If you have a closed system, set up your tank at least four weeks in advance, using either real or artificial seawater, with adequate filtration and aeration. The animals do not require a substrate other than the tank itself. Please be aware that Aplysia are soft-bodied animals, and can easily be sucked into pump inlets. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Water Quality Parameters:
Temperature: between 15-17°C
Salinity: 30-36 ppt
pH: >8 and <8.4
Oxygen: >90%
Food:
Our Aplysia are reared on laboratory-cultured red algae. This is the recommended diet. However, if you are in a pinch for food, dried Nori sheets or washed Romaine lettuce leaves are short term, though poor quality, substitutes.
Feeding:
Feed every three days. Feed the animals only what they will consume in 30 minutes. Make sure to remove excess food and animal waste from your tanks daily.
Receiving your animals — Acclimation:
- Take animals out of box, but keep in bag.
- Record the group number(s) on the bags; it is the key to the history of your animals.
- Place the unopened bag in your aquarium for one hour.
- After an hour, open bag and add 100 ml of your tank’s water to the water in the bag.
- After 15 minutes add another 100 ml of your tank’s water to the water in the bag.
- After another 15 minutes release the animal(s) into your tank.
Problems with your animals:
Please let us know within 24 hours if there is a problem with your animals. We have shipped Aplysia for the last 25 years, and at this point we very rarely have animals arrive in bad condition.
If your animals seem to be doing poorly after arriving, many times, the tank is the culprit. Should you experience anything out of the ordinary, please call us immediately so we can help you determine the exact nature of the problem and help you solve it.
Note: We also do not issue refunds for animals that have been improperly acclimated, stored or handled. We do not issue credits for animals if you do not call within 24 hours of receiving the animals.
