Have you ever kept tunicates?

[tzabor10]

Just got a gorgeous selection of love rocks from Tampa Bay Saltwater loaded with tunicates. @LiverockRocks
Does anyone have long term experience with these squirts? They are fascinating. Love the barnacles as well. I am dosing phytoplankton and a little reef roids.

 

[KrisReef]

Well, I was looking at this last week and have looked back a few times wondering what you would get in replies.

My own experience with a lot of these kinds of encrusting inverts found on live rock is that they often don't survive long in the relatively sterile captive reef environment. Some die (often 'melting') apparently from transportation stresses while others will slowly fade and vanish over time, presumably from lack of nutrients that are present in relative abundance on the currents that blast across the reef from the deeper oceans to supply the reef critters with the sustenance items required for their health.

A few of the less delicate sponges and occasionally a rare, tough(?) tunicate colony will make it for a short while but long term I don't think keeping tunicates alive is a common occurrence in captivity in fish and coral displays.

If you have pictures of any survivors, and keep us posted it would be an interesting thing to follow, hopefully some of these inverts will prove me ignorant and thrive in your system? The rock looked amazing on arrival and what can survive in your tank will provide largely unseen service for the health of the captive ecosystem you have assembled.

 

[DaJMasta]

Most colonial tunicates I've had have withered away after a few months, this is feeding a good deal of dried particulate food. I now feed phyto too, so may have a better chance, but didn't when the live rock was fresh enough to still have them.

That said, years ago, I got a big red condominium tunicate on some live rock that I kept for more than a year without any more than something like reef chili - and it only died because a malfunctioning heater (later recalled) cooked it when I was on vacation. If you get one of those larger single tunicates, I think they take a lot better to the fine particulate foods.

 

[JoJosReef]

I had a brown tunicate for over a year on my TBS rock. It did fine until bubble algae covered it, and then to put the final nail in the coffin, an RFA relocated right above it.

I've got several sponges thay have made it long term and are even growing.

 

[tzabor10]

Still going strong on Day 11. Been feeding about 2 gallons of phytoplankton every week mixed with reef chili or reef Roids. There are also several thousand barnacles on the rock. I am considering buying sponges and gorgonia and making this a Caribbean reef special tank.
Video here

 

[Spare time]

I think vanadium may be important to them. I would make sure to dose a trace element supplements containing it.