Keeping nudibranchs in tanks

May 31, 2001
From: Melinda Newton

I live in central California and I have a saltwater reef tank that has been set up for about 8 months now. I would like to add a nudibranch and was wondering if there is one that is easily taken care of or has a diet that is easy to provide for? My local Fish store can order nudibranchs but They dont have the proper infromation for me. I do not wish to be a murderer of nudibranchs. Please help. Provide picture if possible.

Thanks so much
Melinda

platime@pacbell.net

Newton, M., 2001 (May 31) Keeping nudibranchs in tanks. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/4409

Dear Melinda,
The short answer is don't. Unless you can find a species which you can feed regularly there is no point in trying. If you are working from bought specimens I don't encourage it because the shopkeepers don't know what they are doing. The only people who successfully keep nudibranchs alive are those who are close to the sea, can collect them themselves, can find out themselves what they eat and regularly provide fresh food. I am sorry to be negative about this, but it is only a few years ago that most tropical marine fish could not be kept alive by amateurs. Only after much trial and error and research were appropriate supplementary foods developed which could make up for the loss of their real diets. At present we don't even know the 'real' diets of most nudibranchs so finding substitute foods has still a long way to go.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2001 (May 31). Comment on Keeping nudibranchs in tanks by Melinda Newton. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/4409

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