yoshii Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 Wow those purple tunicates look awesome! Link to comment
king-killa Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 That pancake batfish is really cool!! How exactly though would you get a hold of on of those? Those tunicates are really cool too! If I were you I would try to get some Macro algea, that would really look good. Link to comment
Monochrome5 Posted March 28, 2011 Author Share Posted March 28, 2011 That pancake batfish is really cool!! How exactly though would you get a hold of on of those? Those tunicates are really cool too! If I were you I would try to get some Macro algea, that would really look good. We collect them during research trawls using something called an otter net with bottom chains. Essentially the chains drag a few feet ahead of the net, scaring the crap out of everything and making it literally jump into the net. Since the Charleston harbor has a sandy bottom (that is dredged a few times a year) we don't have to worry about harming anything. Macro algae is a possibility, though I'd be afraid it would overtake a little 2g tank too quickly. Most of the stuff around here is a broad leaf kelp relative... Fast growing. Link to comment
brandolando4 Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 Your specialty is echinoderms right???? Do you think you could domresearch on what fromia stars eat, and how we could supplement their diet, in a nano tank. The only reason I ask is that, from what I have read the diet of from stars relatively unknown. Is this true?? I think you could make a lot of money potentially because lots of people including myself want sea stars in their nanos!!! Link to comment
animalmaster6 Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 Don't think those are native, though. Yeah I thought you wouldn't want them. IMO, get a fish like a batfish (awesome but too big) very small and donate him somewhere when it gets too big. Link to comment
Monochrome5 Posted March 28, 2011 Author Share Posted March 28, 2011 Yeah I thought you wouldn't want them. IMO, get a fish like a batfish (awesome but too big) very small and donate him somewhere when it gets too big. As soon as it gets big I could take it down for one of the display tanks at the lab. We have several 100+g display tanks showcasing local fish and invertebrate species (no anemones though, haha). It would be PERFECT for our tank with searobins. And if you haven't seen a searobin... look it up now. They have legs like a crab. No lie. Link to comment
Monochrome5 Posted March 28, 2011 Author Share Posted March 28, 2011 Your specialty is echinoderms right???? Do you think you could domresearch on what fromia stars eat, and how we could supplement their diet, in a nano tank. The only reason I ask is that, from what I have read the diet of from stars relatively unknown. Is this true?? I think you could make a lot of money potentially because lots of people including myself want sea stars in their nanos!!! Haha. I wouldn't make a penny off of it. You can't charge people for telling them what things eat. That being said... I have published work on echinoderms, yes. However my echinoderm research is all focused on sub-Arctic sea urchins, not sea stars. Lucky for you I know several sea star researchers. And lucky for you I wanted to buy a Fromia for my 115g a few months ago and got some info on them straight from the authorities. Fromia have diets very similar to most fringe zone benthic sea stars. They eat a variety of naturally occurring microorganisms on the sand bed, including amphipods, various worms, and especially clams and bivalves. In an aquarium setting they will scavenge for goodies all over the tank, though they like to stick to the sand more than rockwork/glass (which they will venture on to occasionally). They need a lot of food - some sea stars can eat several times their body weight PER DAY. This is why most of them starve to death in aquariums. Starvation can take several months, but it almost always happens in nanos simply because there isn't enough sand to house a sustainable buffet. You would certainly have to feed them suppliments. The best is fresh oysters, soaked in a vitamin supplement (anything for inverts will work) cut into small chunks and placed right underneath the star (they move slow). They also make little food disk things commercially that you can try, though fresh works best. Another thing to keep in mind is that they have a very short lifespan in captivity. Most will never make it to 2 years, despite being fed. They're tough in nanos simply because of their food demands... it can really spike your nites and phos levels. Also, they can get 6" or more, so not really suitable for the smaller nanos. Hopefully that helps Link to comment
brandolando4 Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 Thanks, I appreciate that! I figured you could make money selling specialized star fish food!! you have a 115 gallon too?? Link to comment
Monochrome5 Posted March 29, 2011 Author Share Posted March 29, 2011 PEEEECHURS!!! Still not a freaking clue what kind of nem this is, but he seems more than happy hiding in the overhang. As you can see in this picture, he seems to enjoy bits of mysis (that's what he's holding). Another shot of the mystery nem. He hasn't really grown bigger since coming in with the rock, but he has grown many more tentacles. Any thoughts? And finally... The strangest thing I've ever seen. This is one of my hardcore aiptasia... Eating a human hair. To be specific, an eyelash. When I put the turkeybaster in to feed them all some yummy mysis one of my eyelashes dropped into the tank. This guy proceeded to eat it (you can see it sticking out of it's mouth). How insane is that? Thanks, I appreciate that! I figured you could make money selling specialized star fish food!! you have a 115 gallon too?? I do. Unfortunately it's at home in Cincinnati at my mother's house. I've had it for... geez. 7 years now? Maybe a little more? It's a "reef" as well, though I use the term loosely because there is a puffer in there He eats just about anything with a calcium skeleton. Nothing but softies (xenia, GSP, zoas, a favia that the puffer doesn't seem to like, kenya trees, leathers, and shrooms), some fun (not really reef safe) fish, and urchins. I love me some urchins! Link to comment
brandolando4 Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 Lol, i like urchins too. I want real bad!! Have you ever eaten them?? they are very goooood!! Link to comment
Monochrome5 Posted March 29, 2011 Author Share Posted March 29, 2011 Lol, i like urchins too. I want real bad!! Have you ever eaten them?? they are very goooood!! Oh God no. I would never eat them... Urchins have more parasites per individual than any other animal in the world. Tons of nasty little worms that burrow into the test and eat the goop inside. No thank you. I'll stick with oysters for my slimy sea fix. Mmmmmmmmmm. Link to comment
brandolando4 Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 You just ruined one of my favorite sea foods.... Link to comment
Monochrome5 Posted March 29, 2011 Author Share Posted March 29, 2011 You just ruined one of my favorite sea foods.... Catch an urchin and inject it with KCl. Watch what comes out. Granted, it will release gametes, but a whole host of worms will crawl out too. Ugh. Nasty. I'm dead serious about them having more parasites per animal than anything else. Ew. Oysters, though. Oysters are yummy. And lobster. Oh man I can eat some lobster. And calamari. ####. Now I'm hungry. Link to comment
Builder Anthony Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 Ya i dont think ill ever try a urchin i never knew people even ate them.Geeze gives me the shivers.Must suck reading that if you liked eaten them. Link to comment
animalmaster6 Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 Sea Robins are very cool. I've seen them at local aquariums. I've got some of the coast. My friend caught one trawling (sp?). Link to comment
Monochrome5 Posted April 1, 2011 Author Share Posted April 1, 2011 Sea Robins are very cool. I've seen them at local aquariums. I've got some of the coast. My friend caught one trawling (sp?). Trawling is where we find them. They're bottom dwellers. Got a new anemone today! Small, red, and twitchy. Working on an ID. Pics will be up soon!! Link to comment
Monochrome5 Posted April 1, 2011 Author Share Posted April 1, 2011 So as this tank progresses it seems to be going from a "Pest Anemone" tank to just a "Pest" tank in general. Which I think is awesome! Everything in here is hand picked from the local docks (with the exception of the hitch hiker anemone). And now for something new... I picked this guy off a floating dock down at the Department of Natural Resources today. If you can accurately ID it I will give you a piece (assuming you want it... very fast grower). I already know what it is, so don't go asking me for help. Cheaters. Link to comment
king-killa Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 Looks like some kind of bryzoan to me, Hope that helps narrow it down, whatever it is it looks cool! I think we need a FTS as well! Haha Link to comment
Monochrome5 Posted April 1, 2011 Author Share Posted April 1, 2011 Looks like some kind of bryzoan to me, Hope that helps narrow it down, whatever it is it looks cool! I think we need a FTS as well! Haha And here I thought I was being all clever with my bryozoan Good job! I've got tons of it (literally... we have tons of it at the lab) if you want some. This little guy is Bugula neritina, and it can cure cancer. Yes, you read that right. He can cure cancer. This bryozoan produces a chemical called bryostatin that is currently being used (with success) to fight leukemia. That's right. My aquarium can cure cancer. What can your aquarium do? New FTS will be coming soon. Camera battery is charging. I've removed the shell that had a pair of anemones as I didn't think it looked natural (despite it being a local snail shell with local nems). Plus the two anemones had become 6 already. And I wanted to put my bryozoan there. So they got the boot (I fed them to my peppermint shrimp. He went nuts). I also collected another small anemone a few days ago. It's not an aiptasia, though I'm not sure what kind of nem it actually is. Link to comment
king-killa Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 Haha Wooohooo!!! Thanks but no thanks, If I wanted some Id go grab it off the dock right now, because there is literally TONS of it growing right now. That pretty amazing though that it can cure cancer. Never knew there was a floating goldmine in my back yard! Link to comment
Monochrome5 Posted April 1, 2011 Author Share Posted April 1, 2011 Haha Wooohooo!!! Thanks but no thanks, If I wanted some Id go grab it off the dock right now, because there is literally TONS of it growing right now. That pretty amazing though that it can cure cancer. Never knew there was a floating goldmine in my back yard! Where are you located? Link to comment
king-killa Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 I stay up at Ocean Isle NC Link to comment
Monochrome5 Posted April 2, 2011 Author Share Posted April 2, 2011 I stay up at Ocean Isle NC Nice. I've been told this bryozoan is invasive. Came over from the pacific on boats and whatnot. There's talk that they may be two sub-species (pacific vs atlantic) but no one has done the DNA testing yet. As long as they both make medicine no one cares haha. Link to comment
Monochrome5 Posted April 5, 2011 Author Share Posted April 5, 2011 Any updates? Yessir! The bryazoan is settling in nicely! It looks like it's covered in fluffy dirt/debris, but those are actually all the little zooids filter feeding! FTS 4/4/11 New Anemone - Collected about a week and a half ago from a small flat rock in the Grice Harbor. The Aiptasia Fortress - These guys are getting huge! Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.