Pyrocystis fusiformis (bioluminescence)

[mrg02d]

Hello all,
I was wondering if anyone here has any experience with purposefully adding bioluminescent creatures to their tank? One can buy some biolumin. dinoflagellates online and just dump in to the tank.

Might this cause a red tide in the tank? Or, could this be an interesting experiment?

The stuff in question is: Pyrocystis fusiformis
You can get some from : Our Educational Products

Thanks,
Matt

 

[Innovator]

You can experiment, especially in the form of feedings, but as of right now most fish lose their 'bio' over time.

 

[mrg02d]

Hello,
So say that nothing in the tank decided to eat the dinos...Could that pose a problem? (Algae bloom style problem?)

I know that people raise these things at home in soda bottles and they tend to grow rapidly in ideal conditions. One thing that may help is that they like lower temperatures. Since a salt water tank has a temp in the mid seventies, it may help keep the critters in check, no?

Nothing in my tank (its still cycling, so nothing alive in there yet) would likely eat the stuff aside from some porcelain crabs.

I think I will make a small setup to grow the critters in, and then see what happens.

Anyone else have any thoughts on this?

Matt

 

[roka64]

I agree, it may be a cool experiment, but you won't be able to see them until light out...and I'm not sure if ir will work with moon LEDs. Some of them you really need to swish around the water to get them to light up.
One other thing, they don't show up in pics.

 

[mrg02d]

Hmmm...Well as long as it couldnt hurt anything, I think I will plan to try it out once I am cycled and have some things in the tank. ( I may get a porcelain crab along with some hermits and whatnot to start).

They only light during their night cycle. Since I will plan to keep the main lights on during the day for the fish and everything else, this may work out nicely. 12 hours of day and then 12 hours of night. They may light due to the power head turbulence or fish swimming back and forth. Blue moon lights would likely drown out their "show" but I could turn them off when looking for the dinos.

Matt

 

[roka64]

I agree, but the fish movement probably won't cause them to light. If I remember correctly, they lit at the surface when I ran my arms through the top of the water.

 

[mrg02d]

Would this stuff be suitable food for filter feeders? If so, it would help justify me getting some and keeping it going in separate containers.

Seems porcelain crabs, feather dusters, and others would be happy. What else would eat?

Thanks,
Matt