Nudibranch – Spanish Dancer

Spanish Dancer Nudibranch Care Tips:

Minimum Tank Size: 40 Gallons

Max Size: Up to 40cm (16″)

Diet: Omnivore (Known to eat sponges)

Temperament: Peaceful

Lifespan: Up to 1 year

Scientific Name: Hexabranchus Sanguineus

Other Names: Spanish Dancer

Coral Safe: Yes

Invertebrate Safe: Yes

Approx Purchase Size : 4-5″

Spanish dancer nudibranchs are a delicate and rare species that are barely even seen in the hobby due to their care requirements. Its scientific name is Hexabranchus Sanguineus but it is referred to as the Spanish dancer. The Spanish dancer is a part of the Hexabranchidae family. Spanish dancers are one of the largest nudibranchs reaching up to 16” in length. That size is never seen in the aquarium trade, even under ideal conditions they will not grow that large in captivity, normal size for aquariums is about 4-6” maximum in length. Spanish dancers have a short lifespan of about 1 year long. Nudibranchs have a bad reputation for ruining water quality if they die, while any animal dead and decaying in the aquarium can be harmful to water parameters, the Spanish dancer does not have any extra toxins to pollute the water more so than any other animal. While these animals have no shell and are exposed to predation, their bright colouration on their body will warn other animals not to eat them. Spanish dancers are hard to keep in the aquarium hobby due to their diet. Spanish dancers prefer to eat various species of sponges. The recommended minimum tank size is 40 gallons, as long as there is sufficient food present. All pumps should have pump covers to protect the nudibranch from going inside. Spanish dancers are both coral and invertebrate safe. They are nocturnal and will often be seen hiding in rocks during the day, and will become more active during the night, searching for food.