What eats Bryopsis?

August 16, 2000
From: Mauro Basiaco

I need some help. I have a tropical marine reef fish tank that is suffering from an infestation of Bryopsis. I need to get hold of ANY creature that will eat the stuff. If you know of anything in Australian waters that does eat it please let me know.
My corals and I would greatly appreciate it.
Thanks
Mauro

mauro.basiaco@marconi.com.au

Basiaco, M., 2000 (Aug 16) What eats Bryopsis?. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/2877

Dear Mauroa,
If you use the SEARCH button at the top of each page, or in the yellow bar above you message, you will find references to a number of animals eating Bryopsis. They are all sacoglossan sea slugs of the genus Elysia.

The only one I know from Australian waters is Elysia ornata, but it is possible Elysia rufescens is also found in tropical Australia. It is also possible that other species of Elysia would eat Bryopsis as well. If you let me know where you live in Australia I could suggest some species which would be worth a try, and where to find them.

Other possibilities would be herbivorous snails such as the cowry Cypraea annulus or a limpet, but what algae various snails eat is outside my field of expertise.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman.

Rudman, W.B., 2000 (Aug 16). Comment on What eats Bryopsis? by Mauro Basiaco. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/2877

Factsheet

Bryopsis - who eats this algae?

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