Sea Apples - experiences/thoughts?

[Whatigot]

They have a couple at an LFS I happened to stop by yesterday...
I understand that if stressed, they can exude a toxin that will most likely do some serious damage but man, what a beautiful creature...

The LFS said theyd had two for 4 months now and no problems.
My reef is exceptionally peaceful, with no coral or feather duster worm nippers that might bug it.

[Diana]

Sure are cool. I have never been tempted. I think if I did one it would be in a smaller reef with nothing else really important (like a frag tank or something). Just incase. :D

[Whatigot]

I was thinking of putting it in my 15 inline fuge and modding my sump to make for some serious carbon filtration in between it and my return to the main display.

Taking a risk, I know, but man, what a looker.

[tlo]

not worth the risk, IMO
These guys can wipe out a whole tank.

[christyf5]

gorgeous but the stories about them are enough to keep me away :wink:

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

There was a thread about them on RC once and man the stories were BAD. I doubt the carbon would save your tank. Not worth the risk.

Also, if your talking about the store I think you are, WAY overpriced.

[Whatigot]

nobody else carries them, and you're talking to a guy who lives to wheel n deal...lol
and really ,where can you buy anything marine that isn't overpriced?

I know that they can wipe the tank out, I guess nobody has ever had one or has any links to experiences with them?
I know most consider it not worth the risk, I understand the risk and will debate that for myself once I have some knowledge on them to work with...

I may have to be the first one on this board to try one out.
I can't imagine that I would have any stress in my tank for it and I would certainly spot feed it to make sure it's healthy and happy...

You ever seen something and it just appealed to you?
I'm enamored of this sea apple...lol

[Trigger Man]

I had bought a sea Cucumber (not the same as a sea apple but just as deadly) once and put it in my second smaller tank and it lived great with the fish in that tank for 8 months. Then one day everything was wiped out and after checking all parameters everything checked out perfectly, and right before the deaths all fish were acting great and looking healthy. I also agree just not worth the risk.

[Whatigot]

agreed, everyone agrees, not worth the risk...
however, I might risk it.

[Trigger Man]

its a tough one, great looking if it works out, and if you get one you know we will all be gunning that everything lives in harmony.

[Whatigot]

no clue why your cuke bit it triggerman?

I know I'll have to make sure powerheads are apple proof.....

[Trigger Man]

Not a clue, Ph were up high in a area that the cucumber did not go near, all the rockwork was the same ( so nothing fell on him), I'm guessing one of my fish finally decided to see if it was tasty. The Cucumber was 4 inches long.

[Treebeard]

We have had one in our tank for around 8 months now with no issues. Nobody picks on it and we do not feed it anything special. It is very cool to watch it eat, but unfortunately, since we moved to our new tank, it has settled into an area near the back of the tank and we do not see him much. Next time I am messing in the tank I will try relocating him.

[Whatigot]

treebeard, this is a sea apple you're talking about?
man, i would LOVE to see apic of him in your reef...

thanks so much for the positive spin.

[Treebeard]

If I get a chance I will move him tonight and take some pics after he settles in. He tends to go where he wants though so no guarantees!

[Whatigot]

no pic necessary, would be cool though...
What would really help would be a good description of your tanks equipment and inhabitants?

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

agreed, everyone agrees, not worth the risk...
however, I might risk it.

Then what exactly are you asking?

[Whatigot]

nobody else carries them, and you're talking to a guy who lives to wheel n deal...lol
and really ,where can you buy anything marine that isn't overpriced?

I know that they can wipe the tank out, I guess nobody has ever had one or has any links to experiences with them?
I know most consider it not worth the risk, I understand the risk and will debate that for myself once I have some knowledge on them to work with...

I may have to be the first one on this board to try one out.
I can't imagine that I would have any stress in my tank for it and I would certainly spot feed it to make sure it's healthy and happy...

You ever seen something and it just appealed to you?
I'm enamored of this sea apple...lol

think I'm being pretty clear here but just to eloborate for ya greenspot...
I'm not looking for people (who mostly seem to have never had one) to simply say, not worth the risk, can wipe out the tank, etc, etc, my appetite for risk is my own as is the tank I want to risk
I was looking for comments like treebeards, who actually has experience with this animal.
any links to info where there is direct experience keeping them in a reef or aquarium setting (like your rc thread that you vaguely mentioned) would be greatly appreciated as well.

I do appreciate everyones concern, but I think it's clear it's risky at this point.

[Pier Pressure]

I had one for quite some time in my little reef and he seemed to do okay. I ended up taking him back to the LFS as he was not getting enough food in my tank. One of the saltwater stores here in Calgary has them in just about ALL of their tanks, and the dude who runs it says he has seen one ripped in half and that did not even cause a problem. If you are looking for positive feedback, you may wish to give Colby at Elite a call.

[Whatigot]

positive/negative, as long as it's relevant...
thanks very much for your experience.
Whats elite?
sorry, I have no clue but would certainly like to follow up on your comment...

[BlueAbyss]

I had one for quite some time in my little reef and he seemed to do okay. I ended up taking him back to the LFS as he was not getting enough food in my tank. One of the saltwater stores here in Calgary has them in just about ALL of their tanks, and the dude who runs it says he has seen one ripped in half and that did not even cause a problem. If you are looking for positive feedback, you may wish to give Colby at Elite a call.

I'll bet that their toxicity, like that of Poison Dart Frogs, is reduced over time in captivity, due to different diet, conditions, whatever (they aren't sure of why exactly yet, at least with the frogs...).

I saw one in a tank in Winnipeg, at the Birds and Aquariums Co. I think it was called... This place is amazing, with a large display tank that had more fish than I could count, a blue spiny lobster, a blue carpet 'nem (this thing was a good 18" in diameter), some fish I don't have names for, corals I've never seen... Well, needless to say it was pretty amazing, but the sea apple and some of the other inverts in another smaller tank were also pretty gorgeous. I'm not sure if this other tank was inline with the large tank though, but these guys are beautiful. The parrots were nice too :biggrin:

[Whatigot]

sea apples kind of remind me of parrots in their coloration now that you mention it...
and an interesting thought worth pursuing.

I hate to ask LFS anything...lol hard to find unbiased advice there.

[Treebeard]

90 gallon display tank, 55 gallon sump (running about 22 gallons) Total system volume about 112 gallons

Euroreef RS80 skimmer

Flow through display tank rate is currently about 300 gph from two Quietone 4000hh pumps.

Lighting is 36" Tek T5 (6 tubes)

Internal tank flow=1 Koralia 3, 1 Koralia 1, 1 MJ 1200 with Hydor rotating water deflector

90 pounds live rock, give or take

Various mushrooms, zoanthids, bubble coral, frogspawn, large toadstool, xenia, kenyan tree, colt...

2 BTAs, sea apple, cleaner shrimp, 2 peppermint shrimp, various snails and crabs, 2 brittle stars

Yellow Tang, Rabbit fish, Boxfish (my favorite fish!), Keyhole Angel, Percula Clown, Royal Gramma, 4 green Chromis


I likely missed some stuff, but that about sums it up.


no pic necessary, would be cool though...
What would really help would be a good description of your tanks equipment and inhabitants?

[Whatigot]

90 gallon display tank, 55 gallon sump (running about 22 gallons) Total system volume about 112 gallons

Euroreef RS80 skimmer

Flow through display tank rate is currently about 300 gph from two Quietone 4000hh pumps.

Lighting is 36" Tek T5 (6 tubes)

Internal tank flow=1 Koralia 3, 1 Koralia 1, 1 MJ 1200 with Hydor rotating water deflector

90 pounds live rock, give or take

Various mushrooms, zoanthids, bubble coral, frogspawn, large toadstool, xenia, kenyan tree, colt...

2 BTAs, sea apple, cleaner shrimp, 2 peppermint shrimp, various snails and crabs, 2 brittle stars

Yellow Tang, Rabbit fish, Boxfish (my favorite fish!), Keyhole Angel, Percula Clown, Royal Gramma, 4 green Chromis


I likely missed some stuff, but that about sums it up.

Thats a lot of line loss on 2 high head quiet ones?
how much piping do you have going through there?

Thanks for those specs, very helpful..
Is that all you have for water movement?
No other powerheads or anything with impellars?

[nanoreefer]

i have thought about getting one afew times but the store i saw some at last they dident look to great and they are expensive, i was thinking of clearing my nano out and put a small on in there with a mantis shrimp for some movement

BTW what store did you see them at i wouldent mind stopping by and haveing a look, was it pet lovers?

[Treebeard]

I am pushing the water about 11 feet up from the sump in my basement to the tank on the main floor, and I have the flow throttled back somewhat. I almost had a wreck on the weekend when I noticed the tank was on verge of overflowing. I need to find a gate valve rather than the crappy ball valve I am using to properly regulate the flow. I would like to get the flow up to around 450 gph.

No other powerheads. Before he settled in, the sea apple would climb up the side of the tank and park himself next to the Koralia 3 with no ill affects. They have a fairly hard exterior, and I cannot see how they could get caught up in a Koralia, like my seahare (rip) did.

Thats a lot of line loss on 2 high head quiet ones?
how much piping do you have going through there?

Thanks for those specs, very helpful..
Is that all you have for water movement?
No other powerheads or anything with impellars?

[tlo]

heres a good article on them you might find useful
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/mar2003/invert.htm

[Treebeard]

I think the same may be true of boxfish. I am sure I caused alot of stress for the fish in my tank when I netted them from the old 46 gallon tank and stuck them in pails while I set up the 90 gallon. Mind you, I caught Boxy close to first and stored him in his own bucket, but I am sure he was still stressed enough to let his natural defenses kick in. But everybody survived the move. <knocks on wood!>

I'll bet that their toxicity, like that of Poison Dart Frogs, is reduced over time in captivity, due to different diet, conditions, whatever (they aren't sure of why exactly yet, at least with the frogs...).

[naesco]

nobody else carries them, and you're talking to a guy who lives to wheel n deal...lol
and really ,where can you buy anything marine that isn't overpriced?

I know that they can wipe the tank out, I guess nobody has ever had one or has any links to experiences with them?
I know most consider it not worth the risk, I understand the risk and will debate that for myself once I have some knowledge on them to work with...

I may have to be the first one on this board to try one out.
I can't imagine that I would have any stress in my tank for it and I would certainly spot feed it to make sure it's healthy and happy...

You ever seen something and it just appealed to you?
I'm enamored of this sea apple...lol

It all makes a lot of sense to me.
Go for it!!!.

[Whatigot]

basement sump huh?
thats sweet.....
is there a lot of vibration noise from the water moving through that much pipe anywhere in your house?

TLO, that article kicked some serious wrass.
much appreciated and quite helpful.
cucumber butt fish..., weird.
Thank you.

[reeferious]

at one time i was debating on setting up a stand alone tank just housing different sea cucumber varieties. i almost snatched one up from kinged pet and another one from pet store on burrard st. i forego the urge after i figured out how much trouble it is to keep these guys fed and in good health. as it stands i have only one red worm cucumber in the refugium which does a fantastic mop up job.

[Whatigot]

you should give that article a read reeferious.
It makes the care of these animals seem relatively easy...

[Pier Pressure]

positive/negative, as long as it's relevant...
thanks very much for your experience.
Whats elite?
sorry, I have no clue but would certainly like to follow up on your comment...

Elite Aquatics is an LFS in Calgary. Might be worth a long distance telephone call. Ask to speak to Colin.

[Pier Pressure]

On second thought - dude's name might be Colby. I have not been there in several months. He runs the show so should be the guy answering the phone.

[Whatigot]

appreciate it.
Thanks for the potential info.