Heteropsammia, anybody got one?

[GoingPostal]

Diver's Den keeps posting these and I keep missing them, anybody on here buy one yet? They look kind of like a green balano, another site I looked them up on said they don't attach to anything? I hope they post some more after Friday when I get paid, anyone know how much lighting these guys need?

http://www.liveaquaria.com/diversden/itemdisplay.cfm?c=2733+8&ddid=74160

 

[rowjimmy]

Diver's Den keeps posting these and I keep missing them, anybody on here buy one yet? They look kind of like a green balano, another site I looked them up on said they don't attach to anything? I hope they post some more after Friday when I get paid, anyone know how much lighting these guys need?

http://www.liveaquaria.com/diversden/itemdisplay.cfm?c=2733+8&ddid=74160

I just bought one. I will be getting it on Thursday (I'll post pics). Technically it's not a NPC, cause it is photosynthetic, but it does appreciate meaty foods all the same. I plan on feeding mine the same way I feed my NPC.

This coral has a symbiotic relationship with a peanut worm (Sipunculid?) that gives it mobility and keeps it from being burried in the sediment. The larval stage of the coral takes up residence on a snail shell. It grows on the shell, and the worm takes up residence inside of the shell that the coral grew on. It is a bottom dweller.

I would put it on the sand bed with enough lighting to support a photosynthetic coral. I wouldn't put it in a cave/low light situation the way you would Tubastrea, Dendro, Balano, etc.

Here's the one I'm getting:

 

[parrthed]

I have had 3 for about a month now. All are doing extremely well and extend their tentacles about 3/8". I have been supplimenting with chopped mysis and live pods. A really cool coral but man these guys can move. The distributor that I recieved them from said to acclimate slowly because the worm is sensitive. Although the coral doesnt need the worm to survive, its the coolest part. Heres a pic of one of one of mine. Congrats on the purchase. Good luck with your new coral.

 

[suta4242]

Well I have some too. Funny I pm'd a really knowledgable guy in the trade and he collected these in Queensland a few years back. The collectors didn't think they were worth collecting at all back then.

His information was really useful as he kept them for a few years. Basically they come from a muddy bottom environment thats really rich in food for the worm. So you need a mature DSB at least and probably not too much competition from other predators in the DSB. Heteropsammia cochlea is what you guys are possibly receiving as a local guy is exporting them.

http://data.aims.gov.au/coralpages/html/201-300/Species pages/214.htm

What I personally have found is the coral's best friend and worst enemy is the worm. And so has the guy who keept them long term. Best friend because it stops the coral from being buried in sediment in a natural environment. Worst enemy because the worm follows the food without regard for any other bottom dwelling corals you have on the sand bed. My first one got so badly stung that I wasn't sure the coral would recover. I have transferred him to a separate tank as a temporary thing while I set up a biotope tank for them. I think they'd be difficult to keep in the long run in a typical reef tank.

As an aside, while its likely the ones being sold are photosynthetic, there are others from different habitats that are not.

Also, am I allowed to link to another forum for more discussion on these?:wave:

 

[stunreefer]

Very interesting and cool coral, especially due to the worm! They're like a giant mobile Duncan polyp!

Personally I wouldn't keep them in my tank due to the moving factor though as they surely would run into other coral I keep on the sand bed, and my sand bed is very, very shallow. I think a small nano cube specifically for these guys (biotope aquarium) would be really awesome!

FWIW all the one's I've seen imported are photosynthetic.

 

[GoingPostal]

Do they need quite a bit of light to stay alive or more like duncans where they do ok in low light with plenty of food? I assume if the worm died the coral is still fine right? I've had peanut worms hitchhike in before and they just scavenged but are pretty cool themselves. I'm also concerned about the moving factor though and don't have substrate in my tank but that's easily fixable. Does the worm move it up onto rocks at all or just on the bottom?

 

[suta4242]

In the wild as another person pointed out elsewhere, they are are found with other bottom dwellers such as trachys, cats and fungids. The Australian guy who collected them said they do fine in the long run under subdued lighting (by highly lit reef standards). I also feed mine regularly and the corals are greedy little eaters.

But I wouldn't put them in a tank without an established, fine grain, sandbed. Otherwise I think you'd risk losing the worm, which would be a shame IMO. To answer your question though, I think the coral is fine without the worm in a reeftank. As for the climbing, I seriously doubt it, but can't be sure of that.

 

[happyjack]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/21793773@N08/4052832595/

 

[rowjimmy]

My Heteropsammia was delivered today. It looks like a green Balanophyllia to me besides for the symbiotic relationship with the peanut worm. Here are some pics as promised (I'll post more when it is fully open with my lights on later):

 

[rowjimmy]

Lights on and fully expanded: