Purple Sea Slugs

[Blk_Gto]

Hi,

I saw these purple sea slugs in a fish store the other day. They are purple with yellow antennaes. I was thinking of getting one or two. Does anyone know anything about these?

Also, what critters could I add to help turn over my sandbed? I've decided to get rid of all my crabs because they are killing all my snails! I have a 15G w/ an overflow to a lil sump. Thanks!

 

[Blk_Gto]

TTT

 

[Kitta]

I had one that was purple and I think it had a white bottom. I bought it about a year ago, had it in the tank for a day and never seen it again.

It was a beauty though.

 

[Anonymous]

Most sea slugs have very specific dietary requirements such as hydrozoans or sponges. They will starve to death in your aquarium generally. There are a few exceptions, but from your description I don't think that is one.

The best things to keep your sand bed turned over are bristle worms and nassarius snails, IMO.

 

[Blk_Gto]

Thanks Matt. That was the EXACT answer I was looking for. I had a feeling that these are almost impossible to keep. That LFS is very shady.

 

[Blk_Gto]

Can anyone recommend a good online fish store to purchase bristle worms and nassarius snails? The LFS just doesn't seem to keep these in stock.

 

[MattM]

Purple with a yellow gills (yes, those are gills not antennae, the exposed gills are the reason for their name: naked gills = nude brachia = nudibranch) is most likely a Chromodoris bullocki. It feeds on a specific species of sponge, and the species is not known. If you do not provide the exact species it eats, it will starve to death. No doubt, 100% guaranteed.

Tell your pet store owner that 99.999% of Nudibranchs can not be kept in captivity because of their extremely specific dietary requirements.

There are a few species where the feeding habits are well known, but even then, their natural life span is generally less than a year.

They should not be collected or imported.