Display as a link instead. Clear editor. Upload or insert images from URL. Invertebrate Forum. Search In. Reply to this topic Start new topic. Recommended Posts. Posted April 2, I don't have clams so I"m fine in that aspect. I once kept a baby spiny lobster 20 years ago that started at about 3 inches. I released the aquarium was all native less than a year later after several molts. He was very destructive - but I don't know if the blue variety have a similar personality. I think you are confusing the "size for sale" in the first link and the full disclosure of "maximum size" in the second link.
I would not treat a lobster as completely reef safe Their need for food increases and the become more opportunistic. My purple lobster is by himself in my nano and BOY does he attack the food stick when there is a morsel of flesh on it. I normally have them in predator tanks they eat fish really well. Boomer Reef Sanctuary's Mr. Spiny lobster can be very dangerous to take mates and especially when they are in pre-molt, when they are at their meanest.
Lets not forget that that size is head to tail. The can get up to 16 " with the large robust 1st antenna up to another 20 ". So that is 3 feet long. Not to be outdone, Panulirus lobsters boast a large pair of walking legs in place of the missing claws. They also harbor a pair of antennas that are specialized for sensory perception to help them detect and adjust to their surroundings.
These are normally kept alongside the body and extended only when in use. Panulirus are in large part nocturnal, taking refuge in caves, crevices, and overhangs during the day and feeding and hunting during dusk, early morning, and nighttime hours. Though individuals can be found relatively close to each other at times, lobsters are generally intolerant of each other, excluding a very interesting, seemingly ceremonial gathering that occurs in an Atlantic species, P.
I find it very sad to walk into various fish stores and see multiple spiny lobsters. As hardy as members of this genus can be, they simply are not suited to the average home aquarium. The list of compatible organisms is quite short and arguably non-existent for some individuals. Furthermore, most aquariums are too small to house these organisms, some of which reach sizes upward of 2 feet. And yes, even slower, smaller fish are at some risk with a large lobster in the tank.
They should by no means be classified as social or reef safe. As with most lobsters, rock lobsters are quite messy eaters and big waste makers. The nutrient accumulation caused by these animals alone can cause the balance of smaller, unprepared systems to take a negative turn. I admit that this causes Panulirus spp. Living in Southern California, one of my largest complaints is the fact that many stores offer local specimens, which are temperate. If you plan to place a temperate species, such as the California spiny lobster P.
Animals like P. If you decide to keep one of these temperate species, a water chiller is a must. These units can be quite expensive. Temperate tanks also tend to constantly form condensation on the outside due to the ambient temperature in the room typically being higher. To counteract this, a thicker and preferably acrylic tank would be the best way to go. As such, it would probably be in your best interest to keep tropical specimens.
The following list includes the members of the genus that aquarists are most likely to come across. The species itself is highly protected, as are all the animals in Hawaii, and it will be quite difficult to attain one.
Any commercial gathering is currently illegal; only hand-caught ula over certain lengths are legal. Having said that, they are beautiful creatures that are very hardy when given the right care.
As with most lobsters, they are quite voracious eaters and will easily consume any invertebrate or plant life housed with them.
Tank lighting and rock arrangement will need to be thought through very carefully, as this animal is a dedicated nocturnal reef denizen.
This species reportedly attains lengths of 18 inches, though 12 inches is much more common. In my experience, the blue spiny lobster is the most widely available species in the aquarium trade. They are much more predictable and agreeable than their cousins, especially as juveniles. For the most part, they are fairly timid and calm—at smaller sizes, it is not unheard of to hear of them cohabiting in mixed reef tanks even with other lobsters, causing no harm.
Though they are more timid than most lobsters, they can still be quite boisterous and destructive as adults, so my recommendation stands to keep this species and all spiny lobsters in dedicated aquaria. As it grows, the blue spiny lobster will begin feeding indiscriminately with a seemingly bottomless stomach.
It should be fed various meats of marine origin. Blue spiny lobsters appreciate overhangs and caves in which to hide, though it is commonly seen burrowing pits into the substrate to take refuge.
Overall, P. As it adjusts to captive life, it can be coaxed into exploring its environment during daylight hours. The ornate spiny lobster has quite a large distribution in comparison to some of its cousins, ranging from the Red Sea all the way down to Africa, and is a common sight in many Western Pacific islands. Quite boisterous and very bold, it will ruthlessly defend its territory.
And I dont think a fish would go after this guy, hes pretty big. Anyone else, I would love to hear. Its hard to know if the people who say that lobsters eat fish are actually eating healthy fish, or if they had sick or dying fish that the lobster ate.
So I like to hear about the experiences. Got a picture of him? The lfs has one, and I want it pretty badly. I had one about 10 years ago in a 90g with a couple fuzzy dwarf lions. They were all about the same size at first, but the lobster molted often, and grew quickly. When he got to about 5", one of my lions went missing the lions were both around " TL. I thought something may have been wrong when she didn't come out for food, but it hadn't been long enough to warrant taking lbs of LR apart to look for her.
About a week later, I caught the lobster eating my other lion. While I didn't actually see it catch either of them, I'm pretty sure he managed to grab them when they were perched on the rock, as both lions were previously very healthy.
Of course the types of fish that you have are a lot more active, so you may not have any issues, but I wanted to share my experience. They are very cool animals though, and if I ever decide to try keeping them again, I'll likely do so in a species tank Hope everything works out with them, and your other fish!
Hi Ben, Thanks for the info on your experience. Did you notice if your fish were sick at all? Some people have said if the fish is healthy it should not be able to be caught, but this guy crawls around my tank quite a bit.
I would be livid if I came down and he had my prized queen or french in its jaws. I am thinking I will get rid of it, so there is no risk, not worth it to me. Its probably about 4" right now. One thing to consider is even active fish sleep, and a sleeping fish is like ringing a dinner bell to an opportunistic predator. Find More Posts by namxas. Yeah, but I have watched these fish sleeping, and they dont lay down on a rock and fall asleep, they still are moving a bit.
My question is really at what size and age will it start going after healthy fish? It seems like some do and some dont go after fish. My brother has had one in his tank for months now and it has not gone after anything. It is a bit smaller than mine, but I wonder if you keep it fed if it will not bother fish.
Thanks for the comments. These lobsters are predators that hunt at night. It's just a matter of time until it starts killing and eating your fish.
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