anyone know how to take care of barnacles?

[vasilithegreek]

does anyone know how to take care of barnacles that hitched a ride on the back of one of my hermits shells....there 4 of them on the shell and there little mouths are moving.if anyone knows anything that would be great thanks

 

[vasilithegreek]

bump

 

[mbuckley]

I don't know alot about them but I seem to remember reading in a previous post that they are almost impossible to keep alive in captivity because they need to be fed constantly. I had some once on a piece of aquacultured live rock I bought but they only lasted about a week. Try a search of the board to see if you can find anyother information. Sorry I wasn't of much help.

 

[dive1]

Get rid of them... I dive a lot in the gulf and made the mistake of bringing some home after a dive when I was just getting started... the die off messed up my water and the hitchikers were even worst....wait untill you can get something worth keeping...it is hard to do but patience is the key to this hobby and I am the worlds worst....Good luck... by the way I think they eat Plantom..simular to fether dusters.....just a lot more since usually a lot more of them....Terry

 

[ophiura]

If it is a few barnacles on a snail, I would assume they are not large, and I would not worry about them fouling up the tank. I actually had some luck with some tiny barnacles that came on some LR for a few months (if that is success). Basically they are filter feeders. If you are dosing the tank for any other filter feeders, so be it. If you are not, I am not sure it is worth doing just for those guys. I guess you can try, since there are various LR animals that are also filter feeders, but don't dose heavily.

 

[dive1]

Sorry I worked all night and read too quick ...did not see the part about small ones on a snale.....I read in a hurry and remimbered my problems.....I had quite a few....several softball size chunks...this caused me a problem... not what and how you recieved them... sorry again...terry

 

[vasilithegreek]

thanks for the info guys...yeah there pretty small so i dont know how they can feed when the hermit is always moving around so im not to worried if they live or die it dosnt make a difference to me now from the info ive been reading about them...id rather take the time trying to feed corals instead of those little bugers ..anyways thanks everybody

 

[clarkiiboi]

vasilithegreek
Do they look like "clams" and then they open up and this filter looking (almost like a feather duster, but sooo much smaller) pops in and out as though to feed? Just curious, sorry for the lack of discription, I had a crab that had this growth on its shell and about fell on the floor when I saw this growth "feeding" (I was excited, cause I never get freebies), the crab has since moved to another shell, but the filter feeder "thing" is still alive on the ditched shell. Just wondering if that sounds like what you have. Thanks

 

[Maelene]

I think if they are on your hermit crab they may have a higher chance of survival. If you give the hermit crab foods that will cause small particles to float around it they may be ok. Barnacles eat more than just plankton. If they are well fed, they may live 5-10 years. I've only dealt with them in the wild, and I know they'll feed on food pellet powder stuff. I know it's a little late probably.