5/22/19 Introduced some native red algae to the aquarium 2 weeks ago. Also collected a green anemone one large and 2 small shore crabs, 3 California mussels, a few goose neck barnacles and 3 limpets. Also, 10 bean clams and one chiton. The chiton is remarkably mobile, as he has been in a different spot each morning, for the most part.
I now have abundant diatom and algae growth on the sides of the tank, along with numerous skeleton shrimps. This is great for the limpets. I feed the anemone and crabs every day or 2 with frozen fish food. The large and medium crabs have both molted, so they are growing. The large crab is finishing off the limpets and bean clams. Not sure if he is just taking the dead ones or not. He has formed a midden pile of the shells.
On Monday this week I added 2 sea hares, 2″ long, and had a stowaway one on the Giant Kelp strand I added, 1/2” long. The two larger ones alternate between eating algae off the side of the tank an eating some of the red algae that is growing. What they really love is the sheets of dried Nori I am giving them. The little one is harder to get to eat the Nori, but he did eat some yesterday.
I sampled the water midway in the tank, and under the scope can see numerous bacteria and other zooplankton, good for the mussels and barnacles.
I have a Spanish Shawl Nudibranch and three stowaway nudibranchs probably also from kelp strand.
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