsively purchased a Purple Nudibranch. the store owner assured me they were easy to care for and would eat algea much like a snail would. Imagine my chagrin upon discovering that these creatures are almost impossible to care for.
at any rate, now that I have this nudibranch in my tank i'd like to at least try to keep him from starving to death. Every resource I have been able to find however only advises that they will only eat certain sponges so it should not be attempted. no one mentiones what sort of sponge it eats or what steps one can take to try and keep them alive.
If any one has any idea what i can do please let me know. anyone have any experience with these guys at all?
Thanks
Brendan

 

[TippyToeX]

boinorvaia
<img src="/images/welcome.gif" width="500" height="62"><br><b><i><big><big>To Reef Central</b></i></big></big>

There are many kinds of purple nudibranches. I am guess yours is Hypselodoris bullocki. If not could you let us know it's scientific name? If you don't know that (or can't find it in a google search), then maybe what common name they used at your LFS.

 

[boinorvaia]

Hypselodoris bullockii

Hypselodoris bullockii

Hypselodoris bullockii, I'm pretty sure thats what I have.

 

[boinorvaia]

also

also

thanks for the welcome.

 

[TippyToeX]

I was doing some reading on them (someone else here just recently bought one) and everything I've read says that they are specialized on just one or two kinds of sponges, but they are not know. Even if it was know, it's highly unlikely you would ever see them available for sale.

FWIW, a good read Sea Slugs Part II

 

[boinorvaia]

thats truely unfortunate, I was particularly excited about this most recent addition to my tank. The advice i've recived from my local fish vendor is more and more proving to be unreliable.
thanks for the help.

 

[TippyToeX]

It's a tough lesson but a good one to learn. To depend on yourself and your own research before you buy any animal, not to purchase on the LFS or online retailers advise.

 

[thehedge]

You can try purchasing some small pieces of uncured Pacific LR, as the Hypselodoris bullockii primarily feeds on Aplysilla sp., a common sponge in the Pacific. Purchasing a few small pieces, even if the sponge is not visible, may be enough to seed your tank with small, even microscopic colonies of the sponge that may be enough to sustain your nudibranch.

Nudibranches are very difficult to care for as they have strict feeding requirements, but it is possible...

 

[TippyToeX]

thehedge, where did you find out that they feed on Aplysilla? I'd love to learn more!

Have you heard of anyone ever having success with this? It seems like the odds are far too high.