temperate CUC & other livestock?

[fullmonti]

I would like to set up a small temperate tank for catalina gobies. Would the normal CUC critters like sexy, bumblebee shrimp, blueleg hermits snails etc be OK in these temps? What about feather duster & coco worms, & the likes? If not, are temperate critters available or do you have to live near a cost to collect your own? (which I don't!)

Jim

[AquaticEngineer]

I've collected hermits and snails from tide pools here in oregon and its completely legal.

 

I also found several asian food markets that sell temperate water snails, they sell them by the pound so it cost .70 cents for 15 snails. Honestly though, if u are running a temperate tank with NPS cirtters in it you wont need the snails. My tank has been running since April or May and I only light it when I'm looking at it or feeding the nems and I dont have a spot of algae in the tank. I do need to collect some hermits though for scavenging the food the nems may spit up.

 

I will eventually be getting some catalina gobies for my second temperate tank, but I'll be running it as close to their native temps as possible. I dont think the other critters you listed would fare so well in temps in the 50-60 range.

[C-Rad]

I don't think you can expect any warm water animals to survive in a temperate tank, and agree that an asian fish market is a good place to try to find temperate snails. I've read threads that claim that Catalina Gobies do "fine" at 72 degrees, which is a little above their highest natural temperature. tide pool animals (like hermit crabs) tend to be tough, so maybe some hermit crabs form the LFS could survive at 70 or 72. There's a place in Maine that sells temperate animals, and they have snails for as low as $1.00 each. I have a little algae growing in my cold tank, but not much; maybe enough to support one snail. I keep a single 25 watt florescent light on about 10 hours per day.

[johnmaloney]

margarita snails are temperate species but are sold for reef tanks. you can find a few items like that, If you look around you can find some for sure. Some places sell Californian Sea Hare...also temperate...check for Californian wildlife basically.

[horusmachine]

Ranch 99 and aisian markets are awesome

for small critters. I found my mossy chiton

amongst the fresh oyster catch. I also collected

tiny mussels as well. Chitons are a great addition

to the CUC.

 

H