Do you have a Sea Apple? What do you feed it?

[MrMarth]

I have a Sea Apple in a tank that I have inherited. It has been doing alright for about 8 months. I took over the tank 2 months ago and started target feeding the Sea Apple with Nanno 3600 and Shellfish diet from Reed Mariculture. I have been feeding every other day and I wonder if I should be doing daily.

I've read the AA article, http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2003/3/inverts but I was looking for some firsthand experience. Anyone out there keeping a Sea Apple? What are you feeding it and how often?

Thanks!

[Jazzii9j]

Pics! I am fascinated by these creatures.

[Bent]

I had one in a mixed reef for a long while.

1: I did not target feed, but it all depends on how confident you are concerning the amount of micro fauna available for consumption. Lots of literature now days suggest that target feeding both zoo and phyto doesn't hurt the animal, unless you are pushing the bio load over the top.
2: the stories of them nuking tanks are exaggerated in my opinion. Every cucumber has the ability to do it, but IME this nuking is limited to prolonged periods of trauma (I.e caught in a power head.) simple stress is unlikely to make it exude.
3: speaking of the power heads, mine moved a LOT. It was worse than any nem I've ever delt with. So plan accordingly.
4: watch your hermits. I had to evict mine. I remember they just would not leave it alone.
5: they seem to be intolerant of every little change. SG up or down, temp swings, etc. pretty much anything that can fluctuate, it didn't want it to. Especially the temp. I could tell a big difference in it when I did my heat my water changes.

Good luck! Once my tank gets some more diversity in it, I will be getting one.

[bundybear1981]

I've got one I picked up on 22 March this year, I don't specifically feed it but let it get the food the fish miss (I tend to overfeed slightly)

I also feed the tank weekly with things like frozen rotifers, red plankton ect... to give more variety. It usually stays put but sometimes goes for a wander. Its amazing to watch if feeding

[Nick d]

Been reefing for over 25 yrs. always had the Australian sea apple for its coloration, just awed by this invert. Never had a problem but as my tank became fully established I was told by my very reputable Lfs owner to remove it or chance having my tank polluted. So I did. I have seen pics of reefs on YouTube with apples so I guess you just roll the dice. Some day I may grow a set and purchase another.

210 gal reef, 65 gal sump with refugium, all the reef components and led lighting.

[Mark9]

All this talk, no pictures.
Really wanted to see what it looks like, had to google.
These things are cool looking!

[bundybear1981]

Here is pic of my one

[Rostine55]

I just put zoo and phytoplankton in water column and mine would stretch is arms out and start sucking it off its branches... It died because of water parameters got thrown way off for short time... Anyways no nuke just dead apple for it out within the day and everything else lived.

[MrMarth]

Thanks for all the replying. I don't have any pictures of mine currently (he hasn't eaten the last couple days). I'll shoot for daily feeds once he opens up again.

[Reef Frog]

Great looking animal that would be really hard to keep long term in a conventional reef. If I could I'd do one in a species tank with custom designed filtration to remove uneaten dead food & detrius as needed & replenish new food With auto plankton feeders.

[MrMarth]

Here is a picture of my sea apple. I have been feeding it every 1-2 days now with shellfish diet 1800 from reed mariculture, and roti-feast from reef nutrition. It seems to have its feeding tentacles extended more often and seems larger (less pinched) since I've started the new diet.

[NISMO703]

Wow, these are beautiful. I might have to do some research and look into getting one of these.

[Bent]

Yeah I don't have to cohonies to try one again yet.

Anyone know if they are zoo or phyto feeders? I can't remember.