natures trick - sea apple

[slowjazz]

So there I was.. in the lps to buy a lawn mower and in a smaller tank was a very colorful looking blob. The guy said it was a sea apple and asked if I wanted it. Not knowing too much about it, I passed and went home to check google. Yea.... nature is pretty funny with creatures. Seems like the more bright color something is, the more it can kill.

Anybody even try one of these guys? most internet sites said that nobody really keeps them alive very long and the biggest pain is that it can poison the tank. ie: He is a bad filter feeder..........) i'll just stick with clams.

Speaking of... Are most clams hard to keep? (besides the usual stable water, light ...ect)

 

[gmpolan]

Oz has one, check with him....

 

[bdooley]

I seen a couple in a LFS this weekend and the guy working there told me if it dies it kills everything in the tank . I thought it was kinda odd cause they where in a tank with sea horses.

 

[slowjazz]

Amberjack;673480 wrote: Apples aren't that difficult if you keep them fed properly. Very interesting creatures and fun to watch them while eating. </em>

But, I can't say much. I got spooked at the prospect of it nuking my whole system and kept it all of two days before I returned it. </em>

Thats the same thing I was thinking! At first I thought it just sat in one spot and grew. After reading how it could either suck in alot of water and float somewhere or just move itself, I started to change my mind.

Then I got to the part where it could nuke the tank if it was 'bothered' and that pretty much did it. (that and the fact that it could nuke the tank if it died)
It did look pretty cool tho.......

 

[jennm]

Unfortunately a lot of stores that sell these, don't warn people of the perils of them...

Where I used to work, 11 years ago, that shop owner had them as his "signature item" in every tank he maintained.

In my experience if they die of natural causes (ie starve... versus getting picked on/sucked violently into an intake), they won't harm anything if they're removed promptly. Thing is, sometimes it's hard to tell if they are alive or not...

Once, where I used to work, a customer brought hers in, in a metal baking pan, with its business end sucked into a powerhead - she'd hoped we could save it. Unfortunately, all we saved was the powerhead - while she was out at the LFS trying to save the apple, the apple had made its "deposit" and the rest of her inhabitants were dying at home, from the toxin they excrete

Nowadays with more foods geared to filter feeders, they are more "doable" than in years past, but IMO the risks associated with keeping them, outweigh the pleasures of keeping them. All it takes is a curious fish to nip at it, or it to find its way into an intake and it's all over but the crying.

They are, indeed, beautiful and fascinating creatures though. Just not necessarily appropriate for everyone.

Jenn

 

[jesse'sgirl]

My husband (wannaplayatlanta) has had one in our tank for a year now. It is doing awesome and is one of our favorite animals in the aquarium. It is also a great conversation piece.

 

[smallblock]

I wish that I was with jessie's girl!!!! sorry the song popped in the head!! I love sea apples but I don't have the grapes to keep one

 

[jesse'sgirl]

Smallblock;673656 wrote: I wish that I was jessie's girl!!!! sorry the song popped in the head!! I love sea apples but I don't have the grapes to keep one

We just keep an eye on ours, or (keep an eye open) as Jess would say. If he starts to look bad we would pull it out. It has filter feeding cucumber directly beside it, they look awesome beside each other.He spot feeds it twice a week when he feeds all the coral

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[jennm]

Nice specimens.

That brightly coloured cuke poses similar toxin risks as the apple.

If they are doing well long-term, more power to you! As long as you're aware of the potential risks, you're golden.

Jenn

 

[oz]

I'd think twice in a smaller system. In a larger system it shouldn't be a big risk. Very cool animal. It will move around until it finds a happy place in medium flow and not in direct light.

 

[miami dolfan]

I had one and it died. It relesaed a milky substance which paralyzed my fish and everything died. I wouldn't risk it.

 

[dave green]

Mine finally died after several years. It went through three tanks, three setups in one of those tanks, and saw everything from caulerpa tanks to way overfilled tanks to lionfish.

I never had problem one with a sea apple... and it's ironic because I probably know the least about running a tank of most of the folks on the board.

I've been around sea apples a lot and worked where they had giant tanks with a whole bunch of them... never a single nuke.

Jenn seems to have hit the nail on the head.... I never saw a sea apple get picked on to death.

It is "buyer beware," though... know what you're getting.

 

[slowjazz]

JennM;673487 wrote: Unfortunately a lot of stores that sell these, don't warn people of the perils of them...

pan, with its business end sucked into a powerhead -
Jenn

That just hurts reading what you typed. I guess you can say the apple got his revenge. ouch!!!

Like I said... kind of sucks that nature loves to make the most colorful things the most dangerous.

How are clams? I am trying to plan out for alot of color in the tank. Being a 55g tank, I don't want to overstock the thing with fish. I love the color of clams and the fact that they can live a long time.

 

[jesse'sgirl]

slowjazz;673914 wrote: That just hurts reading what you typed. I guess you can say the apple got his revenge. ouch!!!

Like I said... kind of sucks that nature loves to make the most colorful things the most dangerous.

How are clams? I am trying to plan out for alot of color in the tank. Being a 55g tank, I don't want to overstock the thing with fish. I love the color of clams and the fact that they can live a long time.

depending on the sizes, you will need to run a calcium reactor and have proper lighting.

we have 6 clams and the largest is probably 14+ inches in size,
they are a great addition also
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[raz0945]

I have had a ORA Blue Maxima for almost a year in a 30g tank. I dose (BRS) ALK and Calcium daily and Mag once a week. It has almost doubled in size. You have to keep an eye on your Ca/Alk/Mag levels to keep it happy. I test ever other week. My tank was almost a year old and very stable. Hope this is helpful! Holley