what do I do now?

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MATTYJUST

Aquarium Advice Newbie
Joined
May 1, 2008
Messages
4
I found a sea pansy on the beach not knowing what it was. We were on vacation to the beach. I thought it was dead actually. I put it in a bottle of sea water so it wouldn't smell. I thought it would dry out like a sea urchin or something. Took out the bottle and it was very much alive! I bought premade sea water and set it up in an aquarium. I keep the water between 75-80 degrees. I have also introduced brine. I know it has a varied diet, but I don't know what to do. Took me 4 days to find out what it is. I have no clue what to do from here. This is my only saltwater animal. Again, I thought it was dead. Now I don't want it to die. Please advise me as to what would be the best way to care for it or what to do with it. I know from reading that this isn't what a beginner starts with.
Thanks!
mattyjust
 
Welcome to the site!
Is your tank cycled already?
What size tank?
Do you have any live rock or sand in the tank?
 
I'm assuming you didn't have a salt water tank set up since you said this is your only salt water animal.

While your best bet is to drop it in 5 to 6 feet of water at low tide. If your wanting to keep him, then it would probably be best to have someone with an established tank hold on to it until you have a tank ready. If there's no place to keep it until then, then you're going to need to cycle that tank fast.

Aquarium Products Water Chem Saltwater Biozyme 8gm

That stuff does work, I've used it myself. It's just not the suggested method unless you really have to.
 
I had no idea such things existed: sea pansy, huh.

It definitely is not the most beautiful animal in the sea (IMO), and not worth starting and investing in an entirely new SW setup, so I sort of agree with Skyrmir's second sentence.

But to each his own, so go for it if you want to. Just be cognizant that thowing this thing in a completely uncycled tank could very likely kill it.
 
I think what his problem with putting back in the ocean is that he may not live anywhere near it. Matty I think you should read up on doing frequent partial water changes and maybe buy some Amquel+ to reduce the ammonia and nitrite. You probably also need a heater and test kits. There are a few brands of jump start your cycle bacteria in a bottle that you can buy(biospira, superbac, fritz zyme etc. In my experience they dont work as well as they claim but it is better than nothing. Keep up on the partial water changes. This whole process can be an expensive start up cost. If you have no desire at all to keep a saltwater aquarium, that pansy needs to be put back. Or take this opportunity to get involed in the hobby, it can be lots of fun.
 
I think what his problem with putting back in the ocean is that he may not live anywhere near it.

That was my assumption also...

Keep up on the partial water changes. This whole process can be an expensive start up cost. If you have no desire at all to keep a saltwater aquarium, that pansy needs to be put back....

OK... I'll go the politically incorrect route. Only by chance you saved it. You just put it in saltwater so it wouldn't stink up the place while you though it was decaying. If you hadn't, it would've quickly died on your way home. If you had no intention of starting a SW tank (and as you said, this isn't the best thing to start one with!) then you could also put it in the freezer and continue the process you started. (I've been told the freezer is a "nice" way to euthanize fish/coral.) Again... putting it back would be best, but if not possible, this is obviously another option.

This is a good time to point out that things found on the beach should stay on the beach. Even if they're dead (or they're thought to be dead), they're still part of the whole cycle of life.
 
Thank you for your suggestions. I am not on a mission to kill this animal or had any intentions of doing so. I should have left it, but again I thought it was already dead. I will contact our local saltwater aquarium store and see if they will take it.
Thanks,
mattyjust
 
The pictures shown are not the most flattering of this animal. The picture shows what it looks like when washed up on the beach. It covers itself with a slime coating to push the sand particles out. It is actually shaped like a purple heart and it sometimes is shaped like a clover. It has tentacles that are white that come up and retract. It is also to be said that it changes colors when disturbed at night. Has a bright blue wave that goes over it. Haven't seen it yet. It has a foot that produces a slime to catch it's food with. It is a bottom dweller and moves very slowly. At times it can look like the shape of a sea urchin.
Thanks,
Mattyjust
 
I see all kinds of suggestions as far as trying to keep it alive in a brand new setup. What I see as the biggest concern is....what does this thing eat? Chances are it's going to starve to death in a brand new tank. In fact, I would bet it would starve to death in a fully established and mature tank. I just don't think this is an aquarium creature.
 
Kurt, I have read (a while ago) that the freezing part is very painful for the animal. I'll see if I can find the article because it gives different options.
Pharyngula::How to euthanize a fish
MS 222 [Tricaine methanesulfonate] seems to be the way to go. I imagine this will work on inverts as well. Feel free to correct me if I am wrong.
 
Kurt, I have read (a while ago) that the freezing part is very painful for the animal. I'll see if I can find the article because it gives different options.
Pharyngula::How to euthanize a fish
MS 222 [Tricaine methanesulfonate] seems to be the way to go. I imagine this will work on inverts as well. Feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

To be even more politically correct, it is debateable to whether or not fish actually feel pain with scientific minds unable to come to an agreement. I concur with the use of ms222, but in the hobbyist sense there are very few situations where a generous amount of animals are "healthy" and still need to be euthenized by this method. By the time most people are ready to euthenize a fish the animal is already in late stages of some disease affecting its internal abilities to function normally along with early tissue decomposition and oftentimes going into shock. At this point freezing and other various euthanizing methods are not going to do any more harm than what the fish is already going through.
 
On a personal note, I would rather go slowly and peacefully and definitely not in the cold! LOL! I don't see how there is a real discussion on whether fish feel pain or not. Just by seeing the different animals defense mechanisims proves to me that fish can feel pain. Look at a forktail blenny, with the venemous bite, a pincushion urchin with it's spines, these are for defense and cause pain. Watch a vritter hit an anenmoe, bet they feel pain then.....Just my simple thought process.
 
I agree with you in the pain theory, but science is still at odds and many will not even partake in such a discussion so not to offend.
 
I see all kinds of suggestions as far as trying to keep it alive in a brand new setup. What I see as the biggest concern is....what does this thing eat? Chances are it's going to starve to death in a brand new tank. In fact, I would bet it would starve to death in a fully established and mature tank. I just don't think this is an aquarium creature.

I guess cccapt more eloquently said what I was trying to express!

mattyjust... I didn't mean to imply that you were looking to kill this animal. I understand that you just thought you were picking up a nice keepsake from the ocean. And now you're trying to figure out how to keep it alive. I just wanted to offer the other opinion that seemed obvious, but no one wanted to even mention it.

roka64... I don't mean for this to drift, but the article you posted was someone's opinion that it wasn't the best method for fish. I never said it was the "best" method, but was one of the more humane options from what I've read. Hypothermia in humans is actually a fairly peaceful way to go.
 
Yes, it is still alive. I gave it to someone who already has an established tank today. Hopefully, everything will go well.
Next time, I will start with the tank first and not the fish or invert. Lesson learned.
 
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