Discodoris atromaculata from Greece

February 23, 2004
From: Mihalis Polyadis

Hi.
I am sending this message from Athens -Greece. I scuba dive and I am interested in seting up a tropical marine aquarium (SG 1025). (I already have one fresh water planted aquarium with Cichlids in it).

During some of my dives I saw the cow-colored species in the included photo. Do you know the scientific name or where can I look for further information. The dives took place 10 Miles Southern the city of Athens at Saronikos, Vouliagmeni Beach, (Aegean sea) and the depth was about 5-7 meters.

I also would like to know if i can acclimatize this ''cow snail'' to live from the Aegean's 1031 into tropical water's 1025. By the way your job with this site and the informations given are excellent.

Thank you in advance for your reply
Mihalis Polyadis

captmike@otenet.gr

Polyadis, M, 2004 (Feb 23) Discodoris atromaculata from Greece. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/12270

Dear Mihalis,
I am pretty sure your animal is Discodoris atromaculata which is a fairly common Mmediterranean nudibranch. I can't imagine the difference in Specific Gravity will cause any problem for the slug in your aquarium but what may cause a problem is its food.

Most nudibranchs are very specific feeders, each species eating only one or a few species of the type of animal they feed on. For example a nudibranch that eats sponges will not eat all sponges, but will only eat one or two closely related species. Discodoris atromaculata apparently only eats the sponge Petrosia ficiformis. There is a photo of the sponge in the species Fact Sheet. However, even if you can find the sponge while diving, you will have great difficulty keeping the sponge alive in your aquarium for the slug to feed on. Even healthy sponges are very difficult to keep alive in closed aquarium systems, but you are going to try and keep a sponge in your aquarium which is being eaten alive!

My advice is for you to look and appreciate the nudibranchs while you are diving, and leave your aquarium for animals which are less difficult to maintain in aquarium conditions
Best wishes
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2004 (Feb 23). Comment on Discodoris atromaculata from Greece by Mihalis Polyadis. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/12270

Factsheet

Peltodoris atromaculata

Related messages

  1. Peltodoris atromaculata abnormality
    From: Antoni López-Arenas i Cama, September 9, 2009
  2. Re: Peltodoris atromaculata with damaged mantle
    From: M. Baki Yokes, June 12, 2009
  3. Re: Peltodoris atromaculata with damaged mantle
    From: Dominique Horst, May 27, 2009
  4. Peltodoris atromaculata from North Cyprus
    From: Carol Cox, April 8, 2008
  5. Peltodoris atromaculata from southern Portugal?
    From: Pedro Alexandrino Monteiro, August 11, 2007
  6. Discodoris atromaculata feeding
    From: Anne Kloeppel, June 7, 2007
  7. Discodoris atromaculata from Croatia
    From: Gearoid Lane, March 30, 2006
  8. Discodoris atromaculata on Petrosia ficiformis
    From: Stephane Ores, January 13, 2006
  9. Re: Discodoris atromaculata from Greece
    From: Andrej Jaklin, February 25, 2004
  10. Re: Discodoris atromaculata from Greece
    From: Baki Yokes, February 24, 2004
  11. Discodoris atromaculata from Adriatic
    From: Adam Petrusek, October 8, 2003
  12. Discodoris atromaculata from Holland
    From: Andy den Boer, July 1, 2003
  13. Discodoris atromaculata egg-ribbon
    From: Marina Poddubetskaia, July 28, 2002
  14. Discodoris atromaculata from France
    From: Marina Poddubetskaia, June 28, 2002
  15. Discodoris atromaculata from Greece
    From: Fons Sarneel, March 19, 2002
  16. Discodoris atromaculata from Greece
    From: Peter H. van Bragt , April 29, 2001
  17. Re: Food of Discodoris atromaculata
    From: Juan Vicente López-Canales, February 15, 1999
  18. Re: Photo of Discodoris atromaculata
    From: Erwin Koehler, February 1, 1999
  19. Food of Discodoris atromaculata
    From: Juan Vicente López-Canales, January 28, 1999

Show factsheet and all related messages