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Spurilla nudibranch

Spurilla neapolitana

Also known as Neapolitan Spurilla, Aiptasia Eater

SaltwaterInvertebrate

Spurilla nudibranch (Spurilla neapolitana)
Marina Poddubetskaia · CC BY 2.5

Care at a glance

Temperature
68–81°F
20–27°C
pH
8.1–8.4
Adult size
3 in
7.5 cm
Minimum tank
11 gal
40 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Medium
Rarity
Rare
Reef safe
Reef safe with caution
Family
Aeolidiidae
Origin
Mediterranean and warm Atlantic, including the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico

Overview

The Spurilla nudibranch is a peaceful specialist predator, a sea slug that hunts anemones over the bottom of a reef tank. It is best kept by someone with a little reef experience.

Did you know

The Spurilla nudibranch keeps the zooxanthellae from its anemone prey alive inside its own tissues, where they go on photosynthesizing. This sea slug runs partly on solar power generated by cells it never grew itself.

Caring for the Spurilla nudibranch

Keep a Spurilla nudibranch only in a tank that actually has Aiptasia in it, since anemones are the only thing it eats. It needs at least 11 gal (40 L) and spends its time on the bottom. Hold the water at 68 to 81°F (20 to 27°C) and a pH of 8.1 to 8.4.

It does the same job as Berghia, as live Aiptasia control, but it is several times larger and clears an infestation much faster. Like Berghia, it starves once the Aiptasia run out. Plan to pass it along to another infested tank when the job is done.

The Spurilla nudibranch is peaceful and fine alone or in a group. It is a generalist anemone eater rather than a strict Aiptasia specialist, so keep it away from ornamental anemones. That makes it reef safe only with caution.

Good to know

The Spurilla nudibranch, Spurilla neapolitana, is an aeolid nudibranch in the family Aeolidiidae, with flattened, curling cerata along its back. It stores working stinging cells from the anemones it eats in the tips of those cerata for its own defense. Molecular studies suggest the name covers a complex of several closely related species.

In the wild

The Spurilla nudibranch lives in very shallow water, usually 3 m or less. It ranges across the Mediterranean and the warm Atlantic, including the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico, wherever its sea anemone prey grows.

Common questions

What size tank does a Spurilla nudibranch need?

A Spurilla nudibranch needs at least 11 gal (40 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a Spurilla nudibranch need?

A Spurilla nudibranch is comfortable at 68–81°F (20–27°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.

What does a Spurilla nudibranch eat?

A Spurilla nudibranch eats only anemones, including the pest Aiptasia. It is a generalist anemone eater, so it will eat ornamental anemones as well.

How big does a Spurilla nudibranch get?

An adult Spurilla nudibranch reaches about 3 in (7.5 cm).

Related species