Check this awesome little guy out!

Scariest looking dildo I've ever seen

What is that thing?

Quoted: What is that thing?

He's a purple sea slug. Assuming my tank chemistry stays on an even keel for the next couple weeks and provided this one stays alive I plan on adding several different variety next month.

It is the DEBIL!!!

looks like barney the dinosaur's dick

A sea slug with horns?

Quoted: looks like barney the dinosaur's dick

You must have had a fucked up childhood.

Quoted: Quoted: What is that thing? He's a purple sea slug. Assuming my tank chemistry stays on an even keel for the next couple weeks and provided this one stays alive I plan on adding several different variety next month.

I kind of assumed the purple, sea, and slug thing, LOL.

My mom has a salt water aquarium, and I'd like to get her one.  Where and how much?  Are they not tollerant to water variations?  

I guess I went the wrong way of asking for more specifics.  Sorry 'bout that, but I have no idea if they are common, require special care and evironment, etc.  That's what I want to know.  

Quoted: A sea slug with horns?

Is that uncharacteristic of other sea slugs you've encountered?

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: What is that thing? He's a purple sea slug. Assuming my tank chemistry stays on an even keel for the next couple weeks and provided this one stays alive I plan on adding several different variety next month. I kind of assumed the purple, sea, and slug thing, LOL. My mom has a salt water aquarium, and I'd like to get her one.  Where and how much?  Are they not tollerant to water variations?   I guess I went the wrong way of asking for more specifics.  Sorry 'bout that, but I have no idea if they are common, require special care and evironment, etc.  That's what I want to know.

That's actually what it is called. If there's a more technical name I'm not sure what it is.

You can find sea slugs for sale here: www.liveaquaria.com/product/scateg.cfm?pCatId=524

Incidentally, nothing cool shows up under that category, however if you use the search at the top of the screen and enter "sea slug" searching the invertebrate category you'll turn up a few others that are a little cooler. None are purple, one is blue and black but may be difficult to care for. There's a bright green one that forgages vegitation off live rock like mine does that might be a good choice. I'm sure sometime they will have purple ones in as well. I picked mine up locally. Depending on where you live you might try that.

As for keeping them alive, I can't really say how hard it is, this is my first one. From the information I've gotten, if you can keep it alive two weeks it will likely stay alive for a good while. If it dies in two weeks it is because it has starved to death. Either because he was unhappy and pulled a hunger strike or because there wasn't adequate food supply for him.

She'll also want to screen off anything that sucks in water, any kind of intakes for filtration. My guy crawled right into my filter output immediately. Took me 15 hours to get him out. I guess he liked the strong current flowing out, because the minute I turned it off he came out. But you wouldn't want him to go exploring and get sucked in.

These guys are fine in either reef tanks or aggressive fish only tanks, as they aren't very apetizing to other critters. Apparently they aren't that tasty.

Mine was only $18, so it's not a bank breaker.

Other than that I don't know much, but for the price it might be worth trying. They are real fun to watch.

Alright Richard, I may have been wrong about my purple guy being an herbivore. In spite of my fish guys four years in college studying biology or whatever he seems to have mislead me. This site: www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/dec2004/invert.htm

references my slug as Hypselodoris bullocki, apparently a highly specified predator with slim odds for survival in a tank without a very specific food source of sponges. Apparently in addition to that, nobody knows which sponges for sure. So he may not be a good choice for a reef tank if that's what she's running, and indeed may not even live.

Check out that site, and I believe he references some slug forums as well and see what might be best for her.

Meanwhile I'm off to go see what kind of slugs I CAN keep alive.


ETA: After finding out more about the species and what type of food it consumes I called the guy I bought it from to question him. According to many internet sites these slugs have a low survival rate and need a very specific diet of certain sponges. According to the guy I bought it from, he is aware of the special diet, and supposedly as long as you have LOTS of live rock in the aquarium that sponge variety is probably present and he is likely to find the source of food he needs.

I guess as far as these slugs are concerned "you spends your money and you takes your chances."

That said, I'll spend more time researching my next slug to be sure he is "easy" to care for. Apparently some slugs thrive on regular vegitable growth in the tank, same as a snail. If you're going to pick one up for mom, I suggest doing your research, seeing which variations eat algae/vegitation and are still interesting to look at, and obtaining that. Less chance of death, less chance of it harming her corals if she has any, and less chance of unduly tormenting something for no reason.

We'll see wha happens.

Quoted: Check this awesome little guy out! secureshopper.com/auction_pics//matt/slugwalk10.jpg secureshopper.com/auction_pics//matt/slugwalk15.jpg

Feed him salt.

Sluggo the slug

Much better looking then i expected.

I thought it would be one of these:

Quoted: looks like barney the dinosaur's dick

Pretty cool!

Quoted: Scariest looking dildo I've ever seen

yeah, those rockish looking things would hurt

Looks like a nudibranch

Very nice.

So are those poisonous?

Quoted: So are those poisonous?

I don't know about eating them, but he is fine to touch.

That is the coolest looking gross thing I have ever seen.

Quoted: Check this awesome little guy out! secureshopper.com/auction_pics//matt/slugwalk10.jpg secureshopper.com/auction_pics//matt/slugwalk15.jpg

Is that a Kansas State University slug?  

Jim

Quoted: Alright Richard, I may have been wrong about my purple guy being an herbivore. In spite of my fish guys four years in college studying biology or whatever he seems to have mislead me. This site: www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/dec2004/invert.htm references my slug as Hypselodoris bullocki, apparently a highly specified predator with slim odds for survival in a tank without a very specific food source of sponges. Apparently in addition to that, nobody knows which sponges for sure. So he may not be a good choice for a reef tank if that's what she's running. Check out that site, and I believe he references some slug forums as well and see what might be best for her. Meanwhile I'm off to go see what kind of slugs I CAN keep alive.

Thanks for all the info bro!  Doesn't sound like the ideal thing for her  because she does have a reef tank, but that new pet of yours is really kick ass!  I wish you all the best with your new friend, and here's praying it lives past the two weeks.  

Quoted: looks like barney the dinosaur's dick

So Barney lets you up for air to look at it?

Thats a colored nubibranch.  You need to be very careful with them around powerheads and overflows.  They will climb right into a powerhead if it is not covered properly.  Most nudibranches will starve in capitvity due to there unique diet.  Depending on the type you have, they usually only eat flat worms, sponges, or certain types of algae.

Quoted: Quoted: What is that thing? He's a purple sea slug. Assuming my tank chemistry stays on an even keel for the next couple weeks and provided this one stays alive I plan on adding several different variety next month.

Looks similar to my purple-headed pussy slugger.

Quoted: Thats a colored nubibranch.  You need to be very careful with them around powerheads and overflows.  They will climb right into a powerhead if it is not covered properly.  Most nudibranches will starve in capitvity due to there unique diet.  Depending on the type you have, they usually only eat flat worms, sponges, or certain types of algae.

Sounds like you know a bit. Any suggestions on a realtively easy to care for slug? My wife LOVES these guys,but of course all the ones she likes seem to want to eat flatworms or other stuff that makes it hard to keep them alive.

So, if you know of any kind of slug that's easy to care for I'd appreciate the suggestion.

How big is your tank?

Quoted: Quoted: looks like barney the dinosaur's dick You must have had a fucked up childhood.

Quoted: How big is your tank?

Just a 55. I have a 120, but I couldn't bring myself to kick out the enormous cichlids that inhabit it. My wife is starting to like the salt tank though, so I may get this 250 gallon I found for $500. Then I can have a massive reef and she can use the 55 as a fish only.

I want to start saltwater but the local stores suck.
I've been out of it for a while so wondering what kind of filtration unit you're using?
I want a invert tank.

Quoted: Quoted: looks like barney the dinosaur's dick You must have had a fucked up childhood.

+1

bwahahaha

You know how much ammo you could have bought instead of that?
Ban sea slugs!

Very Nice, Can you take a picture of your tank set-up? I am in the transition of going tropical fresh to salt. Just need some ideas.

Quoted: I want to start saltwater but the local stores suck. I've been out of it for a while so wondering what kind of filtration unit you're using? I want a invert tank.

I'm using a bakpak2 filter and skimmer, you can get them on ebay for about $150.

Quoted: Very Nice, Can you take a picture of your tank set-up? I am in the transition of going tropical fresh to salt. Just need some ideas.

not the best pictures, but here's a few.

Tank with daylights and actinics on:



Just actinics:



just moonlight (worst picture of em all)



I really like the power compact set up, however I just found a 175w x 2 metal halide setup for only $100. That would allow me to do some nicer corals and some clams so I may go for it and then suspend some 40w actinics in a regular 4ft shop light above the tank. Lighting will be your biggest pain in the ass.

Other than that get LOTS of live rock. I used a pound per gallon and my nitrates never spiked even after adding TEN live creatures right off the bat after my initial cycle. I also used 8.8 gallons of live sea water that they sell at pet warehouse for my initial water change. I don't know if that helped or not, but it clearly didn't hurt.

Have you taught him to fetch yet?