Tunicates

[Subsea]

I know very little about Tunicates, yet now I have some that came in on diver collected live rock. This is what the Smithsonian says about Tunicates:

“One of these invertebrate groups—the tunicates—should be of special interest, however, because they are our closest invertebrate relatives.”

Tunicates—Not So Spineless Invertebrates

ocean.si.edu

The tank is set up for filter feeders. This 75G display has been set up for 25 years and is skimmerless with no particulate filtration. Initial focus was cryptic sponges, but now includes ornamental sponges with orange elephant ear & yellow ball sponges as the most hardy to date. Bryozoans are also common on Gulf of Mexico diver collected live rock.

Microbial food sources come from 30G cryptic refugium full of live rock, miracle mud and MULM. Also included in microbial food source is reverse flow UG filter which includes substrate inoculated with micro fauna & fana and plenum void.

 

[Subsea]

Enjoyed this video.

Did’t realize that “sea squirts” heart reversed flow every 50 beats.

They reproduce sexually & asexually with a tadpole larvae stage.

 

[W31Olds]

I also had a lot of Truncates on my recent order of TBS Rock. Most have died off so not really sure what their needs are.

 

[Subsea]

I also had a lot of Truncates on my recent order of TBS Rock. Most have died off so not really sure what their needs are.

I know what their needs are: they are diverse filter feeders which includes phytoplankton, bacteria, viruses, parasites and larvae. I have some of those things.

After researching scientific articles & utube videos, some Tunicates are considered a delicacy for human consumption. I doubt I am going there, however, the tunic which is their protective skin is made of a type of cellulose that is a carbohydrate, similar to algae. Go figure.

I repositioned this rock, which is the prettiest of the 40 lbs that I received 2 weeks ago.

 

[W31Olds]

Yea, I still have some of those on my rocks. I figured they fed on tiny organisms as you indicated. I'm more curious about light and flow. They don't seem to do well in strong light and don't know what flow and other parameters they require. I'd bet Paul would have some idea.
@Paul B

 

[Subsea]

Yea, I still have some of those on my rocks. I figured they fed on tiny organisms as you indicated. I'm more curious about light and flow. They don't seem to do well in strong light and don't know what flow and other parameters they require. I'd bet Paul would have some idea.
@Paul B

Tunicates do not need light. I assume strong flue is required.

Because Bryozones require light, I display tunicates innfer while light with 100-159PAR.

 

[Paul B]

I can collect thousands here near, or on my boat. Here they live in filthy water and are filter feeders. They will not do well long term in a tank.

 

[Subsea]

I can collect thousands here near, or on my boat. Here they live in filthy water and are filter feeders. They will not do well long term in a tank.

Paul,
Considering that the Tunicates I got were grown in 30’ of pristine water off the Florida GulfCoast, I hope I can maintain their feeding requirements.
I know you had a bad run in with an encrusting & invasive sponge, I now have numerous encrusting sponges of different bright colors as well as ornamental yellow ball sponge & orange elephant ear sponge.

 

[Paul B]

Sub, Like tube worms and non-photosynthetic corals they eat constantly and fare poorly in tanks because we can't provide constant feeding without fouling the water. But good luck.

Maybe if you dump in a bowl of linguine and clams occasionally, it would work.

 

[Subsea]

Sub, Like tube worms and non-photosynthetic corals they eat constantly and fare poorly in tanks because we can't provide constant feeding without fouling the water. But good luck.

Maybe if you dump in a bowl of linguine and clams occasionally, it would work.

I do feed two mussels a day and my systems have numerous food webs that produce live food from recycled nutrients.

@Paul B
While I enjoy both, my focus in reefing has never been on the fish or the corals. It’s all about the seaweed and the filter feeders. Five years ago, when I embraced nutrient recycling and cryptic sponges, I also embraced in-tank food webs.

Instead of linguine & clams, they get seaweed and mussels with gut cavity juice.

I recently got a recipe from @Lasse. He uses skimmate and lime dust to feed his reef. Go figure.

PS: Because I don’t test my water, I use flame scallops as the Quality Assurance department: canary in a coal mine.

 

[X-37B]

Normally I only feed the fish in all systems.
About 3 months ago I started feeding my 150 with the CRT concoction, purched from a R2R member.
I feed 1 gram every Friday.
I am going to 2× a week now.
The feeding response is crazy with corals that never do anything even when feeding fish heavy.
Check it out. This may be benificial for your system.
I mix up one gram in a small bottle and pour it in all at once.
Feeding once a week for 3 months and still 1/2 left. It's only $50 and I am now dosing it in my 15g.

 

[Subsea]

Normally I only feed the fish in all systems.
About 3 months ago I started feeding my 150 with the CRT concoction, purched from a R2R member.
I feed 1 gram every Friday.
I am going to 2× a week now.
The feeding response is crazy with corals that never do anything even when feeding fish heavy.
Check it out. This may be benificial for your system.
I mix up one gram in a small bottle and pour it in all at once.
Feeding once a week for 3 months and still 1/2 left. It's only $50 and I am now dosing it in my 15g.

That does not look appetizing yet neither does gut cavity juice.

Not knowing what CRT was, I googled it:

The
"CRT Concoction" developed by Allan Vo (CRT Reefs) is a specialized reef tank feeding method designed to "turbocharge" coral growth by utilizing a custom mixture of commercially available bacteria and a carbon source. It promotes high heterotrophic activity, significantly boosting nutrient consumption and visibly enhancing coral growth and color within weeks.”

Yesterday, @Lasse detailed his “marine snow” floc that was recovered from skimmate with a dusting of limestone powder. In that discussion, the topic was control of Cyanobacteria.

Check out this thread on what’s in skimmate: I have been skimmerless for > 30 years. I may need more mussels and CRT?

What’s in Skimmate.

Composition of Skimmate The material collected in a protein skimmer is a complex mixture resulting from the foam fractionation process. Studies have shown the composition can be quite diverse. Organic CompoundsThese are the primary target of a protein skimmer and form the bulk of the organic...

www.reef2reef.com

As I continue in this hobby, it becomes much more obvious that bacteria are the microbial overlords in our ecosystems. Thank you for the reference.

 

[tripdad]

Hey Sub, I have the best luck with filter feeders when I fed a carbon/ bacteria regime( think zeoback and zeostart) and while having some cyanobacteria present on substrate. Wasn't my plan but a sidenote during something else. I agree that bacteria is what we are under educated on. I too love the filter feeder weirdo stuff. I got excited the other day because I found a new color of sponge growing in the display. Up to seven colors now. Would love to have some bryazoans(?) or tunicates, especially the blue whispy looking ones. Good luck with your endeavor!

 

[Subsea]

Hey Sub, I have the best luck with filter feeders when I fed a carbon/ bacteria regime( think zeoback and zeostart) and while having some cyanobacteria present on substrate. Wasn't my plan but a sidenote during something else. I agree that bacteria is what we are under educated on. I too love the filter feeder weirdo stuff. I got excited the other day because I found a new color of sponge growing in the display. Up to seven colors now. Would love to have some bryazoans(?) or tunicates, especially the blue whispy looking ones. Good luck with your endeavor!

Five years ago, when I first started with sponges I dosed vinegar as carbon for bacteria and didn’t have a protein skimmer.

However, as a marine engineer & naturalist, I see carbon dosing in nature with CO2 dissolving in the water to become carbonate that combines with sunlight which produces glucose which is carbon for the reef.

 

[X-37B]

Zoom in to see. These acros normally see almost no polyp extension. Once crt is added they give this response. I cant get a good pic of my slimer in the back as it looks like I took it out and then put it back and started to slime.

 

[Elisabeth GER]

Hallo Subsea,

an interesting tank!

There really isn't much written about tunicates. I've kept a few sea squirts myself—some for longer, others maybe a year; it varies a lot.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/t...ans-black-corals-tubastraea-sea-pens.1090376/

I have a place where you can buy sponges. https://spongeguide.uncw.edu/

Best regards Elisabeth

 

[Subsea]

Hallo Subsea,

an interesting tank!

There really isn't much written about tunicates. I've kept a few sea squirts myself—some for longer, others maybe a year; it varies a lot.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/t...ans-black-corals-tubastraea-sea-pens.1090376/

I have a place where you can buy sponges. https://spongeguide.uncw.edu/

Best regards Elisabeth

Thank you for the academia link. It will generate much interest.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/tank-with-azoo-animals-gorgonians-black-corals-tubastraea-sea-pens.1090376/#post-14279330

Elisabeth,
Kudoes to your filter feeding tank. Absolutely stunning. I can only imagine the amount of work involved.
My stuff must be hardy as I am a

“Laissez faire reefer”.

May I use some of your pictures to promote interest in filter feeders in marine ecosystems.

 

[Elisabeth GER]

Elisabeth,
Kudoes to your filter feeding tank. Absolutely stunning. I can only imagine the amount of work involved.

Hi Patrick,
You're right, unfortunately—it really is a lot of work.

Thanks for the recognition.

Best regards, Elidabeth

 

[fish_collector]

Zoom in to see. These acros normally see almost no polyp extension. Once crt is added they give this response. I cant get a good pic of my slimer in the back as it looks like I took it out and then put it back and started to slime.

My acros do that as well when I stir up detritus in the tank, they’re mesenterial filaments I believe. I haven’t figured out yet if the corals are angry or if it’s some kind of response to stimulus. They don’t do it when I feed the fish, it’s only when I stir up the stuff under the racks in the tank. Good observations for sure.

 

[Subsea]

Hi Patrick,
You're right, unfortunately—it really is a lot of work.

Thanks for the recognition.

Best regards, Elidabeth

How far from the Baltic Sea are you?

I lived in Germany from 1966-1970 as an aircraft mechanic in the USAF. Enjoyed the mountains of Bavaria and crossed the Denmark Straights to experience the Baltic Sea. Beautiful memories.

@Elisabeth GER
PS: By any chance, do you know Hans Werner. Your technical skills and his expertise in marine science should have come together.