I just got a blue spiny LOBSTER

[miaheatlvr]

for my reeftank,, very very beautiful creature and great addition but only comes out at night! and besides trying to watch him at night by TV light, i have only saw him when i put him in the tank! LOL does anybody have a BLUE SPINEY that comes out in the day or are they just NOCTURNAL, thanks alot!

 

[ophiura]

In general, they are going to be nocturnal. They may adapt over time, but then again may not.

 

[alyssia]

They are mostly nocturnal. I have a purple lobster and I do not see him, EVER, unless I move the rock he's usually under.

 

[miaheatlvr]

since my lobster only comes out at night, i am worried that he will not find enough to eat in my 30g reef tank, because he doesnt even come out during feedings of the other crusteaceons.. Do you have any advice or feelings? or will he just get by? Kind Regards!

 

[gatorwpb]

I almost bought a blue lobster yesterday but didnt because the LFS said I would barely see him. They do look soooo cool though. Good luck.
:jumping: :cheer:

 

[isistius]

they are cool. but i'm having problems deciding b/w a blue spiny, purple, or red reef.
too many decisions!!!!!!!!!1

 

[fishgeek01]

Originally Posted by MiaHeatLvr
since my lobster only comes out at night, i am worried that he will not find enough to eat in my 30g reef tank, because he doesnt even come out during feedings of the other crusteaceons.. Do you have any advice or feelings? or will he just get by? Kind Regards!
I would recommend some sinking shrimp pellets, i have heard of being able to train a lobster to feed where you can see him with this method, basically pick a corner of your tank, ansd after your lights go out drop your pellets in that corner. your hermits and other inverts will come to the table as well, and your lobster may take a little while learning the new feeding routine, but i am told it works. do this once every couple of days until you see him coming on a regular basis, then adjust the feedings so that he is getting his fill when he needs to

 

[fishgeek01]

also, i use this method to do a count on hmy hermits, so that i know when it is time to add more. It works really well, i turn the lights out, then drop the pellets in and come back in about an hour to check the number of crabs at the table...

 

[rustyj]

I purchased a blue spiny lobster about a month ago and he is out all the time. He even stole a clam from my snowflake eel the other day. He is usually hunting for food. In the few weeks that I have had him he has also already molted twice! The shell is very cool because it is much harder than the coral banded shrimp I have so you can see up close the great detail. Anyway I have a 135gal tank and dont feed him specifically but I do feed the tank with live stuff that he finds during his hunts

 

[alyssia]

Originally Posted by MiaHeatLvr
since my lobster only comes out at night, i am worried that he will not find enough to eat in my 30g reef tank, because he doesnt even come out during feedings of the other crusteaceons.. Do you have any advice or feelings? or will he just get by? Kind Regards!

I target feed mine every week or so. I just use a turkey baster to shoot some silverslides, mysis, or krill under his rock.

 

[miaheatlvr]

Yhe dropping of the shrimp pellets seems like a good idea,, i wil give it a try, Even though i am kind of hesitant on dropping silverslides or pellets in there and letting them sit, because, #1 maybe the fish will eat it first, #2 maybe my hermies wil eat it first or crabs or brittle stars, since they are nocturnal #3 a spike in my nitrates,, they are already a struggle to keep low! But it is a welcome challenge for keeping something so beautiful in my tank,, im not gonna fail! regards

 

[alyssia]

Yeah, I'm never sure if my lobster even gets the food I leave for it or not.