Erm, I've Changed My Mind.

[PlecMama]

Well, we got a new fish shop in my little old town, and they have a marine section.

I browsed round it with wide eyes the other night, looking at all the amazing things creeping, crawling, swimming and "waving" about in their tanks and thought I might be swayed to come join the marine set.

However, 5 minutes over here and I have already learned that I could die from touching a snail and some sort of barnacle thing.

I think this might be a bit dangerous for me, lol.

I'll continue to visit and envy your pretty tanks, but I don't think marine is for me. Shame, there was this amazing looking sort of slug thing (that I'm sure you will now all tell me was a cucumber, but I swear it had horns...) and I would have liked to have him.

Are they poisonous? can you die from a slug or cucumber? I looked it up on Google images to try to find one that looked like him so I could tell you, but no one there seemed to know what the things they saw are either, judging by the pictures which are titled stuff like "sea slug thingy"

 

[afmo]

Well, we got a new fish shop in my little old town, and they have a marine section.

I browsed round it with wide eyes the other night, looking at all the amazing things creeping, crawling, swimming and "waving" about in their tanks and thought I might be swayed to come join the marine set.

However, 5 minutes over here and I have already learned that I could die from touching a snail and some sort of barnacle thing.

I think this might be a bit dangerous for me, lol.

I'll continue to visit and envy your pretty tanks, but I don't think marine is for me. Shame, there was this amazing looking sort of slug thing (that I'm sure you will now all tell me was a cucumber, but I swear it had horns...) and I would have liked to have him.

Are they poisonous? can you die from a slug or cucumber? I looked it up on Google images to try to find one that looked like him so I could tell you, but no one there seemed to know what the things they saw are either, judging by the pictures which are titled stuff like "sea slug thingy"

Rubber dish gloves = your friend I've been stung by a bristleworm before, but as long as you know what your putting into your tank and research your stock, then you probably won't have a problem. Just remember that these creatures are from a different world and have respect for them. That said, don't let a worst case scenario scare you away from a great hobby

 

[sianeds]

Sea slugs are not generally poisonous unless you wanna try eating it although why you'd want to do that I don't know

They are fairly easy to keep but they don't tend to live very long and can starve to death easily. They also have a tendency to find your powerhead intake and become slug soup.

One reason not to get them is that they can release toxins into your water when they die which can nuke your entire tank

Marine is not dangerous though, yes there are venemous critters and yes you do need to be careful where you put ungloved hands, but it's pretty rare to get a life-threatening injury from anything we keep (unless you happen to be allergic)

After keeping FW for years I have found much much much more pleasure in keeping marines. There is soooooo much more colour and movement and variety. There is also alot to learn but I find this just as enjoyable as watching my mini reefs. It is a hugely addictive hobby and is not cheap but IMO it's worth all the time trouble and money.

Keep looking at the marine section......it's only a matter of time before you turn to the salty side.....mwah ha ha ha ha

 

[PlecMama]

Sea slugs are not generally poisonous unless you wanna try eating it although why you'd want to do that I don't know

...actually, after looking at all those pictures of sea slugs, the strawberries on top of my big slab of cheesecake suddenly didn't look quite so nice.
I put one in my mouth and kept thinking "sea slug" - this may be another draw back

 

[sianeds]

Hmmm.......can't say I've ever had that problem...

Saying that..I can't bring myself to eat seafood when I'm sitting next to my tanks...seems somehow wrong.

 

[afmo]

Hmmm.......can't say I've ever had that problem...

Saying that..I can't bring myself to eat seafood when I'm sitting next to my tanks...seems somehow wrong.

LOL i thought i was the only one! we had shrimp fajitas the other night, and all through dinner, i couldnt help but visualize my poor scarlet skunk

 

[dixaisy930]

I went to a seafood place the other night, and they had a tank full of live lobsters...and the only think I could think of was..."I wonder what size tank I would need to keep all of them so they won't get eaten."

Marine is quite a pleasure. I was obsessed with my live rock for the first two months, trying to find something new on it, or coming out of it. Can you image my excitement when I bought my first livestock?

 

[Mr Miagi]

They are fairly easy to keep but they don't tend to live very long and can starve to death easily.

Well they are not easy to keep if we cant supply a regular supply of food to keep them sustained! Many only feed on specific diets, which are too often depleted or difficult to culture in our aquariums. Depends on species though, some feed on Macro algae (easy to culture), some on Aiptasia (VERY easy to propagate) but some feed on sponge (difficult) etc.

Keep looking at the marine section......it's only a matter of time before you turn to the salty side.....mwah ha ha ha ha

Dam straight!

Corals can also kill you, or severely harm you and land you in hospital. Oh the joy's of our hobby. Sea Slugs contian many toxins, many we don't really know alot about either. I remember reading about a bloke who squished a Nudi with his bare finger when he saw it on the front glass, and ended up in hospital hours later. There are many potential dangers, but Id say you stand a similar chance of infection, electrocution, or spousal abuse (spilt water) from both FW or SW.

 

[PlecMama]

Decided to drag my family up there tomorrow to all go look at the slug-guy and see what we think.

I could really see having him as a live-in friend here, he's weird enough to fit right in with us.

Do they have to have friends or don't they care? It seems a bit of a "simple" life form (and I mean no harm here) to need company but if it does, it does......does it?

 

[Mr Miagi]

Company is probably not necessary. I would highly recommend finding a correct ID for your Slug before you attempt to bring it home. This way you can research what food source you need to supply, and find out whether or not you can consistently supply it. You might have a hard time remembering what it looks like, or what the store called it (And even then they dont use proper names) so make sure to take a camera and get us some good pictures.

 

[Navarre]

If its a true slug (nudibranch) then do not consider keeping them.. 99% of them are impssible to keep alive as they willoly eat 1 specific food type for that species of slug.... if you dont know what it eats then you simply cannot cater for them.
There are a few that can be kept.. the lettuce budi and the aiptaisa species but niether of these are highly colourful when compared to the others.

If you are talking sea cucumber then these can be kept but if they fall ill then they can wipe ot the tank as they will release toxins that will harm the tank.

Marines do have their dangers i wont deny this but treat them with respect, just as you would with any living creature and you wil be fine.. remember that you are entering their world and must work on their rules.


Gloves will keep you safe from just about anything in your system as long as they dont have spines etc. I have ket inverts and corals that have among the dealiest toxins known to man yet i have never yet had a problem.
Dont do silly things like drinking the water.. ir grabbing under rocks you cannot see etc and you will be fine.
Marines are a very rewarding experience and if you are stadning wide eyed in the shop just imagine how fantastic a tank like that would be in your living room!

 

[PlecMama]

Oh it wasn't a pretty thing, not a colourful, fluffy, odd thing with spokes and spikes and floaty bits, no, this guy looked pretty much like a turd with a head, he was way cool.

I am going tomorrow...will get pics.

 

[Redstratplayer1]

Hmmmm.... turd with a head..................

Sounds like a sea bunny

 

[dixaisy930]

with spokes and spikes and floaty bits, no, this guy looked pretty much like a turd with a head, he was way cool.

I'm thinking sea hare too, but the "floaty bits"....not quite sure what that means....

 

[Redstratplayer1]

Ski's old "turd with a head"