Tropical Abalone owners, how do your abalones look, eat and behave? I was thinking of getting one, but am wondering about the pros and cons of their ownership
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Mine is named Oscar too…..same bologna reference?They look alien! Mine spend most of the day in and out of the rocks and only really venture out at night. They're like turbo snails on steroids (they can cover a lot of ground and obstacles present no challenge whatsoever). They abhor high nitrate levels, but other than that they're fairly easy to care for. As long as your tank is established and there's plenty of algae (etc.) no nibble on - they'll be content.
Here's "Oscar" with 4 Halloween hermit pals joining "Homer" (the other abalone) in my tank. I highly recommend drip acclimating your abalone for 35-45 minutes prior to introduction. And you'll note Oscar is in a strainer: when these guys decide to stick to something, they're not coming off for hours. So I can just slip the strainer in the tank and wait for him to crawl out if need be.
Most likely (the wife named him today). I know that Homer was a Simpsons/baloney song reference.Mine is named Oscar too…..same bologna reference?
me tooAnyone know a good source? Would like a few
Where or how about where your able to get them? I've been searching for a while now with no luckI just got 2 of these for my system too - wasn't sure "how many per gallon" but figured to give it a shot. Nocturnal creatures and ugly as a black blemish in the tank, but they're definitely doing some work... my ulva outbreak in display seems a bit more under control. Next step is to see if the abalone will make a dent on the bryopsis!
Same. Been looking for a month now and no luckWhere or how about where your able to get them? I've been searching for a while now with no luck
I'm not sure if it's a seasonal thing for harvesting in the tropics and just me looking during the wrong timeSame. Been looking for a month now and no luck
Where or how about where your able to get them? I've been searching for a while now with no luck
Reef Cleaners, they got stock every handful monthsSame. Been looking for a month now and no luck
Thanks!Reef Cleaners, they got stock every handful months
Hi Daniel,I just got 2 of these for my system too - wasn't sure "how many per gallon" but figured to give it a shot. Nocturnal creatures and ugly as a black blemish in the tank, but they're definitely doing some work... my ulva outbreak in display seems a bit more under control. Next step is to see if the abalone will make a dent on the bryopsis!
Elysia crispata/clarki sea slugs ("lettuce sea slugs") eat a lot of it, and actually prefer bryopsis to anything else. But they don't do well in high flow, and need all pumps and overflows protected so they don't get sucked in. If they get stuck in an area of constant high flow sometimes they just hunker down for days until they die. So they might have a hard time in a typical reef tank unless you baby them a bit. Also a good idea to have other macro algae in the bryopsidales family around like "shaving brush" plants if they run out of bryopsis so they have something to eat.The Ulva is all gone! Bryopsis still there and doesn't seem to be getting under control outside of manual removal. Still haven't found a good way to control that nuisance algae yet.
I have a Halloween urchin that obliterated Bryopsis in my tank.The Ulva is all gone! Bryopsis still there and doesn't seem to be getting under control outside of manual removal. Still haven't found a good way to control that nuisance algae yet.
Hi!! Can you give an update on how the abalone is doing? Any special care needed? Picture?Most people may not be willing to try, but I got my abalones from the local Chinese food market.