Sea Slug (Hypselodoris bullocki )

[Drydens]

Has anyone successfully found a dieatary alternative for Sea Slugs instead of sponges? I see Sea Slugs every where and the Pet Shops always incorrectlu ID them as Algea Eaters.

 

[dendro982]

I don't have them, but when I tried to keep another sea slugs, obligate feeders, I found this information on H. bullocki:
- Alternative to sponge for them, scroll down to the second half of page.
- Its page on seaslugforum.net
- Here, first message on using Angel Formula
- R. Toonen's article, where names of other potential sponges are mentioned
- And here is article about known food for different nudibranches, but H. bullocki is not there.
HTH

 

[greenbean36191]

Notice that the angelfish food has been unsuccessful.

The simple answer is no, there's no alternative to feeding them sponges. They're super specialized and simply aren't adapted to eat anything else. At this time there's no alternative to the live sponges themselves.

 

[Drydens]

Thanks! i assume dthe slug was doomed but wanted to make sure.. why do the shops misrepresent these? Bit of a shame!

 

[J.russell]

Mine ate a bunch of small hair algea before it ever had a chance tp become a problem.

 

[Drydens]

J. Russell, so your's is doiing well and eating Algea? How long have you had it?

 

[greenbean36191]

When they're starving they will eat who knows what, but they cannot survive on anything but sponges. Their specialization is not just a matter of taste, but of physiology. They do not have the gut anatomy of herbivores and cannot get nutrition from algae.