[Sueet]

I saw for the first time a couple of weeks ago, a small white/mostly white slug, it has 2 dark-brownish antennae looking things on its head, so I know it isn't a flatworm... and I have searched all over the net, but haven't been able to find a good site and/or a pic of this little guy to be able to identify him... But.. mostly what I read and did find available, seems to imply that these things are for the most part harmless.

I caught the lil guy a couple nights ago, and I have him in a small betta tank right now, since I haven't been able to positively identify him yet.

Does anyone know specifically if there is a list of which slugs are bad for reef aquaria, or have some clue as to what this lil guy is by my description (my cam bites, and the pic I took just looks like a big white blob)

He is about 3/4" in length, opaque white on the bottom, dusty white-ish on top, has two dark brown I think they're called rhinopores, and basically he looks like what you might imagine a snail to look like without its shell. No it is not a snail, it has no shell at all, and the body splits a tiny bit along the foot area, but it's hard to see that since he is so small. There are no identifying marks or colors on him that I can see (no stripes, spots, etc)

Anyway, if he is harmless, I'd like to put him back in the tank..... if not, well, then he goes into the aiptasia tank, to fend for himself.

[Samper]

I would say that it is most likely a nudibranch. I got one free from my lfs a while back for helping them out unloading some livestock. I was told that they shouldnt be taken out of the ocean and that he would die very quickly but he is still alive, healthy and very active. He cleans the glass better than any snail I've ever seen and I have also witnessed him eating fish waste and food that settled on the bottom.

check out this link.

http://www.seaslugforum.net/welcome.htm

[Sueet]

Originally Posted by Samper

I would say that it is most likely a nudibranch. I got one free from my lfs a while back for helping them out unloading some livestock. I was told that they shouldnt be taken out of the ocean and that he would die very quickly but he is still alive, healthy and very active. He cleans the glass better than any snail I've ever seen and I have also witnessed him eating fish waste and food that settled on the bottom.

check out this link.

http://www.seaslugforum.net/welcome.htm

Yes it is definitely some form of nudibranch, but I have had no luck in finding out for sure WHICH nudi... I don't see the things on it's back that are supposed to be the 'earmark' of the carnivorous ones, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything. It's small, and probably isn't dangerous, I would just like to be sure, and have been unable to locate any good info on "bad" ones, you know, like a list of "watch out for these bad guys" kind of thing.

Oh, and thanks for the link, but that was one of the sites I spent the most time at... maybe I should post there and see what happens... I just thought maybe someone here might have direct experience with it.

[Samper]

One things for sure I don't think he will last long in your "holding cell".

[Sueet]

Originally Posted by Samper

One things for sure I don't think he will last long in your "holding cell".

I know, I keep switching up new water for him, but it's been a couple days now, and I still haven't found any good info, that's why I decided to post here. I dunno, maybe I will just put him back in there and not worry about it unless I actually catch him doing something bad.

[Samper]

From what I gathered most of them prefer sponges over anything else. I don't really think that many people know what they're talking about when it comes to nudes.....Everywhere I read people say they don't eat algae but I personally witness one eating algae on a daily basis. Also like I said earlier, was advised that he would wither away and die very quick but he's still with me.

[Ninong]

Originally Posted by Samper

I would say that it is most likely a nudibranch. I got one free from my lfs a while back for helping them out unloading some livestock. I was told that they shouldnt be taken out of the ocean and that he would die very quickly but he is still alive, healthy and very active. He cleans the glass better than any snail I've ever seen and I have also witnessed him eating fish waste and food that settled on the bottom.

check out this link.

http://www.seaslugforum.net/welcome.htm

Samper,

If your "slug" cleans the glass, it is NOT a nudibranch. All nudibranchs, without exception, are specialized carnivores.

[Ninong]

Originally Posted by Samper

Everywhere I read people say they don't eat algae but I personally witness one eating algae on a daily basis. Also like I said earlier, was advised that he would wither away and die very quick but he's still with me.

If you witnessed it eating algae, it is not a nudibranch. No nudibranch has EVER eaten algae. There is absolutely no confusion on that point, there is just a lot of confusion on what some people incorrectly call nudibranchs.

It can take a nudibranch several months to "wither away and die" in a tank that does not provide the necessary prey items. In cases where nudibranchs have been observed surviving for many months in an aquarium, that is an indication that the suitable prey is available.

[Samper]

When I get a digi I'll post the pic. If he isnt a nudibranch which is possible because the lfs had him listed as a "sea slug" then he is so very closely marked that I couldnt find any other possibility. This guy does eat algae as well as meaty foods. I've read on the sea slug forums that nothing is really out of the ordinary when it comes to nudibranches and to not discount anything as false. You could very well be correct though ninong.

[Ninong]

Samper,

It is Dr. Rudman who has made the statement that all nudibranchs, without exception, are carnivorous. And that same statement has been confirmed by numerous malacologists. Only "hobby" authors sometimes incorrectly talk of algal feeding nudibranchs when they really mean algal feeding sacoglossans.

Don't forget that the sea slug forum is just that, a sea slug forum. It includes all sorts of sea slugs, including nudibranchs.

P.S. -- If you can post a sharp, close-up picture of the cerata, we may be able to tell if it is a nudibranch or not. A picture of the rhinopores and the head would also be helpful.

[Sueet]

Originally Posted by Ninong

Samper,

If your "slug" cleans the glass, it is NOT a nudibranch. All nudibranchs, without exception, are specialized carnivores.

Ninong, any advice on how I can better identify this little creature? I believe it is a nudi, but I really don't know much about them so I'm not sure what to even look for as far as defining characteristics... One thing tho, all the pics I could find of nudi's online have either some kind of colorful decoration or pattern to them, or frilly edges or other fancy looks or some mixture of them, this little guy is nearly all white, with the top of him being only slightly less white (off-white sort of) ... no discernible pattern, just the dark rhinopores.

[Sueet]

Originally Posted by Ninong

P.S. -- If you can post a sharp, close-up picture of the cerata, we may be able to tell if it is a nudibranch or not. A picture of the rhinopores and the head would also be helpful.

*sigh* that's the problem... my camera sucks, badly... I could try to take the lil guy out of the water and see if the cam takes a better pic when there's no water involved. Do you think it would hurt it to be out of the water for a few seconds?

[Ninong]

Originally Posted by Sueet

Do you think it would hurt it to be out of the water for a few seconds?

Yes.

P.S. -- It wouldn't help you as far as taking its picture is concerned because it would lose its shape completely.

[Sueet]

Originally Posted by Ninong

Yes.

P.S. -- It wouldn't help you as far as taking its picture is concerned because it would lose its shape completely.

Hmm... good point... maybe I will try to drain most of the water out of the little tank... I don't think it will help tho.

[Ninong]

First of all, you need to realize that there are thousands of scientifically described species and countless thousands more that have not yet been described.

Dr. Ron Shimek discusses nudibranchs (and a few slugs that are not nudibranchs) in this article: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-09/rs/index.htm (Note: He has a typo in there. He has the lettuce sea slug as Elysia cristata when its correct name is Elysia crispata.)

The Australian Museum's sea slug forum is an excellent, authoriatative source of information: http://www.seaslugforum.net/

Here is another slug site: http://divegallery.com/

And another: http://www.slugsite.tierranet.com/

[Samper]

As soon as I get a camera I"ll post a pic if he's still with me. I'm thinking a 6 month window and I might can come up with the funds.

[Sueet]

Originally Posted by Samper

As soon as I get a camera I"ll post a pic if he's still with me. I'm thinking a 6 month window and I might can come up with the funds.

lol want mine? It won't help you take pics tho... pos.

[Samper]

This is what my mother wants me to get....she's a photography guru.

http://nikonimaging.com/global/produ...8700/index.htm

[Reefland]

We've been looking at the 4300, I think it would be an excellent camera.

[Ninong]

Originally Posted by Samper

This is what my mother wants me to get....she's a photography guru.

http://nikonimaging.com/global/produ...8700/index.htm

That's a nice camera but be careful where you buy it. The prices range from just over $500 to $899!!! http://www.digitalcamera-hq.com/niko...0-reviews.html