giveme_bryopsis

15 hours ago, Christian H said:

RCA has one but idk if it's for sale...


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Thank you for letting me know, I saw them - just wanted to check if someone needed to get rid of one before I buy them at the LFS 

My large and interestingly patterned seahare recently succumbed to old age. Before I get another one from the LFS, I wanted to check if anyone has a seahare they would like to get rid of.

I promise an algae rich and safe home, extra nori, and adoration of the nom-nom face

10 hours ago, Sissy36 said:

This site is for Canada but has some some general info on it. At the bottom there are pictures and descriptions of similar gobys. Where did you find it? http://www.invadingspecies.com/invaders/fish/round-goby/

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Wrong species, but many features are pretty close, so possibly right genus. Intersting that the round goby is a freshwater species.
The particular goby is swimming happily in ~1.018 saltwater, for a few weeks now at the LFS
I found out that it was shipped out of Florida, so likely an Atlantic species (can't call it Carribean, but somewhere there's about).

Thank you for help to identify this guy, Maybe we can narrow it down enough to giv him a happy home (and not have him eat the rest of the tank either)

If not sponge, could be a bryozoan as they have forms that look like lace.

For example: https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animal-guide/invertebrates/bryozoan

In any case, nice looking and interesting addition

I really like this little guy, but need to ID the speciesbefore I can tell if I can provide it with a good and proper home.

Suspect some sort of goby, but it's not the usual suspects and an internet image search so far has not proven useful.

Note the interesting head/face shape (not quite a sleeper goby, but also not quite a sandsifter mouth) as well as the "landing gear" belly fin disk (only out when on the substrate, folded up when swimming.
Not visible: nice tall spotted fins on top (2, each a half-circle), fron top fin is smaller than back top fin. Transparent and spotted like the body.

Eats frozen mysis, 4-5" long. Currently in saltware, but could be a brackish critter.

Thank you for your help!

I hope some of you find this as interesting and funny as I did -
Morris the reversible (plush) angler fish

I want Morris the reversible angler fish to make it on kickstarter (so that I can get my 2 anglers); aside from that I have no financial interest in this project or anything like that.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/rachelciavarella/morris-the-reversible-fish
or
http://www.rachelciavarella.com/reversible-fish/

Ok, ok, so I have interests just a tiny bit broader than lettuce slugs and bryopsis

to close this out - for now, the decorator crab is staying. He's always working on his ghillie suit indeed, but is just too entertaining to remove.

I will instead remove the poor goniopora from the tank; everything else is not being attacked badly enough to be endandered.

Thanks everyone for your experiences and info.

PS - Ghillie is now easy to spot under blue lights (nights) - the gonio polyps glow

I've never had porcelain crabs, but my book says they have a max size of 1". Decorator and Sally's get up to 3-4" and Emerald Crabs are slightly smaller at 2.5-3". The faster growth rate could be because of the larger adult size. I put a cleaner shrimp in every one of my tanks and they always max out within 18 months. I haven't had a sally since 2002 and I don't remember much about them.

excellent point! my freshwater fan shrimps are large 2-5+ inches, but they are also very long lived (more than a decade to grow that large). So, assuming larger adult size and not extremely long life span, that incredible growth rate makes sense. I still have a hard time believing that it could grow such a much larger skeleton inside the little one, but that's what "pumping it up" once the old skin is gone is good for.

so much neat stuff to experience with all these creatures.

I estimate my inverts molt every 30-45 days until they're close to adult size. If you're dosing iodine then that may cause them to molt more often. They'll also grow faster the more nutrient rich the environment is.

Both my freshwater fan shrimps and SW porcelain crabs molt well, but they grow only a little bit with each molt (normal estimates seem to be 10-15% growth per molt). This little one at least trippled in body volume, if not more, in just 1 molt.

Yup, they all get iodine supplements and seem well fed.

I had a gorilla decorator crab in 1999. That growth doesn't sound very far off to me. I would expect them to double or triple in the first year. It would continually decorate it's shell with stuff from around the tank. The shell wasn't drastically different from day to day but I could tell that some things were replaced. When it molted the shell would remain decorated and it would start over. It usually molted in a cave and the corals it was carrying recovered if I found them. Leathers and Xenia are pretty tough. They will wilt while being transported, but they should survive if they fall off in a lighted area. I would be concerned about that sps coral though.

I didn't realize they grew that quickly. Not any kind of gorilla crab, claws are very fine scissors/cutters, no crushing power whatsoever. From the damage to the gonio, it looks like Ghillie very surgically removed polyps from the skeleton, not just snip them in half.

I might have to rehome the gonio, as it retracts when the file fish get too close and it is more delicate than leather/xenia/etc.

Thanks for your info, appreciate it!

Thank you. I suspected that they continue to decorate (would get boring otherwise). I don't mind stuff spreading one bit, I just don't want everything cut off and dead.

I will continue to monitor and make a decision to remove if this gets to be too much cutting on the softies (they don't grow that fast).

I like Ghillie, fun to watch and play "where's Ghillie?" - I usually find it be looking for a spot of polyps that doesn't belong. Ghillie can have all the (macro) algae around, but don't be a (reef) goat

So I have a (small) decorator crab. Not quite sure what species specifically, nothing terribly unusual. Got it when it was very small, body diameter about nickel sized.

Shed once, now a body size of about a quarter. I didn't realize that they could grow that much in 1 shed cycle (other crustaceans don't grow that much).

I call that critter Ghillie (looks like it is wearing a Ghillie camo suit).

So anyway, very peaceful little critter, despite the scissor claws. Doesn't pince when grabbed (gently), unlike my totally harmless but ferocious defenders, the (non-anemone) porcelain crabs. Runs away from said porcelain crabs when they wave their claws.

Anyway, that's the good stuff. Now with a new, larger body, Ghillie is really busy decorating. And that means that my poor softies (anthelias, now also big finger leather and goniopora (!)) are getting mowed over.

I keep the anthelias/leather etc for my pygmy file fish, as these beige, striped, pulsing/moving type softies are apparently their favorite hiding/hangout spots.

I get it, I brought home a decorator crab. Ghillie does what Ghillie is supposed to do.

My question to any fellow deco crab keepers: do they stop cutting up stuff after a few days with their new skeleton or is this a daily, ongoing thing?

Also, do the cut-off pieces continue to live/spread about the tank, or are they generally just "cut flowers"?

sorry, no seahare at the moment. After they are done with the nuisance algae in your tank, you can feed them (they like sea lettuce/ulva, but will take nori sheets etc.

Mine loved cyano, followed by hair algae. anything but really thick/tought algae.

sorry I can't let you borrow one as I think they are excellent cleaners and fun critters

Thank you, KimP for hosting the meetup. This was a great afternoon - learned something neat and new, was very much inspired (lots of ideas brewing in my head), enjoyed the wonderful people of ARC and received most kind gifts and words. I could not have spend the afternoon better!

KimP, love your tank! So many neat designs and great attention to so many details (like that ATO chamber and the way the "hardware" disappears into features.

I've got plenty of Anthelia, you're welcome to a handful.

Will you be at the next monthly meeting? If so, I'd love to get a few Anthelia from you.

Petco was normal pulsing but dome I think I saw Pom Pom and anthelia

thank you, I'll check on 'dome for the anthelia

Where r you located? They have some at the petco in stonehill shopping center in pflugerville. Also some at Aqua dome I saw them there today

central austin. was this the normal pulsing xenia or something different?

I saw a $9.99 frag of red sea pom pom xenia at RCA last Saturday.

Will stop by there between now and Sunday. Thanks!

You could start a bryopsis culture fairly easily. Just a high nutrient tank with a lot of light and you should be able to grow pounds of it per month after it gets going.

everyone one who doesn't want it seems to be able to grow it well. I can't, or only in very limited quantities. I don't quite understand why.

I suspect that some micronutrient that is plentyful in a reef tank (via fish/coral feeding) is needed, along with much stronger flow than my filter feeder/slug tank would sustain.

Other Elysia lettuce slug keepers have similar problems

http://solarslug.info/good-algae-make-good-slugs/

I know, weird. I try, but I am always in search of more bryopsis.

I've read of a couple members that couldn't keep Xenia, but for most others xenia and anthelia are considered a weed and really easy to grow. And hard to control after it's gets going! I believe Mike or maybe Timfish usually have bags of the stuff to give away free at the meetings, if you can make one of those.

I love filefish and it's exciting they are able to breed them!

Great extra reason to make it to the next meeting.

Seems to be flow and dissolved nutrient related if Xenia etc do well or not. As I (purposefully) have algae, it's not pristine water.

I have my Xenia on removable things, like large oyster shells, now trying a HemiXsphere (aragonite porous material). That way I can move it around the tank or remove it if needed.

ORA has a small spotted and a small striped filefish. both are extremely cute. I just can't adopt an entire ocean

filefish was a but overly shy (almost neurotic) for a few days, but it is mellowing out. still a shy fish, but no more endless pacing

I still have bryopsis some you are more than welcome too.

Maybe drop me off a slug if yours have started breeding?

Also have some sump xenia if you need more.

Thanks! Can I pick it up over the weekend, or Friday afternoon?

I get egg spirals, but sadly, no young sluggies. Too many filter feeders would be my guess?

I'll PM you for the bryopsis

I have a CB (ORA) radial filefish. I'd like to give it its preferred companion - Xenia or Anthelia

I have some pulsing xenia; they are doing quite OK (though not taking over).

Tank otherwise has no coral/nems, but filter feeders and algea eating slugs*

I'd love to hear from you if you keep (pulsing) xenia or larger, stalked Anthelia. Requirements, caution, tips, or even "frags" (what would be the right term for squishy off-shoots?)

Filefish info with a super cute video of the fish camo within xenia

http://www.orafarm.com/blog/2015/11/13/new-ora-radial-filefish/

* speaking of: anyone have some bryopsis? these slugs just adore that and I can never get enough. I'll pick it up anywhere in the greater Austin area, pretty please

Great info! Thank you. I find it interesting how this hobby has so many different aspects to it that each of us can enjoy and share information on.

thank you! glad to share and learn from others.

What really amazed me was my sea hare chowing down on cyano like it was candy. Preferred it over algae even, but closely followed by hair algae. It's a bit spoiled and hence not so hungry - ough (thick) macro algaes like dragon's tongue or chaeto are not eaten.

I can't speak to bubble algae as I don't have more than a few bubbles on occasion, but others have mentioned it as included in the sea hare diet (wet web media link above, search the page for "bubble").

Algae control by sea slug is a repeating topic. I'd like to add my observations and a few links to the conversation.

The very best critter I've had to clean up algae of various kinds is a sea hare, the commonly available Dolabella or Aplysia spp. (not to be confused with the blue spotted sea hare or the dwarf sea hare. They have very different diets and are not particularly suitable for general algae control).

They are general algae eaters, not specialized in something specific, and have a rather hearty appetite.

These sea hares will eat cyano (like candy!), green hair algae, like bryopsis (no, really), and many other kinds of macro algae. They have 0 interest in polyps of any kind.

They are large enough to not get instantly sucked into power heads and to eat sufficient amounts to actually make a real, noticeable dent in algae growth.

They can and do clean rocks, glass, and other surfaces with ease.

After your nuisance algae is gone, they will eat sea lettuce, other macro algae, even nori sheets (though not a favorite), so they can be kept around and survive while continuing to provide cleaning services.

They are commonly available in the LFS and, if fed, pretty hardy. Yes, they can release ink, but they are not easily bothered (you'd really have to massively pester them).

While not a flashy tank inhabitant, their goofy nom-nom face will grow on you

I have and keep other snails and slugs. Nerites, Stomatellas are good for small scale, on-going algae control, especially on glass. They will not control marco-algae or very heavy growth.

The often suggested lettuce sea slugs (often called lettuce nudibranchs, though they are not nudies but belong to the sarcoglossans) are very delicate, highly specialized feeders, get sucked into powerheads/ problems even with medium flow.

They will slowly munch bryopsis (they actually suck out the cell contents, they do not eat the algae cell walls), but they don't do much of anything with most other nuisance algae.

They are unlikely to permanently fix bryopsis issues but will die quickly if bryopsis available is low to none.

Unless you are willing to grow/provide bryopsis on an ongoing basis, and setup a low flow species tank, these guys are not for you. Please don't treat them as "disposable pets", there are much better options for algae control.

I enjoy my various mollusc tank inhabitants and each one's specific habits and quirks. They are more than just some tolerated cleaning crew and I hope you can find the right slug (or snail) for your tank.

I can't do without my shameless request (you noticed the giveme_bryopsis name, I'm sure ...)

if you got bryopsis, I'd love for you to let me have that so that my lettuce slugs get extra munchies

(I'll be happy to pick up anywhere in the greater Austin area at your convenience)

Links to further info

sea hares:

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/SeahareSelF.htm

http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/dolaauri

http://www.seaslugforum.net/seahares2.htm

lettuce slug

http://solarslug.info/slugkeeping/slug-keeping-faqs/

http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/20918

marine snails in general

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rs/

Hi, old topic, but just wanted to add my experience here.

I have them in a species tank, with some freshwater ghost shrimp and a few, always hidden Thai micro crabs. Tank setup is a bit a stream tank (water uptake on one end via foam covered intakes, water outflow on the other end via powerhead).

I finely grind up quality flake food (marine flakes, meat/veggie flakes, powdered spirulina, freeze dried worms/daphnia/brineshrimps) in a coffee grinder. That's the daily food, but they also get frozen baby brine shrimp, cyclops.

the trick is to not filer the water that much. I do have well-cycled water with added bacteria (sea chem stability usually) and my external filter (front-ended by foam over the pump intake) only runs about 8 hours during the day. It has a pump in the tank to push the water to the external filter, so I can put it on a timer.

I will not mislead you: the water is not crystal clear and there is a bit of (healthy) bacterial detritus on the tank bottom. The shrmps will filter feed and pat down the marimo balls and sand for extra biofilm. (This is different from the filter shrimp behaviour of poking the substrate to stir up food when they are hungry/not finding food in tanks that are too clean).

Filter shrimps seem to do well with plants as the extra nutrients give the plants something, too. I have sueswassertang, many marimo balls, and some floating plants.

fun critters, but they do require consideration