More aquarium shop misinformation

March 23, 2003
From: David Clay


I purchased several sea slugs from my LFS which were supposed to be algae eaters. Two Hypselodoris bullocki [purple], one Chromodoris joshi [orange] and one that I can't identify - [upper photo). As I have read in your Forum, they don't eat algae.

Can you help me identify the green sea slug in the photo? Also, can you offer any information on its' feeding and the type of food the Chromodoris joshi will take? From reading your website I can tell there isn't much luck in saving the H. bullocki - do I have a chance with the others?
David Clay

hotrodtiger@aol.com

Clay, D., 2003 (Mar 23) More aquarium shop misinformation. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/9376

Dear David,
The story with C. joshi is probably worse than with H. bullocki. We have photos of the sponge H. bullocki feeds on, but C. joshi has been seldom seen and we know nothing of its food, which is almost certainly a sponge.

And finally your black and green slug. In my opinion this is a definite no-no in any aquaria. I can't tell from the photo just which species it is, perhaps Phyllidiella pustulosa, but it is a member of the Phyllidiidae. Species of this family exude a milky white secretion which is highly toxic, and recently collected - that is healthy - specimens can kill everything in an aquarium just from their secretions dissolving in the water. [see earlier message]. They are also sponge feeders. The good news is that your animal is probably starving and so is probably unable to produce the toxic secretions. Be that as it may, I think it is highly irresponsible of aquarium shops (aka LFS) to sell potentially toxic animals to unsuspecting customers.
Sorry I can't be more positive,
Cheers,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2003 (Mar 23). Comment on More aquarium shop misinformation by David Clay. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/9376

Factsheet

Keeping sea slugs in captivity

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