Feeding Hypselodoris picta in an aquarium

August 26, 2008
From: Steven Soskin

Hi,
We were diving in Miami Florida today and saw a beautiful Florida Regal Goddess nudibranch [Hypselodoris picta], probably 6-7cm. My friend took it and put it in a bag and I asked him to put it back since it'd probably die in his tank. I see they actually sell them online so I guess they're not so rare.
What do they eat, and is it possible to keep them alive for a while in a reef tank?

Locality: Miami beach, 47 , Florida, USA, atlantic, 18 May 2008, Length: 7cm

thanks
Steven

soskin@yahoo.com

Soskin, S., 2008 (Aug 26) Feeding Hypselodoris picta in an aquarium. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/21585

Dear Steven,

You were right to ask your friend to put the nudibranch back. I am pretty sure it feeds on the sponge Dysidea etheria [see #13023 ] but even if you could collect some of the sponge, it is very difficult to remove it from the sea and keep it alive in an aquarium - even under the best conditions. And when you think that what you would need to do is to keep it alive and healthy in an aquarium while it was being eating alive by a nudibranch, I hope you realise that is just not a practical proposition. 

Chromodorids, such as Hypselodoris picta are very beautiful, but I think it is better to take a photo than take an animal which is destined to die in captivity.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2008 (Aug 26). Comment on Feeding Hypselodoris picta in an aquarium by Steven Soskin. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/21585

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