Mar 22, 2012
Mar 15, 2012
The Crabitat
Over summer vacation this year my family went to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina on the Outer Banks. We noticed thousands of small holes in the sand and wondered what creature made them. One night we took a walk down the beach with flashlights and our question was answered. The holes were made by burrowing crabs the locals called "ghost crabs" (apparently great fishing bait).
Being an aquarist, I immediately started planning an aquarium, or paludarium, rather, for my potential new subjects. It was clear to me that these crabs, though spending time in the surf at night, would die in a normal aquarium without access to deep, dry sand in which to burrow. The crabs spend the day in their safe burrows and scavenge the beach at night. They wet their gills in the water each night to breathe.
I wouldn't recommend trying this at home. These crabs make terrible pets! They're the most cryptic pet I've ever had; I've gone months without seeing any of them at all. The only indication I have that they are alive is their ever-changing network of holes and ant farm-like tunnels. They're so fast, even if I do see one, it's only for a millisecond before it dashes into its burrow. It's also not recommended to harass them or take them from the beach, as they're a very important part of the ecosystem. It's illegal to even catch them unless you have a fishing license.
Despite all these thoughts, before the end of my August 2011 family vacation I decided to bring home four Ghost Crabs in a cooler with a few inches of beach sand and set to work on a new paludarium for them right away. I glued a short, perforated baffle (aka Lee's aquarium dividers) on the left side, and a tall solid barrier on the right side of a 20 gallon aquarium, dividing it into thirds. The first baffle reaches three quarters of the way to the top of the aquarium, and the second baffle is only about six inches tall.
On the floor of the paludarium I put a base of large river pebbles and live rock to help keep the baffles from moving.
I filled the rest of the right side with about 75 pounds of dry aragonite sand (NOT silicate sand which is basically tiny shards of sharp glass that will lacerate the crabs' gills and mouthparts). This was annoyingly expensive, and I had to keep going back to the local fish store for more sand. Between the two baffles is an incline made of pebbles, sand, and live rock. On the left side is the water, which I keep at 1.026 specific gravity.
Filtration (or lack thereof) is a small Via Aqua pump with a tube pumping water into the middle section of the baffles. The water runs through the sand and liverock before running back into the watery side of the tank. While building the tank, I quickly noticed that some water slowly leaked into the dry sand side of the tank. I didn't want water on this side of the tank, so I had to figure out a way to pump the water out. I had an extra Aqualifter pump, so I attached an airstone the suction side and buried it under the pebbles on the dry side. It is more than sufficient in pumping the water out of the dry side as quickly as it seeps in. It probably also helps with biological filtration. No other equipment is needed. These crabs are subtropical and prefer ambient room temperature.
My ghost crabs have now been living in captivity for over 6 months and have doubled in size. This photo next to my hand was taken today.
Ghost Crabs are similar to the brackish Uca sp. fiddler crabs that many people keep as pets, except for the burrowing and the cryptic, nocturnal habits. I was never able to figure out exactly what species these are, but they're probably Ocypode quadrata. At first I thought there were two separate species of crabs on the beach, but I believe now that the smaller crabs with sand-like patterns are juveniles, and the larger, smooth crabs are adults. The largest specimens we saw had a 2+ inch carapace and were over 4 inches across including the legs. Being scavengers, these crabs will eat almost anything. I give them crab pellets, thawed frozen shrimp, and thawed frozen fish. They seem to be fairly hardy given the right habitat, and aren't too picky about salinity changes or water quality.
Even though they're not very interesting pets, I still enjoy having them and learning about them. Eventually, I'd like to add a wavemaker or dump bucket to the left side of the "crabitat" to simulate the real ebb and flow of waves.
I wouldn't recommend trying this at home. These crabs make terrible pets! They're the most cryptic pet I've ever had; I've gone months without seeing any of them at all. The only indication I have that they are alive is their ever-changing network of holes and ant farm-like tunnels. They're so fast, even if I do see one, it's only for a millisecond before it dashes into its burrow. It's also not recommended to harass them or take them from the beach, as they're a very important part of the ecosystem. It's illegal to even catch them unless you have a fishing license.
Despite all these thoughts, before the end of my August 2011 family vacation I decided to bring home four Ghost Crabs in a cooler with a few inches of beach sand and set to work on a new paludarium for them right away. I glued a short, perforated baffle (aka Lee's aquarium dividers) on the left side, and a tall solid barrier on the right side of a 20 gallon aquarium, dividing it into thirds. The first baffle reaches three quarters of the way to the top of the aquarium, and the second baffle is only about six inches tall.
On the floor of the paludarium I put a base of large river pebbles and live rock to help keep the baffles from moving.
I filled the rest of the right side with about 75 pounds of dry aragonite sand (NOT silicate sand which is basically tiny shards of sharp glass that will lacerate the crabs' gills and mouthparts). This was annoyingly expensive, and I had to keep going back to the local fish store for more sand. Between the two baffles is an incline made of pebbles, sand, and live rock. On the left side is the water, which I keep at 1.026 specific gravity.
Filtration (or lack thereof) is a small Via Aqua pump with a tube pumping water into the middle section of the baffles. The water runs through the sand and liverock before running back into the watery side of the tank. While building the tank, I quickly noticed that some water slowly leaked into the dry sand side of the tank. I didn't want water on this side of the tank, so I had to figure out a way to pump the water out. I had an extra Aqualifter pump, so I attached an airstone the suction side and buried it under the pebbles on the dry side. It is more than sufficient in pumping the water out of the dry side as quickly as it seeps in. It probably also helps with biological filtration. No other equipment is needed. These crabs are subtropical and prefer ambient room temperature.
My ghost crabs have now been living in captivity for over 6 months and have doubled in size. This photo next to my hand was taken today.
Ghost Crabs are similar to the brackish Uca sp. fiddler crabs that many people keep as pets, except for the burrowing and the cryptic, nocturnal habits. I was never able to figure out exactly what species these are, but they're probably Ocypode quadrata. At first I thought there were two separate species of crabs on the beach, but I believe now that the smaller crabs with sand-like patterns are juveniles, and the larger, smooth crabs are adults. The largest specimens we saw had a 2+ inch carapace and were over 4 inches across including the legs. Being scavengers, these crabs will eat almost anything. I give them crab pellets, thawed frozen shrimp, and thawed frozen fish. They seem to be fairly hardy given the right habitat, and aren't too picky about salinity changes or water quality.
Even though they're not very interesting pets, I still enjoy having them and learning about them. Eventually, I'd like to add a wavemaker or dump bucket to the left side of the "crabitat" to simulate the real ebb and flow of waves.
Feb 21, 2012
NCPARS That Fish Place Winter Frag Swap 2012
This year's North Central Pennsylvania Aquarium Reef Society and That Fish Place Winter frag swap was a great success! If you missed it, join us on April 28th at the Williamsport, PA high school for our Spring frag swap with special guest Bob Fenner.
Enjoy the rest of the photos here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/feliciamccaulley/sets/72157629204066315/
Nov 2, 2011
Sea Star-Eating Nano Shrimps
One of my favorite aquariums is my 10 gallon nano reef aquarium. It contains only corals, crustaceans, and other invertebrates, so it's easier to keep clean. Some of the most interesting crustaceans in this tank are the sea star-eating shrimps: Harlequin shrimp Hymenocera elegans and Bumblebee shrimp Gnathophyllum americanum.
Bumblebee shrimp are a perfect livestock choice for a nano reef. They don't eat corals, are safe for fish, and grow less than an inch long. When it comes to feeding, they are not as picky as Harlequin shrimp or Bongo shrimp. They are carnivores who love to eat the tube feet of echinoderms like sea stars and urchins, but will also eat some small bits of frozen mysis or Cyclop-Eeze. If you provide enough sea stars, they will easily survive the attentions of a pair of Bumblebee shrimp. It's also a good idea to stock your nano with some Stomatella snails, as the Bumblebee shrimp snip pieces from the Stomatellas to eat without killing the snail. My Bumblebee shrimp is often seen harassing one of my many quickly-reproducing Stomatella snails.Harlequin shrimp make are a great "showy" creature for a nano reef. Their beauty is surpassed by few other crustaceans. Harlequin shrimp are large enough that they are easy to spot, but small enough (only a couple inches) that they can be kept in a nano aquarium. They can be kept singly, but it's much more interesting to keep a pair. They seem to use their giant, paddle-like chelipeds to communicate with one another, perhaps coordinating their sea star attacks.
It is very easy to sex Harlequin shrimp. Females have tiny, color-spotted swimmerettes on the underside of the tail. Males have a clear, colorless underside. Two males or two females should not be housed together, but males and females pair easily and without aggression.
Unlike the Bumblebee shrimp, Harlequin shrimp consume the whole star, not just the feet. They use their large front claws to pinch and pry the legs of sea stars from their substrate, then force the sea star onto its back where it is helpless. They can keep a sea star alive for long periods of time while feasting on them.
Harlequin shrimp only eat sea stars. They don't eat brittle stars, however. The most readily available food sources for Harlequin shrimp are the tiny, hitchhiking Asterina stars, Chocolate Chip or African Knob, Linkia, Fromia, or Sand sifting stars. Linkia and Fromia stars are difficult to keep in captivity and more expensive. Remember, though, that the hardy, inexpensive Chocolate Chip and African Knob stars are not reef safe. It is possible to house a few Chocolate Chip stars separately from your nano aquarium and cut a leg off to feed the Harlequin shrimp, then allow the removed legs to grow back.Hawaiian Harlequin shrimp are the most colorful, but they command pretty high prices and are more rare. The Indonesian variety is a little less expensive and may be purple, blue, or a combination.
Bongo shrimp are related to Harlequin shrimp, and eat both Sea Stars and Brittle stars. They are much smaller, growing to only an inch. They're also much more rare and command a price between $100 - $130 a pair. Here is a video by Liveaquaria.com of Bongo shrimp eating brittle stars.
Oct 23, 2011
Mark M's aquariums
I recently photographed my friend Mark's African Cichlid, South American Cichlid, and nano reef aquariums. Enjoy the photos here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/feliciamccaulley/sets/72157627595995298/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/feliciamccaulley/sets/72157627595995298/
Oct 21, 2011
MASNA Live Interview with new BOD members, Ret Talbot on Hawaii, and MACNA wrap-up
http://recordings.talkshoe.com/TC-74311/TS-549252.mp3
I was honored to be voted in as the new Vendor Relations on the MASNA Board of Directors for 2012. Check out this interview with 4 new MASNA BOD members (including yours truly). Get MASNA Live podcasts and become a member of MASNA today!
Why should you join MASNA?
"MASNA is a non-profit organization composed of marine aquarium socieities and individual hobbyists from North America and abroad, totaling several thousand individuals.
MASNA's goals are to:
- Educate our members with online and published material, the MACNA conference, and other sanctioned events
- Assist in forming and promoting the growth of clubs within the hobby while ensuring a sustainable future for the marine environment
- Support the efforts to eliminate abuses in collecting and transporting marine organisms through education, assistance and encouragement
- Encourage the ethical growth of the marine aquarium hobby and support captive breeding/propagation efforts
In our efforts to ensure a sustainable future for marine environments and the marine aquarium hobby. MASNA provides its members:
- Access to a speaker database
- A quarterly newsletter
- An annual conference (MACNA) and logistical support for host clubs
- Material resources to help conduct club business and found new clubs
- A large repository of educational resource materials
- Partnerships with funding and conservation organizations, fellowship opportunities, volunteer activities, and a scholarship fund
- Links, partnerships and resources to existing breeding and aquaculture facilities and organizations
- An extensive bookstore and merchandise store with discounts for members
- Practical tips for saving the world’s oceans from within the hobby and through personal action
- A collective voice in national and international initiatives
- Strategies, resources and online materials to improve husbandry, aquarium keeping and reduce mortality
- Large resources for conservation related activities and information"
Luke G's 150XH Reef
Yawning Ocellaris Clownfish
Recently I was able to photograph my friend Luke G's amazing 150XH reef. The most amazing part is he just set it up in July after moving to a new place. Luke is an Acropora fanatic and takes great care of his aquatic pets. I can't wait to see the tank more grown in. See the full album here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/feliciamccaulley/sets/72157627895945034/
Recently I was able to photograph my friend Luke G's amazing 150XH reef. The most amazing part is he just set it up in July after moving to a new place. Luke is an Acropora fanatic and takes great care of his aquatic pets. I can't wait to see the tank more grown in. See the full album here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/feliciamccaulley/sets/72157627895945034/
Seahorse Drawing
A special thanks goes out to one of Felicia's Aquarium Adventures' young readers, Jonathan, for this beautiful seahorse picture. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did!
Oct 3, 2011
Liomera sp.
Strawberry crabs are considered to be reef safe "with caution." As far as crabs go, this species is one of the more coral safe crabs.
This little crab was found as a hitchhiker at The Hidden Reef in Levittown, PA. It now resides in my 10 gallon nano tank. So far it is not bothering any of the corals or its peaceful crustacean tank mates.
Naxiodes taurus
Sometimes called the Soft coral crab or decorated horn crab. Commensal on soft corals, gorgonians, and sea fans. This one was found in the folds of a Leptoseris at The Hidden Reef in Levittown, PA.
I put this crab in my 10 gallon nano tank. This tank has no fish in it, only corals and small, reef safe crustaceans.
Aug 12, 2011
Aug 10, 2011
Aug 9, 2011
RighPet.com
RightPet.com is a site that allows members to write reviews of species and breeds of pets. This allows new pet owners to read the first-hand accounts and reviews of real people who have kept the species or breed they are interested in before they buy/adopt it. Make sure you sign up and add your 2 cents on your favorite (or least favorite) species kept as pets. Your experience could help new pet owners decide which pet is or is not right for them.This month Felicia's Aquarium Adventures is the featured member! Check out our reviews of saltwater fish (and other critters).
http://www.rightpet.com/fish/saltwater-aquarium-fish
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