Ailments in Hermissenda crassicornis

July 16, 2003
From: Ian Dow

Dear Dr. Rudman,
I am currently conducting an prey preference test with some Hermissenda crassicornis that were collected on the nets of fish pens in the San Juan Islands in Washington. Today I noticed that there were some rather odd "bulges" in some of their cerata, almost like gas bubbles. Later in the day, I noticed these bubbles were also in the body cavities of the slugs and were causing them to become buoyant and float on the water surface. While my advisor and I have yet to determine the exact source of this extra oxygen, we are concerned for the health of the slugs. Have you ever heard of or seen this condition before? And if so, is there anything I can do in terms of care and maintenance to keep the slugs alive? Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Best Regards,
Ian Dow

dowim@eckerd.edu

Dow, I., 2003 (Jul 16) Ailments in Hermissenda crassicornis. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/10455

Dear Ian,
I won't make any flatulence jokes. I guess when you say 'extra oxygen' you mean extra gas, as it could be carbon dioxide or some other gas. I can't say I have ever heard of this happening in any captive opisthobranch, but as Hermissenda crassicornis is quite a popular laboratory animal perhaps someone will have experienced this phenomenon before and will let us know. Clearly there is something wrong with these animals.

Of course two related species, Glaucus atlanticus and Glaucilla marginata, have a permanent gas bubble in their gut which enables them to float upside down at the water surface.

Hopefully you will be able to get some more animals and continue your research. I would be interested in a progress report,
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B ., 2003 (Jul 16). Comment on Ailments in Hermissenda crassicornis by Ian Dow. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/10455

Related messages

  1. Hermissenda crassicornis eating Flabellina trilineata
    From: John Albers-Mead, August 15, 2007
  2. Hermissenda vs. Corynactis
    From: Bruce Wight, August 3, 2007
  3. Nudibranch Parasite? - Hermissenda
    From: Bruce Wight, August 1, 2007
  4. Colour variation in Hermissenda crassicornis
    From: Carissa Thomas, April 4, 2007
  5. Hermissenda crassicornis from Oregon, USA
    From: Julie Gilchrist, June 3, 2006
  6. Re: Hermissenda crassicornis from Sth Korea
    From: Ron Velarde, February 25, 2006
  7. Hermissenda crassicornis from Sth Korea
    From: Dong Bum Koh, February 24, 2006
  8. Hermissenda crassicornis eating ascidians?
    From: Marli Wakeling, February 3, 2006
  9. Hermissenda crassicornis genetics
    From: Martin H. Johnson, December 12, 2005
  10. Re: Janolus fuscus from Puget Sound
    From: Jeff Goddard, October 5, 2005
  11. Re: Janolus fuscus from Puget Sound
    From: Jack Connick, October 4, 2005
  12. Re: Janolus fuscus from Puget Sound
    From: Jack Connick, September 30, 2005
  13. Flabellina pricei or mistaken identity
    From: Jan Kocian, August 9, 2005
  14. Re: Janolus fuscus from Puget Sound
    From: Jeff Goddard, July 6, 2005
  15. Re: Janolus fuscus from Puget Sound
    From: Jack Connick, July 2, 2005
  16. Re: Nudibranch eggs will travel
    From: Marli Wakeling, May 9, 2005
  17. Nudibranch eggs will travel
    From: Marli Wakeling, May 7, 2005
  18. Re: Raising Hermissenda for research
    From: Ray Izumi, May 6, 2005
  19. Raising Hermissenda for research
    From: Daniel Swezey, April 29, 2005
  20. Hermissenda crassicornis Cannibalism?
    From: Daniel Swezey, February 28, 2005
  21. Hermissenda crassicornis with eggs
    From: Bruce Wight, February 10, 2005
  22. Hermissenda crassicornis from California
    From: Bruce Wight, August 9, 2004
  23. Trailing behaviour in Hermissenda crassicornis
    From: Marli Wakeling, December 22, 2003
  24. Hermissenda - 1000 miles from land
    From: Hiroaki Sakoh, November 15, 2003
  25. Hermissenda crassicornis feeding
    From: Glen Miller and Jackie Hildering, September 30, 2003
  26. Hermissenda crassicornis without cerata
    From: M.J. Adams, August 14, 2003
  27. Hermissenda crassicornis from the Channel Ids, California
    From: Bruce Wight, August 5, 2003
  28. Hermissenda crassicornis from California
    From: Chris Grossman, August 1, 2003
  29. Re: Update on Hermissenda ailments
    From: Rosemary Romero, July 30, 2003
  30. Update on Hermissenda ailments
    From: Ian Dow, July 18, 2003
  31. Re: Ailments in Hermissenda crassicornis
    From: Kathe R. Jensen, July 17, 2003
  32. Hermissenda from California
    From: Bruce Wight, October 17, 2002
  33. Hermissenda crassicornis from British Columbia
    From: Marli Wakeling, October 10, 2002
  34. Hermissenda crassicornis from San Miguel, Calif.
    From: Bruce Wight, August 12, 2002
  35. Looking for photos of Hermissenda veligers
    From: G. Sparks, July 22, 2001
  36. Hermissenda crassicornis question
    From: Robert Baker, June 12, 2001
  37. Information on Hermissenda crassicornis
    From: Bill Rudman, February 17, 2001
  38. Variation in Hermissenda crassicornis
    From: Bruce Wight, August 4, 2000
  39. Hermissenda crassicornis feeding on Geoducks?
    From: Pacific Shellfish Institute, August 4, 2000
  40. Hermissenda crassicornis from California
    From: Bruce Wight, July 15, 2000
  41. Hermissenda Mating Preferences...
    From: Ty Lim, March 6, 2000
  42. Re: Hermissenda
    From: Max O'Brien, February 20, 2000
  43. Re: mating information
    From: Ty Lim, February 16, 2000
  44. Mating behaviour in Hermissenda
    From: Ty Lim, February 15, 2000
  45. Finding out what I see under water
    From: Max O'Brien, February 7, 2000
  46. Source for Hermissenda crassicornis on E. coast
    From: David Chan, October 16, 1999
  47. Re: Hermissenda feeding
    From: Cesar Megina, July 22, 1999
  48. Re: Hermissenda feeding
    From: Benjamin Ross, July 21, 1999
  49. What is the best food for Hermissenda?
    From: Benjamin Ross, July 20, 1999
  50. Re: Use of name Hermissenda
    From: Bill Rudman, June 23, 1999
  51. Correct genus for Hermissenda crassicornis
    From: Maria Byrne, May 20, 1999

Show factsheet and all related messages