sea hares / sea slugs

[tailoftwogobies]

hi y’all… we were in our LFS today and overheard the owner telling his main guy that he found the ‘sea slug dead’ in one of their tanks and they need to immediately do a water change & that the water was cloudy in that tank due to the slug dying.. we have one in our sump and i’m curious, if it was to pass away would we need to do an immediate water change or have any of you heard of this?

 

[M Stein]

Sea hares and most nudibranchs can emit toxic chemicals when distressed or dead.

 

[Big C]

When mine passed away I believe I got to it within 12 hours (possibly died overnight). Water seemed fine and I didn't do any water changes and saw nothing abnormal. Not sure the cause of death, it was the only animal that died within a few months. I do run carbon in a reactor.

This is just my experience with one.

 

[Azedenkae]

It really depends on the species. Lettuce sea slugs or berghia will not nuke your tank for example. 'Nuking' here defined as releasing toxins/poison that can likely quickly kill everything. Obviously they would cause elevated nutrients from decomposition, but that applies to all live stock so I don't count that as 'nuking'. Berghis can let lose of their 'frills', but that generally don't 'nuke' your tank.