NUDIBRANCH
The bottom-dwelling, jelly-bodied nudibranch (NEW-dih-bronk) might seem an unlikely canvas for Mother Nature to express her wildest indulgences of color and form. But these shell-less mollusks, part of the sea slug family, bear some of the most fascinating shapes, sumptuous hues, and intricate patterns of any animal on Earth.
There are more than 3,000 known species of nudibranch, and new ones are being identified almost daily. They are found throughout the world's oceans, but are most abundant in shallow, tropical waters. Their scientific name, Nudibranchia, means naked gills, and describes the feathery gills and horns that most wear on their backs.
Generally oblong in shape, nudibranchs can be thick or flattened, long or short, ornately colored or drab to match their surroundings. They can grow as small as 0.25 inches (6 millimeters) or as large as 12 inches (31 centimeters) long.
They are carnivores that slowly ply their range grazing on algae, sponges, anemones, corals, barnacles, and even other nudibranchs. To identify prey, they have two highly sensitive tentacles, called rhinophores, located on top of their heads. Nudibranchs derive their coloring from the food they eat, which helps in camouflage, and some even retain the foul-tasting poisons of their prey and secrete them as a defense against predators.
Nudibranchs are simultaneous hermaphrodites, and can mate with any other mature member of their species. Their lifespan varies widely, with some living less than a month, and others living up to one year.
There are more than 3,000 known species of nudibranch, and new ones are being identified almost daily. They are found throughout the world's oceans, but are most abundant in shallow, tropical waters. Their scientific name, Nudibranchia, means naked gills, and describes the feathery gills and horns that most wear on their backs.
Generally oblong in shape, nudibranchs can be thick or flattened, long or short, ornately colored or drab to match their surroundings. They can grow as small as 0.25 inches (6 millimeters) or as large as 12 inches (31 centimeters) long.
They are carnivores that slowly ply their range grazing on algae, sponges, anemones, corals, barnacles, and even other nudibranchs. To identify prey, they have two highly sensitive tentacles, called rhinophores, located on top of their heads. Nudibranchs derive their coloring from the food they eat, which helps in camouflage, and some even retain the foul-tasting poisons of their prey and secrete them as a defense against predators.
Nudibranchs are simultaneous hermaphrodites, and can mate with any other mature member of their species. Their lifespan varies widely, with some living less than a month, and others living up to one year.
I was wondering if anyone can give me a little info on these.Do they realy eat hair algae or not,and if they do will they only eat the short stuff or munch on long strands.I am looking for something that will help with hair algae.I have a lawn mower blennie and he did great at the begining, but now he waits for the seaweed clip that is put in for the tangs.I have many snails and hermits in the tank already but need a different approach to this ongoing situation.
The Lettuce Nudibranch is a very interesting and useful creature. It helps tackling the unnecessary growth of algae. The Lettuce Nudibranch is photosynthetic in nature, and gets benefits from the chloroplast in their tissue from the algae they eat. It sucks in the chlorophyll contents of algae, and then incorporates that chlorophyll into their own tissues. It belongs to the family Elysiidae. The Lettuce Nudibranch is closely reassembled to a lettuce leaf, which is why it is named the Lettuce Nudibranch. It reaches a maximum size of 3 inch and is very hardy. The Lettuce Nudibranch is passive in nature, and is more active during day time and less at night time. There are no distinctive features that differentiates male from, female. The reef tank should be maintained with 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit for the proper growth and development of the Lettuce Nudibranch. It is a bright green color with ruffles across its back. It has an elongated oval shaped body and due to presence of ruffles it increases its surface area in order to absorb more oxygen for respiration. The Lettuce Nudibranch destroys and eliminates the growth of algae by foraging on live rocks and aquarium glass. Thus, it helps keeping the environment clean and clear. It is non venomous and a very hardy species, which makes it a terrific addition to any reef tanks. The aquarium needs to have some live rocks which serve as a natural shelter for the Lettuce Nudibranch. They belong to Gastropods class who are snail like creature and do not possess any shell for their protection. The Lettuce Nudibranch is very peace loving and gets along with other inhabitants. It surely makes the aquarium more attractive with its interesting appearance and function.
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