Lettuce sea slug
Elysia crispata
Also known as Lettuce Nudibranch, Lettuce Slug, Ruffled Sea Slug, Solar Powered Sea Slug
SaltwaterInvertebrate
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 75–81°F
- 24–27°C
- pH
- 8.1–8.4
- Adult size
- 1.6 in
- 4 cm
- Minimum tank
- 11 gal
- 40 L
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social behavior
- Solitary
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- Hard
- Rarity
- Common
- Reef safe
- Reef safe
- Family
- Plakobranchidae
- Origin
- Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico, on shallow algae-covered reef flats.
Overview
It suits a mature tank of 40 litres or more at 24 to 27 C and pH 8.1 to 8.4 with good light and steady growth of hair and film algae to graze. It is completely reef safe and will not bother corals, but it is sensitive to poor water quality and can slowly starve in a very clean tank. Keep it away from pump intakes and provide plenty of live rock.
In the wild
The lettuce sea slug is covered in ruffled frills that really do look like leaf lettuce. The frills come in green, blue, or cream and spread the animal out to catch light. It is a slow, harmless grazer that crawls over rock and glass.
Good to know
Elysia crispata is a sacoglossan, not a true nudibranch, and it practices kleptoplasty. It sucks the contents out of algae cells and keeps the working chloroplasts alive in its own tissue, so it can make food from light like a plant for weeks.
Did you know
By stealing chloroplasts from the algae it eats, it becomes partly solar powered and can photosynthesize inside its own body.
Common questions
What size tank does a Lettuce sea slug need?
A Lettuce sea slug needs at least 11 gal (40 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What temperature and pH does a Lettuce sea slug need?
A Lettuce sea slug is comfortable at 75–81°F (24–27°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.
How big does a Lettuce sea slug get?
An adult Lettuce sea slug reaches about 1.6 in (4 cm).
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