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ORGANISM CARE AND FEEDING
Check the aquarium daily upon arrival in the classroom and remove any dead organisms. Before leaving for the day, check the aquarium again. Remove all except two pieces of uneaten food and any dead organisms. Make sure the air pump is operating properly.
Individually feeding the aquarium organisms each weekday with a 1/8” x 1/8” piece of food is good.
Organisms may be fed chopped 1/8" pieces of fresh clams, raw shrimp, or fresh fish. Include a small amount of the liquid produced when preparing the food. One small cherry stone clam, blue mussel, or small uncooked shrimp will be enough food for several servings. Buy these fresh or fresh frozen. Beware of using commercially frozen sea food as it is likely to contain preservatives that could adversely affect the organisms. Note the total amount of food eaten per feeding. Two hours after feeding remove any uneaten food, except for two pieces. DO NOT CONTAMINATE THE AQUARIUM SEAWATER BY OVERFEEDING. (Cloudy, foul-smelling seawater is an indication of overfeeding, or a missed dead animal.) Process the remaining amount of fresh food into serving portions. Individually package the serving portions along with any liquid, and freeze. On feeding days, thaw the food and feed it to the animals in the aquarium.
Holding bits of food (e.g., clam) next to the starfish and urchins will enable them to grasp the food with their tube feet before the hermit crabs or grass shrimp take it away. If the starfish and/or urchins are attached to the glass, you will be able to watch them move the food to their mouths, which are located on the undersides of their bodies. Brittle stars have long, thin arms and move rapidly along the bottom of the tank, searching for the food. Coral, barnacles, and sea cucumbers will feed on live Artemia (i.e., brine shrimp, sometimes called "sea monkeys"). Live Artemia or their eggs are available at most aquarium supply stores. By following instructions enclosed with the eggs, you can easily hatch them in a separate container. The coral may be fed, if the tentacles are extended, by allowing a tiny piece of food to gently land on their mouths (extended tentacles circle the mouth). We also recommend liquid invertebrate food for the coral, sea cucumbers, mussels and barnacles. Liquid invertebrate food may be purchased at your local pet store, by catalog, or online. If your sea lettuce expires we recommend putting small 1/2” x 1” pieces of dried Nori seaweed into the aquarium daily. Remove any left over Nori the next day. Nori can be purchased at most supermarkets or health food stores.
I hope that you and your students enjoy observing these interesting ocean organisms. I welcome questions, comments, or suggestions from you.
Sincerely,
Edward G. Enos, Jr.
Superintendent, Aquatic Resources Division
Marine Biological Laboratory
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Recommended References:
Blasiola, George. The New Saltwater Aquarium Handbook. Barrons Educational Series, Inc., Hauppauge, NY, 1991 (ISBN: 0812044827).
Coulombe, Deborah A. The Seaside Naturalist: A Guide to Study at the Seashore. Prentice Hall Press, New York, NY, 1992 (ISBN: 0671765035).
Gosner, Kenneth L. and Peterson, Roger T. A Field Guide to the Atlantic Seashore (Peterson Field Guides). Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, MA, 1999 (ISBN: 061800209X).
Setting Up Your Aquarium
Seawater
Organism Care Upon Arrival
Organism Care And Feeding
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