Slug ID please

[Matt Bravo]

Hello, good evening to all. I went to my lfs today as I realized I started seeing some red planeria flat worms in my tank. I can’t add fish atm and I didn’t want to use chemicals so I decided to go the natural predator path. The guy recommended this sea slug and I just want to make sure that

1) he won’t harm any corals
2) he will consume the flat worms

Thanks,

(Google says it’s a chromodoris quadricolor)

 

[Homewrecker]

That likely will not eat flatworms. Blue velvet nudis do however. I've had friends sold this as "great algae eaters" too. Its a shame these animals are even imported.

This suggests they may eat sponge but will probably eat tunicates as well

The Sea Slug Forum - Chromodoris quadricolor

www.seaslugforum.net

Edit: Further speculation on its actual diet here too

The Sea Slug Forum - Chromodoris quadricolor

www.seaslugforum.net

 

[Matt Bravo]

Here’s a better pic of it, I put some flatworms in the container to see if he will go for them

 

[Matt Bravo]

That likely will not eat flatworms. Blue velvet nudis do however. I've had friends sold this as "great algae eaters" too. Its a shame these animals are even imported.

This suggests they may eat sponge but will probably eat tunicates as well

The Sea Slug Forum - Chromodoris quadricolor

www.seaslugforum.net

The Sea Slug Forum - Chromodoris quadricolor

www.seaslugforum.net

Yes I heard the blue ones will but unfortunately they didn’t have, do you remember where your friend got them from so I can order from them too in case this one doesn’t go for them?

 

[Homewrecker]

Yes I heard the blue ones will but unfortunately they didn’t have, do you remember where your friend got them from so I can order from them too in case this one doesn’t go for them?

Blue velvets travel really badly. I can't really suggest them. I'm not sure the size of your tank but spotted mandarins will eat planaria and do so exceedingly well. If your tank has enough you can def try one of those.
And honestly, its better than a sea slug bc it wont run out of food, die and release all sorts of goop into the aquarium. By the time the mandarin is done with the planaria it'll likely be eating frozen

 

[krollins]

Most nudibranchs are predators of one specific thing. Some Nudibranchs can release poison to your tank on rare occasions.
I would add a Springers damsel to remove flatworms.

 

[Matt Bravo]

It’s a 40G, look like it’s not showing much interest in them. What are the cons of adding him in? Is there a chance it develops a taste for fw?

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Is there a chance it develops a taste for fw?

No. This slug will starve in your tank. As mentioned, these slugs really can't be sold responsibly at this point, because we just can't grow the food they need.

Super old thread here, but yes, pyjama nudibranchs (Chromodoris quadricolor) and false pyjama nudibranchs (which are what the OP had - Chromodoris annae) to our knowledge only eat sponges, and only specific kinds of sponges at that (typically Thorectidae family sponges, including Petrosaspongia sp. or spp.). So, no, they don't eat flatworms (though there may be a different specific species of nudibranch somewhere that eats a specific species or two of flatworms). Like most nudibranchs, these guys have incredibly specific diets.

 

[djf91]

It’s a 40G, look like it’s not showing much interest in them. What are the cons of adding him in? Is there a chance it develops a taste for fw?

As was said above, this species of nudibranch feeds specifically and exclusively on one species of sponge and nothing else. They will starve without it.