Blue Sea Slug - Glaucus atlanticus

These small sea slugs float on the sea and are blown onto shore during the summer months onto Central Coast beaches. These were collected at MacMasters Beach in New South Wales. The Blue Sea Slug feeds almost exclusively on the tentacles of the stinging bluebottles.

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Pets & Animals

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• 20120128155755

[12invulnerable]

are they unable to swim?

[dougbeckers]

@12invulnerable They can swim, but only very slowly. hey rely on the wind to blow them around along with their prey, the bluebottles and portugese man o' war.

[jskates69]

where can you find these ?

[dougbeckers]

@jskates69 They occur in the pacific and Atlantic Oceans. They washed up on my beach on the Central Coast Australia

[manuel26371001]

I'm wondering what it looks like underneath

[dougbeckers]

@manuel26371001 In fact, this it is what it looks like underneath. They float upside down and their top side is just plain whitish with no bright colours.

[tutuzicoco]

Thanks, 9gag

[UND3RdecodedFTW]

Spore?

[jskates69]

@dougbeckers oh ok thanks

[PiccoTerra]

hi there, does anyone know: is it allowed to have them as pets? If yes where can I buy them? and are they difficult to care for? I mean its clear that they need saltwater but somthing special else?

[Phlsphyvrbrkfst]

These lil doods feed almost solely on Portuguese Man o' War's stingers. they consume the entire organism and appears to select and store the most venomous nematocysts for its own use. Because he stores the venom, it can produce a more powerful and deadly sting than the Man o' War upon which it feeds.

It floats at the surface. He also floats upside down (Youre looking at the belly)

Scientists dont know if it can move on its own or uses the wind

thumbs up for science!

[vampxftw]

9gag

[kousseye155]

POKEMON !!

[valverde15706alondra]

@marybob321 haha yea... i just saw this species on FJ like 2 seconds ago :DD

[The3rdPersonViewer]

Can these become pets? I would love to have one!