Sea apple care?

Elo500 · 12/22/2016, 09:13 PM

Just saw a sea apple at lfs. What care is required? Are they really dangerous for a 120g?

Bigpapii · 12/23/2016, 01:42 AM

I have one in my 90g
I feed it phyto everyday and that's basically it
I've had mine for about 3-4 months now and he's doing good.
Just keep everything stable, salinity, temp, etc and it'll be good

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ron Reefman · 12/23/2016, 07:39 AM

They don't tend to move too much once they find a 'home' (or so I've been told). I had one that pretty much disappeared into my rocks (my rock structure was quite open) and you had to look hard to see it. It was OK for a few months and then died, probably from starvation. I had a 400g system so the toxins from it's death were diluted enough that the rest of the tanks didn't feel any damage.

I now have a pink, filter feeding sea cucumber, a close relative to the sea apple. I put it on the side glass in the tank. It moved about 10 to 12" to just on the front glass and has not movers in 3+ months. It did basically the same thing for several months in my previous tank and it survived a month in a holding tank between systems (my 180g tank sprang a 30gph leak).

Bigpapii · 12/23/2016, 11:53 AM

You could also feed it baby brine shrimp. Once a week I switch to baby brine shrimp. I culture both brineshrimp and phyto so I basically have an unlimited supply of food for him. Just feed daily(at night). If you don't he'll die. Oh btw the only way it will "nuke" your tank is if something's bothering it. Cuz that's its defense mechanism. If it dies from starvation there's a low chance your tank crash and if it does most likely it's from ammonia spike and not toxins. I have a friend that had his for 5 years and died from starvation. His tank is still running.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Elo500 · 12/23/2016, 12:04 PM

Do you target feed or dump food in tank ?

Bigpapii · 12/23/2016, 12:27 PM

I target feed

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

snorvich · 12/27/2016, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigpapii

You could also feed it baby brine shrimp. Once a week I switch to baby brine shrimp. I culture both brineshrimp and phyto so I basically have an unlimited supply of food for him. Just feed daily(at night). If you don't he'll die. Oh btw the only way it will "nuke" your tank is if something's bothering it. Cuz that's its defense mechanism. If it dies from starvation there's a low chance your tank crash and if it does most likely it's from ammonia spike and not toxins. I have a friend that had his for 5 years and died from starvation. His tank is still running.

Good advice. Daily feeding required.

wii64brawl · 12/28/2016, 10:14 AM

Baby brine shrimp are way too big for sea apples. Phytoplankton are much better suited. I would highly recommend looking into Fauna Marin foods, which are very highly recommended for filter feeding organisms.

That said, I would not recommend sea apples. I had one that just recently died. It looked really good for about a year, and then suddenly started shrinking until it started dying. Really you can't know they're doing well until after at least 18 months.

Here's a good article on them.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2003/3/inverts

JamesHolt · 12/28/2016, 11:49 AM

From reading the article, it would almost need to be in a species only tank, moderate to high flow, dosing phyto several times daily to keep the count up..
Very colorful unique critters, might have to try one after I move...
Maybe 40breeder, 150 gyre, dosing phyto several times daily, I am guessing that a skimmer would pull phyto out?

farfromsea · 12/28/2016, 12:02 PM

I don't see why you would need a species tank to feed phyto to it? But anyways I would shut the skimmer off when feeding for a bit and then turn it on

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

JamesHolt · 12/28/2016, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by farfromsea

I don't see why you would need a species tank to feed phyto to it? But anyways I would shut the skimmer off when feeding for a bit and then turn it on

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

To make me feel better because of the risk, and different feeding/housing needs..
Might would include it in display after getting used to taking care of it..

wii64brawl · 12/28/2016, 01:06 PM

The risk really is exaggerated IMO. As long as you're smart about livestock choices, there really is no reason to fear a nuke.

12/22/2016, 09:13 PM	#1
Elo500 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 315	Sea apple care? Just saw a sea apple at lfs. What care is required? Are they really dangerous for a 120g?

12/23/2016, 07:39 AM	#3
Ron Reefman Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Cape Coral, FL Posts: 10,431	They don't tend to move too much once they find a 'home' (or so I've been told). I had one that pretty much disappeared into my rocks (my rock structure was quite open) and you had to look hard to see it. It was OK for a few months and then died, probably from starvation. I had a 400g system so the toxins from it's death were diluted enough that the rest of the tanks didn't feel any damage. I now have a pink, filter feeding sea cucumber, a close relative to the sea apple. I put it on the side glass in the tank. It moved about 10 to 12" to just on the front glass and has not movers in 3+ months. It did basically the same thing for several months in my previous tank and it survived a month in a holding tank between systems (my 180g tank sprang a 30gph leak). __________________ The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it. (Neil deGrasse Tyson) Visit my build thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2593017

12/28/2016, 11:49 AM	#9
JamesHolt Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Milton,NC Posts: 1,104 Blog Entries: 3	From reading the article, it would almost need to be in a species only tank, moderate to high flow, dosing phyto several times daily to keep the count up.. Very colorful unique critters, might have to try one after I move... Maybe 40breeder, 150 gyre, dosing phyto several times daily, I am guessing that a skimmer would pull phyto out? __________________ John Adams: "In my many years I have come to a conclusion that one useless man is a shame, two is a law firm, and three or more is a congress." Current Tank Info: 29g with 2 Engineer gobies

12/23/2016, 01:42 AM	#2
Bigpapii Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Posts: 24	I have one in my 90g I feed it phyto everyday and that's basically it I've had mine for about 3-4 months now and he's doing good. Just keep everything stable, salinity, temp, etc and it'll be good Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

12/23/2016, 11:53 AM	#4
Bigpapii Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Posts: 24	You could also feed it baby brine shrimp. Once a week I switch to baby brine shrimp. I culture both brineshrimp and phyto so I basically have an unlimited supply of food for him. Just feed daily(at night). If you don't he'll die. Oh btw the only way it will "nuke" your tank is if something's bothering it. Cuz that's its defense mechanism. If it dies from starvation there's a low chance your tank crash and if it does most likely it's from ammonia spike and not toxins. I have a friend that had his for 5 years and died from starvation. His tank is still running. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

12/23/2016, 12:04 PM	#5
Elo500 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 315	Do you target feed or dump food in tank ?

12/23/2016, 12:27 PM	#6
Bigpapii Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Posts: 24	I target feed Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

12/28/2016, 10:14 AM	#8
wii64brawl Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 364	Baby brine shrimp are way too big for sea apples. Phytoplankton are much better suited. I would highly recommend looking into Fauna Marin foods, which are very highly recommended for filter feeding organisms. That said, I would not recommend sea apples. I had one that just recently died. It looked really good for about a year, and then suddenly started shrinking until it started dying. Really you can't know they're doing well until after at least 18 months. Here's a good article on them. http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2003/3/inverts

12/28/2016, 12:02 PM	#10
farfromsea Registered Member Join Date: May 2016 Posts: 549	I don't see why you would need a species tank to feed phyto to it? But anyways I would shut the skimmer off when feeding for a bit and then turn it on Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

12/28/2016, 01:06 PM	#12
wii64brawl Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 364	The risk really is exaggerated IMO. As long as you're smart about livestock choices, there really is no reason to fear a nuke.