Eastern Emerald Elysia (Elysia chlorotica) Care Guide
Elysia chlorotica is a green sacoglossan sea slug that practises kleptoplasty, retaining chloroplasts from the alga Vaucheria litorea to photosynthesize.
Overview
Elysia chlorotica, the eastern emerald elysia, is a small green sacoglossan sea slug in the family Plakobranchidae, described by Gould in 1870. It is notable for kleptoplasty: it retains chloroplasts stolen from its food alga and uses them to photosynthesize. It is a highly specialized species and is rarely sustainable in home aquaria.
Taxonomy
- Family: Plakobranchidae
- Genus: Elysia
- Scientific name: Elysia chlorotica
- Authority: Gould, 1870
Habitat
The species lives along the eastern coast of North America, recorded from Nova Scotia south through Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Maryland to Florida and Texas. It inhabits salt marshes, tidal marshes, pools and shallow creeks in very shallow water of 0 to about 0.5 m.
Description
Adults are typically 20 to 30 mm long, reaching a maximum of 60 mm. They are bright green from retained Vaucheria litorea chloroplasts; juveniles are brown with red pigment spots before feeding. The body bears large lateral parapodia that can fold over to enclose it.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 40 L
- Temperature: 18-22 °C (64-72 °F)
- pH: 7.8-8.4
- Specific gravity: 1.018-1.026
- Lifespan: about 1 year
Diet
It is an obligate feeder on the filamentous alga Vaucheria litorea. By stealing and retaining the alga's chloroplasts, the slug can survive for months without feeding; the chloroplasts remain functional for up to nine or even ten months. Without access to Vaucheria, the species cannot be reliably maintained.
Breeding
Elysia chlorotica is a simultaneous hermaphrodite that practises cross-copulation and lays fertilized eggs in long strings.