In only a few weeks, the first batch has gone from barely visible (see the previous post) to nearly adult.

A week ago, it was time to move the four survivors into tanks with the grownups.  They had been weaned from Bryopsis plumosa to B. pennata, and were big enough to avoid being eaten by most of the worms and amphipods that inhabit the boxes of slugs.  As far as I can tell, they all survived once their rhinophores and parapodia were fully developed, so they are sturdy little gals.

This is the best photo I could get last week of a youngster exploring her new world in the home tank.  I found her egg mass on 12/30/17, moved her to the USG system, grew her up, and now she’s home!  She’s a little over 1 cm, I would guess, and mom (dad?) towers over her.  Elysia look about the same whether they are happy, sad, scared, excited, angry, or bored, so I am not sure if the parent slug looks proud.

Baby Elysia clarki, below mom’s head, in Box of Slugs 2.0. 2/18/18.

After only a week of stuffing herself full of Bryopsis, she has nearly doubled in size.  Still dwarfed by mom, but on her way to adulthood.

Young Elysia clarki, with her mother. Box of Slugs 2.0, 2/25/18.

As the older of her parents becomes paler and slowly slides into senescence, it will soon be time for the little ones to take over as matriarchs.  We’ll see how long it takes before they produce their first eggs.