Lettuce Nudibranch

Description

Unlike most other sea slug species, Sea Lettuce Nudibranchs (Elysia sp.) are among the best suited for reef aquariums. As opposed to many other sea slug species who often select for very specific types of prey, Sea Lettuce Nudibranchs have adapted to thrive on consuming a variety of soft green algae species. This trait has made them a popular choice in the home aquarium for their ability to tackle some of the most annoying filamentous green algae species, including bryopsis and hair algae. In addition to consuming a number of these nuisance algae, Sea Lettuce Nudibranchs are also capable of integrating the chloroplasts of the algae they consume into their own tissues (kleptoplasty), allowing them to photosynthesize by proxy and survive for moderate periods in the absence of algae. Sea Lettuce Nudibranchs perform best in reef aquariums with an abundance of green algae and in the absence of predators such as wrasses and butterflyfish.