Lettuce Sea Slug (Elysia crispata)

The Sea Slug ( Elysia crispata ) is unique for its bright green, wavy, lamellar folds, giving it the appearance of a curly lettuce leaf. It possesses an extraordinary adaptation: it is photosynthetic —incorporating chloroplasts from the algae it consumes into its tissues to synthesize light energy.

His role in the baccalaureate

Specialist in siphoned algae — mainly consumes Bryopsis , Caulerpa and Codium .

Recommended conditions

• Light: moderate to strong for chloroplast photosynthesis
• Temperature: 24–27°C — Salinity: 1.023–1.026
• pH: 7.8–8.4 (normal natural day/night fluctuation in a reef tank)
• Presence of siphoned algae — its main food source

Behavior

Moves slowly across surfaces. Not reef-safe for ornamental algae such as Caulerpa . Harmless to corals and fish.