A lot has happened since my last post on June 8th. On June 19 I was gifted several animals: a clump of tiny corynactis california (Strawberry anemones), one of which separated from the others and has it’s own hiding hole, doing quite well. The others keep getting annoyed and carried around by the crabs so barely open. Also, two Cypranea spadicea (Chestnut Cowries). I was not sure if they were finding enough food by scavenging, and so sometimes will put in floating fry keeper with some food. They are both doing well. Got a good picture one the larger one extending its mantle over the shell (they deposit more shell material and keep things from growing on them). I also have a beautiful 1mm purple with yellow stripes glossodoris mcfarlandi (Orchid nudibranch) that spends time in the refugium and some time near where the sea hare eggs are. He probably is eating the eggs. Also, two orange 2.5 mm astropecter brasiliensis armatus ( shallow water sand star) that come out and move around sand and rocks but mostly hide away. (*correction: Asteria miniata: Bat stars) I have a ciona savignylo (solitary sea squirt) that is a milky translucent white with white spots on it. Doing ok, but occasionally crabs detach from rocks and move it around. Finally, an unidentified sponge that looks like a tropical yellow tube sponge, with a beautiful surface latticework of yellow. Unfortunately, it did not last very long. It appeared to be eaten (I always tend to blame the crabs…) My other bread crumb sponge did not last very long either.
Another tiny but beautiful animal is an orange colonial ascidian tunicate botrylloides diegensis, a native to California, each maybe .5 cm in size. They have been moving around on their rock.
I have several spots where transplanted Porphyra perforata (Nori) have established themselves on the rocks by growing stipes. It is curious that the sea hares don’t eat it – maybe it is too thick and fleshy? They mainly eat the dried red algae Nori sheets I give them and maybe nibble a bit on the Codium Fragile (dead man’s fingers) which is a green algae.
I have bits of Acrosorium, a red algae, growing on other algae. I have a light purple calcareous algae, and some reddish brown algae (picture).
I have moved on to feeding Penny the Blennie with a turkey baster. Much easier to regulate amount of food given, and she adapted to it right away. Here’s her picture: (she is about 9 cm long.)
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