Nudibranches - do they survive?

[Pisces]

I love nudibranches, I think they are gorgeous creatures. I've often thought about putting one in my tank before, but I've heard that they don't do well in captivity. Has anyone had any luck with these?

I was told that it's their diet that causes the problem...they don't get whatever it is that they need. But, my boyfriend recently read in a book that they eat star polyps....any thoughts?

Thanks

[Quinn]

Different nudibranchs have different diets, almost exclusively carnivorous of some sort. Given the sheer number of species (almost certainly in the thousands), I have absolutely no idea what types you could attempt to keep, but it is unlikely than any type that you might be able to provide a diet for in aquaria will ever surface in a Canadian LFS. I have seen various types at Big Al's but I would bet my student loan that they did not survive more than a month or two in the buyer's aquarium. I would advise you to check http://www.seaslugforum.net for more information and in the meantime leave these fantastic animals in the ocean.

You may wish to research sea hares, which are available and are herbivores, as well as the sea slug Elysia crispata, which eats hair algae, and the nudibranch Berghia verrucicornis, which eats Aiptasia sp. anemones, which is one diet that you could possibly provide in aquaria.

[Pisces]

Thanks for the info, I think I'd better go without. :neutral:

[kari]

I read most have rather short natural life spans

[bulletsworld]

Seahares are cool creatures. I have had two at different times and have never had good luck keeping them alive. It seems they are really good for hare algae but after its all cleaned up they dont live for me.

Cant try another one. I never here of anyone here keeping them alive either. So perhaps you would get better luck.