Cold tidepool/beachcombing aquarium

[musselman]

I really like these orange feather dusters (and the brown one too, for that matter):

 

[musselman]

Time for a full tank update. The worst of the hair algae has abated and things are looking better, although I can see some kind of green turf algae is starting now. This is the first photo with the new and improved rock pile.

And here is a closer shot on just the rock pile:

 

[musselman]

One of the Epiactis prolifera anemones has marched across the rock I originally put it on, leaving a trail of babies behind it:

 

[musselman]

This guy has gone from about 1/4 inch to more than an inch in just a couple weeks:

 

[musselman]

Another tiny nudibranch that came out of a holdfast. This one is Coryphella trilineata, I think. Its dietary requirements may be impossible to meet, although nudibranchs are often less specialized than what is reported in the literature.

 

[musselman]

Merry Christmas! I haven't been posting as much due to holiday travel and the fact that most of the tank is currently covered in brown macroalgae, but I thought you might enjoy this clip of Frank the nudibranch. He has gone from about 1/4" long to more than two inches in a couple months and is now probably the apex predator in this tank system. I have to keep moving him into isolation because he'll eat anything that isn't faster than he is. He is currently exploring a new holdfast that I added for him to browse.

 

[Rob A]

I dig everything about this tank from concept to execution great job.

 

[musselman]

Terebellid worm vs Hermisenda crassicornis showdown. It was a draw. These two both go in opposite directions any time they make contact, which is interesting, because H. crassicornis eats just about anything and the spaghetti worm doesn't seem to have any defenses.

 

[musselman]

The big Bering hermit (I have to distinguish, because I now have a little hairy legged hermit as well) was up front an center to have his picture taken today. Normally, he hides in the background.

And something laid some neat green eggs on the glass:

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

The big Bering hermit (I have to distinguish, because I now have a little hairy legged hermit as well) was up front an center to have his picture taken today. Normally, he hides in the background.

And something laid some neat green eggs on the glass:

Those look like Nudi eggs...

 

[musselman]

This gave me a chuckle... skeleton shrimp hanging onto a piece of eel grass like one of those advertising tube men.

uc

 

[musselman]

Picked up a sponge a few weeks ago high and dry on the beach and I figured it was probably dead, as is usually the case for sponges. The tips of all the branches were gray about 1-2cm down. To my surprise, the dead parts have mostly been eaten/fallen away, leaving apparently healthy sponge. It still looks pretty ugly, but better every day.

Added: I couldn't find the sponge in any of my books and it turned out that it is an invasive species: Clathria prolifera. Apparently this is an east coast species that was introduced to a few places on the west coast by the oyster industry.

I suddenly have big clumps of hydroids everywhere (not a great picture). I see lots of things eating them though, so that's fine with me.

 

[musselman]

My wife snapped a neat pic of our big H. crassicornis nudibranch laying eggs this morning. You can see them emerging from the reproductive pore up by the head and coiling out behind.

 

[Andamaite]

I love everything about this. Such an awesome concept.

I'm not sure how you don't get the creepy crawlies looking at those rocks, though.

 

[musselman]

I love everything about this. Such an awesome concept.

I'm not sure how you don't get the creepy crawlies looking at those rocks, though.

So much has grown in the past couple of months that you can hardly see any rock any more. Every bit of it is covered. It has gone from brown hair algae to green hair algae to Ulva to some kind of brown macroalgae and now hydroids. It is really starting to look like a natural tidepool. I'll have to take some more full tank pics soon.

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

I am a bit jealous. I actually have tide pools, and your apparent desolate beach is producing more life than what should be abundant in my area. But good for you... You tank seems to be going well... congrats

 

[musselman]

Our sharp nose crab is very shy and almost impossible to find during the day. I caught a little video of him farming his mobile salad bar last night with a flashlight.

 

[musselman]

...

 

[Gumbies R Us]

My wife snapped a neat pic of our big H. crassicornis nudibranch laying eggs this morning. You can see them emerging from the reproductive pore up by the head and coiling out behind.

That's awesome, your wife was able to get a picture of that!

 

[ydoc_]

Nice to see people still doing temperate reef tanks to this day. any plans on adding more stuff for the tank? (especially anemones? they're the coolest imo)