Hypselodoris bullocki mating in aquarium

November 27, 2001
From: Nick Gill

Dr. Rudman,
I have recently purchased a pair of Hypselodoris c.f. bullocki for my aquarium. They are the blue colour form with a thick white border and bluish magenta colored cerata. After I introduced them into the aquarium, they started crawling around. After ten minutes, I saw they were sitting side to side. Each nudibranch's head was beside the other's rear. One of them had extended its reproductive appendage. After a while, they crawled away. I am hoping that they will produce eggs. I know that there is a possibility that this was induced by stress, but is it possible for them to produce fertile eggs from this mating?

Thanks for replying,
Nick Gill

hongqixian@hotmail.com

Gill, N., 2001 (Nov 27) Hypselodoris bullocki mating in aquarium. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/5721

Dear Nick,
While egg-laying can be a result of stress, mating is just something they do when they come into contact with each other. It is possible they, or one of them, will lay fertile eggs, but without food they may not be able to produce sufficent yolk or the protein needed for the egg capsules. Even if viable eggs are produced it is unlikely that the planktonic veliger larvae will survive as they will need particular planktonic unicellular algae (phytoplankton) to feed on until they are ready to metamorphose into a bottom dwelling slug. The larvae also need some chemical trigger, usually provided by their adult food sponge, to cause them to settle out of the plankton and change into a crawling slug. Basically I can't offer any words of hope - either for the adults, or for any potential second generation.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2001 (Nov 27). Comment on Hypselodoris bullocki mating in aquarium by Nick Gill. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/5721

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Hypselodoris bullocki - Page 3

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