Turbellaria tank

[Marconis]

Since I took an invert class in Spring '10, I have been particularly fascinated by the flatworms, most specifically class Turbellaria. I haven't thought about them much since the class ended, but for some reason they popped into my head again. I would love to learn more about them, and I figured that trying to raise them or house them in a "Turb-only-tank" would be an interesting parallel to literature. I know absolutely nothing about SW, so I'd have to learn about that as well. This would be a summer project when I will be able to work again, so I have a lot of time to do research.

My main question is: Has anyone ever heard of such a tank?

Nearly all of the articles I find are (as expected) research related as opposed to keeping them as "pets". This is awesome, but I need literature related to their care in an aquarium. If you've ever seen a larger marine flatworm swim or "crawl", you know that it is probably one of the most interesting sights. I won't even get started on mating (penis fencing anyone?). Also, their color is spectacular. I looked on LiveAquaria and didn't see any listed, can you even buy these animals? I'd be interested in non-parasitic species, but I guess this wouldn't matter much if I raised them alone. I also would like to find out if they really need anything in the aquarium to thrive, such as other specific inverts. If I could get away with some rocks and be done with it, that'd be great.

Thanks for your help.

Some videos:

 

[hdultra]

That's awesome.

 

[Marconis]

Awesome, yes, but do you have any info on the matter?

. I've been fantasizing about them all day.

 

[Just.A.Bit.Salty]

That's pretty cool , I wouldn't know what they would really need other than good established live rock. It's got me wondering what type of lighting they would need as well as what water quality would have to be. Great now I'll look into it, DARN IT!

 

[hdultra]

No, I'm sorry I don't have any idea. It's not something we get to see everyday.
When I saw the video's, it blew my mind. Wish I could be of more help. I'm hoping that someday soon I can have a tank to support something like that. Thanks for putting it up. Hope you get the answers you need.

 

[Marconis]

That's pretty cool , I wouldn't know what they would really need other than good established live rock. It's got me wondering what type of lighting they would need as well as what water quality would have to be. Great now I'll look into it, DARN IT!

Exactly why I need literature on the subject! It's going to be difficult to find, no doubt about it. If I recall in a DVD I watched during class, they aren't the hardiest of animals and are pretty hard to handle. With that slim body, I'd imagine so.

 

[Marconis]

I'm actually going to send an email over to my professor from that course. She may not remember me and I've since transferred so I hope she still answers me to the best of her ability! She's an entomologist, so I doubt she'll be able to help, but I'm going to ask if she's ever heard about them at conferences or anything and if they are somehow available in the aquarium trade. I'll report back!

 

[Marconis]

Well, she hasn't answered me yet. She probably thinks I'm a psycho!

 

[pat8you]

I don't know to much about them. I would think they have some similar problems to keeping nudibranches. So many of them have specialized their diets to a select few foods. We have a very difficult time keeping them for two reasons from what i understand. First, because we don't know exactly what many of them eat it is difficult to provide nutrition. Second, because most of the places that collect livestock are not very educated on them finding a species that you know anything about is quite difficult since they will almost always be very generally labled or mislabeled.

 

[Marconis]

Yeah, see, that's what I imagined would be the issue. I guess it was just a short lived fantasy. Maybe one day, in 50 years or so, we'll be able to keep them. I bet even if I did find a species, it'd probably be hundreds of dollars since they are so rare (possibly nonexistent) in the aquarium trade. I still want my professor to email me back though, lol. She probably rolled her eyes and xed out.

 

[pat8you]

Saltwater Aquarium Sea Slugs for Marine Reef Aquariums: Lettuce Sea Slug, Green

These are fairly well understood and eat algae that grows in most tanks. You could probably keep a few of them.