Tidal pool environmental conditions

[Üter]

Ok….so what’s the worst thing to keep in captivity that shouldn’t be,??? I’m voting seastars. Second might be anenomes for sensitivity to change. Seastars can survive tidal pools of extreme temps and salinity but not our controlled environments? Anyone attempted on keeping an aquarium tidal pool to constantly change the environment?

 

[BeanAnimal]

There are far more factors than the temp swings. Seastars don't do well in captivity for a lot of reasons, but mostly due to lack nourishment.

 

[sixty_reefer]

Ok….so what’s the worst thing to keep in captivity that shouldn’t be,???

The experience of the aquarist would be essential to answer this question, there is a gentleman that is keeping sea stars in his reef successfully.

https://reefs.com/magazine/a-journey-in-crinoid-keeping/
And others having a huge difficulty to keep GSP and Xenia in their tanks.

Anyone attempted on keeping an aquarium tidal pool to constantly change the environment?

I’ve seen recently someone doing this with mangroves and crabs.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

What would be the goal of trying to keep something in a constantly changing environment if that stressed them? I'd e surprised if any of them need such changes.

One can keep tide pool creatures under appropriate lighting without swinging temps or salinity around.

 

[IceNein]

Saying sea stars can survive in tide pools is like saying fish can survive in tide pools. I constantly see fish in tide pools. But not all fish can survive tide pools. Why are we lumping "sea stars" together. Are the sea stars found in the trade commonly found in tide pools? If you live in a coastal area, like I do, you probably understand that most tidepools with a lot of life spend the vast majority of the time submerged, and are only uncovered during the lowest of tides.

The further out towards the lowest of low tide lines will have the most life.

 

[BeanAnimal]

What would be the goal of trying to keep something in a constantly changing environment if that stressed them? I'd e surprised if any of them need such changes.

One can keep tide pool creatures under appropriate lighting without swinging temps or salinity around.

Exactly this - In the same fashion I don't get the simulated thunderstorms with speakers, strobing lights and increased wave activity because "it is natural".

 

[betareef]

Ok….so what’s the worst thing to keep in captivity that shouldn’t be,??? I’m voting seastars. Second might be anenomes for sensitivity to change. Seastars can survive tidal pools of extreme temps and salinity but not our controlled environments? Anyone attempted on keeping an aquarium tidal pool to constantly change the environment?

When choosing something from a tidal pool, to put in your aquarium, you should consider whether it lives exclusively in tidal pools, or has just been trapped there by accident. The former are obviously better, hardier choices.

If something has been trapped, consider it's condition. If it isn't battered about by waves, or stressed out from heat, or being pecked at by seagulls, then it might be OK, if you feel lucky.

 

[Üter]

Exactly this - In the same fashion I don't get the simulated thunderstorms with speakers, strobing lights and increased wave activity because "it is natural".

Wait, there’s lighting that has speakers?

 

[Üter]

Saying sea stars can survive in tide pools is like saying fish can survive in tide pools. I constantly see fish in tide pools. But not all fish can survive tide pools. Why are we lumping "sea stars" together. Are the sea stars found in the trade commonly found in tide pools? If you live in a coastal area, like I do, you probably understand that most tidepools with a lot of life spend the vast majority of the time submerged, and are only uncovered during the lowest of tides.

The further out towards the lowest of low tide lines will have the most life.

Just that seastars are pretty sensitive to keep.

 

[BeanAnimal]

Wait, there’s lighting that has speakers?

Huh? No, there are thunderstorm simulations that people run and people use them to trigger a sound system so that no only is the lightening simulated, but so is the rain and thunder.

 

[Üter]

What would be the goal of trying to keep something in a constantly changing environment if that stressed them? I'd e surprised if any of them need such changes.

One can keep tide pool creatures under appropriate lighting without swinging temps or salinity around.

I thought there was a tank maker that had tidal adjustment slots to simulate high/low tide? I know that’s not playing with salinity though.

 

[Üter]

Huh? No, there are thunderstorm simulations that people run and people use them to trigger a sound system so that no only is the lightening simulated, but so is the rain and thunder.

Oh ok. I thought you were referring to tank lighting with built in speakers.

 

[mdpitts]

Exactly this - In the same fashion I don't get the simulated thunderstorms with speakers, strobing lights and increased wave activity because "it is natural".

I got suckered into the lights with storms. I liked the rolling cloud feature and bought 2 lights that I regret on the daily. Yesterday I was reading your responses to a guy who wanted to give up because he had struggled for years. You gave him a plan to start over and do common sense, simple things. Start with the basics. Good advice on that one and this one.

 

[CoastalTownLayabout]

My local reef habitats are all tide pools. There definitely seems to be specialists in this environment that thrive on substrates with regular exposure to air. Palythoa and certain acropora are the ones I typically observe. What’s interesting is that these species do not seem to spread onto adjacent and vacant substrates that are continually immersed.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

My local reef habitats are all tide pools. There definitely seems to be specialists in this environment that thrive on substrates with regular exposure to air. Palythoa and certain acropora are the ones I typically observe. What’s interesting is that these species do not seem to spread onto adjacent and vacant substrates that are continually immersed.

While I do not know details for this scenario, in many similar situations the reason is not because those organisms in the marginal habitat would not thrive in the more stable one, but because something else outcompetes it there that itself cannot thrive in the marginal habitat.

 

[CoastalTownLayabout]

While I do not know details for this scenario, in many similar situations the reason is not because those organisms in the marginal habitat would not thrive in the more stable one, but because something else outcompetes it there that itself cannot thrive in the marginal habitat.

In some instances there’s no doubt that this is happening. I generally see this on the margins but in the extreme conditions of regularly exposed substrates wouldn’t the key adaptations have specialised an organism to a point where they could not thrive in a more stable habitat, with or without competition?

 

[BeanAnimal]

have specialised an organism to a point where they could not thrive in a more stable habitat, with or without competition?

Simply put NO.

Take a barnacle that is in and out of the water. It may have adapted to live in an extreme environment and may have little competition there, but that does not mean that a stable environment will cause it distress.

 

[CoastalTownLayabout]

Simply put NO.

Take a barnacle that is in and out of the water. It may have adapted to live in an extreme environment and may have little competition there, but that does not mean that a stable environment will cause it distress.

I’ll see your barnacle and raise you a mudskipper.

 

[BeanAnimal]

I’ll see your barnacle and raise you a mudskipper.

They don’t require tidal pools or unstable conditions and live in numerous coastal areas. Mangroves, estuaries, deltas, and anywhere there is muddy brackish water. In fact, their burrows shelter them from the heat and provide stable conditions.

 

[CoastalTownLayabout]

They don’t require tidal pools or unstable conditions and live in numerous coastal areas. Mangroves, estuaries, deltas, and anywhere there is muddy brackish water. In fact, their burrows shelter them from the heat and provide stable conditions.

How about the false limpet?