Spanish Dancer Nudibranch

Care Summary

The Spanish Dancer is the largest nudibranch commonly seen in the trade, capable of reaching 16 inches, and its dramatic red and white body rippling through the water is one of the most memorable sights in marine keeping. Like most nudibranchs, it has very specific dietary requirements, feeding primarily on sponges, and without a mature reef containing a large standing crop of the right sponge species, it will starve within weeks. This is an expert-only animal that requires extensive research before purchase, and honest advice is that most home systems cannot sustain it long-term. If you have a very large, sponge-rich reef and want to attempt it, supplement with aquacultured sponge material and monitor body condition closely, removing the animal to a refugium if it begins to shrink.