I think its eating my Clavularia
June 10, 2001
From: Dallas Stroud
Hello,
I found about 150 of these nudibranchs in my reef aquarium, most of them were on or around a piece of clavularia that was dying. They are only about a 1/8 inch long max and they vary in shades of tan-brown and have very short frills (gills?) on there sides. At night they are all over the place but mostly around the clove polyps. I have pulled most out and I also pulled the clove polyp out and threw it away because it was dead. Could you tell me what species it is and if it only eats clavularia? I have attached a picture in jpg format I can take more if you need them but I don't think I can get any closer.
Thank you in advance.
Dallas
fish_guy_101@yahoo.com
Shroud, D., 2001 (Jun 10) I think its eating my Clavularia. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/4428Dear Dallas,
Your slug is an arminid nudibranch of the genus Dermatobranchus. We don't know much about their natural history but the few we do know something about are soft coral feeders so its almost certain they are eating your Clavularia. They were probably on the soft coral when you got it as very small larvae.
As I don't know where you are or where the Clavularia came from I can't even guess at an identification. Have a look at Dermatobranchus sp. 1 for inofmration on their feeding.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman
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