Cannibalism in Glaucus?

March 28, 2006
From: Peter Whiter

Hi Bill,
I've been at your site for a few years its great. The main reason for visiting your site tonight was to research the Glaucus, my now Girlfriend (an Artist) has seen them before on the beach and has tried to keep one in captivity (tank, maybe bucket) without much success (it lived only a day or so). today we have the left over of recent Cyclone Waves arrive here (Eden far south coast of NSW) and she found 4 on her walk ... one small about 15 mm in length one about 22 mm (very damaged), then one at about 29 mm, one at 35. After getting them home and into a tank with aeration which seemed to perk them up a bit, a strange thing happened - the largest one attacked and killed the smallest one. The next smallest one (22 mm) may now be dead as he was not doing so well this afternoon.
I guess we have a couple of questions.

1. Do they keep in captvity and how do we prolong this if it is at all possible?
2. have you ever heard of cannibalism in them?

Hope these are a fair questions to ask.

Regards
Pete

peter.whiter@gmail.com

Whiter, P., 2006 (Mar 28) Cannibalism in Glaucus?. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/16189

Dear Peter,
Thes are perfectly fair questions to ask. Firstly until a message last week [see #16154] I had not heard of cannibalism in Glaucus before, but Eve's photos and your observations seem to suggest that at least in close quarters their tolerance for each other is not great.

Concerning keeping them in captivity. I have tried a few times but have never managed to keep them more than 48 hours. It may be better if you start with animals collected in the open sea, but like you I have always started with animals stranded on the shore and I guess by then they have been battered by waves and left out of water on the sand for varying amounts of time.  Now I think of it, my best success has been with one or two animals only, so maybe aggressive inter-relationships in tank conditions are a factor worth considering. Perhaps you are better trying to keep a single animal.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2006 (Mar 28). Comment on Cannibalism in Glaucus? by Peter Whiter. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/16189

Factsheet

Glaucus atlanticus

Related messages

  1. Glaucus from South Africa
    From: Emil H Niksch, May 3, 2010
  2. Glaucus atlanticus from Florida
    From: Stephanie Armentrout, April 30, 2010
  3. Glaucus atlanticus from nthn New South Wales
    From: Jayson Dyer, April 23, 2010
  4. Re: Glaucus atlanticus from Florida
    From: Douglas Hernandez, April 6, 2010
  5. Glaucus atlanticus from Florida
    From: Emma C., April 5, 2010
  6. Blue Bottles and Nudibranch washed up at Kiama, NSW
    From: Cherie Noon, March 24, 2010
  7. Glaucus atlanticus in Hawaii
    From: Aaron Silva, January 29, 2010
  8. Glaucus atlanticus find in Northern NSW Australia
    From: Matthew Ross, January 20, 2010
  9. Glaucus atlanticus from Hawaii
    From: Enjoli' Hoskins, September 8, 2009
  10. Occurrence of albino Glaucus atlanticus?
    From: Evan Orellana, August 31, 2009
  11. Glaucus atlanticus from Pacific coast of Panama
    From: Clark Misner, May 14, 2009
  12. My Glaucus atlanticus Report
    From: Kenneth Hattersley, May 14, 2009
  13. Glaucus atlanticus in Gulf of Mexico?
    From: Kenneth Hattersley, April 7, 2009
  14. Re: Tiny, elaborate creature at Stradbroke Island, Queensland
    From: Paul Stewart, March 17, 2009
  15. Glaucus atlanticus from Kenya
    From: Debs North, January 8, 2009
  16. Tiny, elaborate creature at Stradbroke Island, Queensland
    From: Ken Thomas, December 3, 2007
  17. Glaucus atlanticus from Pacific coast of Mexico
    From: Joe Weiss, March 7, 2007
  18. Sea Lizard [Glaucus atlanticus] from New South Wales
    From: Lynne T., March 2, 2007
  19. Glaucus atlanticus mating habits
    From: Johanna Schwartz, January 29, 2007
  20. Glaucus atlanticus in Hawaii
    From: Nichol Miura, January 16, 2007
  21. What type of Nudibranch is this?
    From: Adrian Giles, January 15, 2007
  22. Re: Glaucus atlanticus on Gold Coast, Queensland
    From: Rob Alesbury, January 15, 2007
  23. Glaucus atlanticus on Gold Coast, Queensland
    From: John Campbell, December 14, 2006
  24. Glaucus eating Porpita in Hawaii
    From: Anna-Christina Amason, August 17, 2006
  25. Feeding and some trophic interactions of Glaucus atlanticus
    From: Irina Roginskaya, August 2, 2006
  26. About egg masses of Glaucus atlanticus
    From: Irina Roginskaya, May 25, 2006
  27. Unknown creature from Fraser Island, Queensland
    From: Richard Wilsher, May 9, 2006
  28. Some notes about Glaucus atlanticus
    From: Irina Roginskaya, May 9, 2006
  29. Not sure if this IS a sea slug?
    From: Mary Patterson, April 26, 2006
  30. Glaucus at Anna Bay, New South Wales
    From: Jim Doyle, March 31, 2006
  31. Re: Cannibalism in Glaucus?
    From: Peter Whiter, March 30, 2006
  32. What the ?
    From: Eve Whicker, March 23, 2006
  33. What is Filurus dubius?
    From: Gary Rosenberg, February 24, 2006
  34. Glaucus atlanticus - habitat
    From: Brandon Pinkney, February 21, 2006
  35. Is this a sea slug ??
    From: Karen Beal, February 14, 2006
  36. Blue Sea slug
    From: Liliana Alaniz, February 2, 2006
  37. Glaucus atlanticus from the Canary Islands
    From: Kim Boettcher, May 23, 2005
  38. Information on Glaucus atlanticus
    From: Kealy Baker-Clark, April 22, 2005
  39. Blue, lizard-like feather-finned tiny animal
    From: Paiton Meurer, April 14, 2005
  40. Glaucus atlanticus from Reunion Island
    From: Philibert Bidgrain, February 19, 2005
  41. Found some interesting sea slugs in Florida
    From: Sarah McDowell, January 31, 2005
  42. Neon Blue sea slug from Fraser Island?
    From: Neil Rhodes, January 1, 2005
  43. Is this a nudibranch?
    From: Scott Godwin, January 21, 2004
  44. Glaucus atlanticus from Sth Africa
    From: Juleen du Toit, January 21, 2004
  45. Glaucus atlanticus from Queensland
    From: Nick Falconer , December 3, 2003
  46. Glaucus from Wellington Pt, Brisbane
    From: Mimi & Phong, November 17, 2003
  47. Glaucus in Hawaii
    From: Chaunte Ling, May 27, 2003
  48. Mysterious blue and white swirley things
    From: Sally, April 25, 2003
  49. Re: Glaucus in Sydney
    From: Alex & Marcus Dawes, March 19, 2003
  50. Glaucus in Sydney
    From: Alex and Marcus Dawes , March 12, 2003
  51. Glaucus atlanticus from Lord Howe Island
    From: W.B. Rudman, January 24, 2003
  52. Glaucus atlanticus reference
    From: Michael Schroedl, November 14, 2002
  53. Glaucus atlanticus - observations
    From: A. Lovatt., October 21, 2002
  54. Thanks
    From: Amanda Johnson, June 15, 2002
  55. Glaucus atlanticus information
    From: Manda, June 6, 2002
  56. Re: Collaroy 'Blue Dragon' - thanks
    From: Stephen Martin, May 23, 2002
  57. Mass of blue dragon(?) nudibranchs
    From: Stephen Martin, May 20, 2002
  58. Questions about Glaucus
    From: Luke Short, April 25, 2002
  59. Blue plankton in Uruguay
    From: Philip Miller, February 16, 2002
  60. Glaucus from Pensacola, Florida
    From: Elvira Davis, February 4, 2002
  61. Re: Glaucus detecting prey
    From: Belinda Biggam, March 18, 2001
  62. Glaucus detecting prey
    From: Belinda Biggam, March 15, 2001
  63. Re: Glaucus
    From: Lisa, February 20, 2001
  64. Glaucus
    From: Chris Parks, August 24, 2000
  65. Information on Glaucus atlanticus
    From: Angela, August 12, 1999
  66. Eggs of Glaucus and Glaucilla
    From: Bill Rudman, May 16, 1999
  67. Glaucus & Porpita in New Zealand
    From: Ross Armstrong, March 31, 1999
  68. Re: Glaucus in New Zealand
    From: Ross Armstrong, February 26, 1999
  69. Glaucus in New Zealand
    From: Ross Armstrong, February 25, 1999

Show factsheet and all related messages