ID this sea slug (elysia?)

[MarsRover]

Hello All,

i have been trying to get an ID on these little guys. They are no bigger than 10mm, very small. They are not a nuisance. They eat algae, seems like it is only microalgae in my tank growing under halides. They are proliferating like crazy.

Can anyone get me a a positive ID on these?

I might be able to take some out and put them in a cup if necessisary. I only have an Iphone unfortunately....

thanks

http://i377.photobucket.com/albums/oo213/NasiocGreenlantern/IMG_2508.jpg (http://s377.photobucket.com/user/NasiocGreenlantern/media/IMG_2508.jpg.html)

http://i377.photobucket.com/albums/oo213/NasiocGreenlantern/IMG_2812.jpg (http://s377.photobucket.com/user/NasiocGreenlantern/media/IMG_2812.jpg.html)

http://i377.photobucket.com/albums/oo213/NasiocGreenlantern/IMG_2798.jpg (http://s377.photobucket.com/user/NasiocGreenlantern/media/IMG_2798.jpg.html)


http://i377.photobucket.com/albums/oo213/NasiocGreenlantern/IMG_2791.jpg (http://s377.photobucket.com/user/NasiocGreenlantern/media/IMG_2791.jpg.html)



http://i377.photobucket.com/albums/oo213/NasiocGreenlantern/IMG_2788.jpg (http://s377.photobucket.com/user/NasiocGreenlantern/media/IMG_2788.jpg.html)

[pagojoe]

They are fuzzy like Elysia tomentosa. I'm not sure whether it's that species or a cousin, though.

http://seaslugforum.net/find/elystome

[Shawn O]

Looks like you might have a small financial venture on your hands. I'm sure there's a market for algae eating slugs, especially the nice looking ones.

[MarsRover]

I do have a "for sale" on Reef-2-reef but people want to know what species of algae they eat. they seem to be less discriminating than other sea slugs i've heard of when it comes diet. but people want to know before they buy that they will eat what they have...

[Shawn O]

I have plenty of green hair algae and Fauchea. I can send you lots of it.

[MarsRover]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=25079940

So i don't think they take much to macro algae. I just see them munching on the micro algae that grows on the glass and on rocks.

[MarsRover]

They MIGHT eat bubble algae.... i have seen a few patches where they hang out start to be filled with popped bubbles...

[Shawn O]

Hopefully they get it all and don't release any 'spores' or whatever might be in them that can spread elsewhere. If nothing else, you might have a harmless cuc member...or a demon waiting to become a problem. I like diversity, if they really only eat film algae, then they would be beneficial. Some experiments to see what they will eat when starving would be helpful. Say, if film algae weren't present, would they go after other life forms, such as zooxanthellae?

[ginpang]

Too bad you're so far... and cbsa officers don't like unidentified stuff either.


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