Yikes! nudibranchs

[elaw62]

I've had a white nudibranch I've been watching in my tank for a couple of weeks. It's never been on the coral (hard or soft), xenia, or clam since I've seen it. looks like it leaves a trail like it has been eating diatoms off glass. last night I looked & discovered 5 more very small ones like it has multiplied. two of the offspring were on rocks both on small patches of algae. I don't have a macro lens on camera to get a good picture but I'll try tonight. does anyone know of a nudibranch that eats algae other than the lettuce ones which these definitely are not?

 

[greenbean36191]

There are no nudibranchs that eat algae. All are carnivores.

However, I suspect what you're seeing aren't nudibranchs, but Stomatella, which are regular herbivorous snails with reduced shells.

 

[elaw62]

so lettuce nudibranchs are stomatella. I'll try and get pics because if they are nudi's I'll have to remove them. If they're stomatella I'll leave them.

 

[greenbean36191]

No. Stomatella is a genus of shelled snail that has a flat, reduced shell. They're closely related to Trochus. However, they're sometimes mistaken for slugs because the shell only forms a flat shield on the back rather than the big coil most people are used to seeing on other snails.

Lettuce slugs (there is no lettuce nudibranch) are sacoglossan slugs, which are a group of true sea slugs. People often use the term nudibranch as a synonym for all sea slugs though, when in fact it only refers to one group of them.

 

[elaw62]

that's interesting. are there white sea slugs. these have no shells.

 

[Elysia]

SEASLUGS

SEASLUGS

SEASLUGS

All seaslugs are Opisthobranchs, which is an order within the gastropods (a class of mollusks w/ a muscular foot.) There are various types (suborders) of seaslugs, including the headshield slugs and sidegill slugs. The most commonly referred to in the hobby are the Sacoglossa (sap-sucking slugs), the Anaspidea (seahares), and the Nudibranchia (carnivorous nudibrachs.)

Note, thus, that ONLY A PERCENTAGE of SEASLUGS are NUDIBRANCHS. Furthermore, a percentage of seaslugs are herbivores and maybe either "solar-powered" sap-suckers or seahares. FINALLY there are not now ANY herbivore nudibranchs. None.

Additionally, there are animals that are routinely believed to be slugs by the casual observer, but are, in fact, snails. These include fairly common hitchhikers such as Stomatella sp., Cowrie sp., and Scutus sp.

Information on all of these animals can be found at:
http:www.seaslugforum.net