Ailments in Hermissenda crassicornis

July 16, 2003
From: Ian Dow

Dear Dr. Rudman,
I am currently conducting an prey preference test with some Hermissenda crassicornis that were collected on the nets of fish pens in the San Juan Islands in Washington. Today I noticed that there were some rather odd "bulges" in some of their cerata, almost like gas bubbles. Later in the day, I noticed these bubbles were also in the body cavities of the slugs and were causing them to become buoyant and float on the water surface. While my advisor and I have yet to determine the exact source of this extra oxygen, we are concerned for the health of the slugs. Have you ever heard of or seen this condition before? And if so, is there anything I can do in terms of care and maintenance to keep the slugs alive? Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Best Regards,
Ian Dow

dowim@eckerd.edu

Dow, I., 2003 (Jul 16) Ailments in Hermissenda crassicornis. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/10455

Dear Ian,
I won't make any flatulence jokes. I guess when you say 'extra oxygen' you mean extra gas, as it could be carbon dioxide or some other gas. I can't say I have ever heard of this happening in any captive opisthobranch, but as Hermissenda crassicornis is quite a popular laboratory animal perhaps someone will have experienced this phenomenon before and will let us know. Clearly there is something wrong with these animals.

Of course two related species, Glaucus atlanticus and Glaucilla marginata, have a permanent gas bubble in their gut which enables them to float upside down at the water surface.

Hopefully you will be able to get some more animals and continue your research. I would be interested in a progress report,
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B ., 2003 (Jul 16). Comment on Ailments in Hermissenda crassicornis by Ian Dow. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/10455

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Hermissenda crassicornis

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