Barnacle shells are decoration, a refuge and frag mount.

[atoll]

I have a number of clusters of barnacle shells which are now becoming scares in the UK so when I saw some for sale at a good price in Blackpool at a shell shop I purchased a couple of more. Barnacle shells are an ideal refuge for a number of species of small fish most notably blennies and damsels will spawn in them. However, they are also ideal for mounting frag plugs in the holes and by adding a few more I have created a number of places in which to add more frags.

 

[tupes]

I like it. A friend of mine does that also and his gobys have claimed ownership.

 

[atoll]

A better pic.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Okay, now I want some! I never had empty ones before. I think they look very cool! Got me searching for them now.

 

[atoll]

They take next to no water volume displacement given the shell is so thin while affording lots of hiding and spawning places for fish. I saw 2 of my 4 Royal grammas going in and out of one of the shells checking it out maybe for a potential spawning site. These shells are also easily stacked and if you wish to make them more secure a blob of silicone here and they will do the trick but I never bother. I just need to add a couple of more SPS frags and I am done.

 

[Katrina71]

I put frag plugs in mine too. Keeps them upright from crabs knocking them over.

 

[sundog101]

I’ve seen these for sale and never thought they looked very good...until now. That’s really cool!

 

[Cherub]

I used to use them too and thought they were neat. I pulled them when I started getting algae blooms on them. I doubt it was them but I should try them again. Great post

 

[marktea]

Wow, they do actually have a really cool look to them. Especially how you situated them. Unrelated, your bubble tip isn't bothering any neighbors? Getting worried about mine soon

 

[atoll]

Unrelated, your bubble tip isn't bothering any neighbors? Getting worried about mine soon

My BT split a few weeks back and this is the baby one which is growing quite fast even though I don't feed it directly. It's not got to the stage it's bothering anything as yet but the way it is going I will probably have to remove it soon.

 

[atoll]

I used to use them too and thought they were neat. I pulled them when I started getting algae blooms on them. I doubt it was them but I should try them again. Great post

Nothing in them to cause algae however they can trap detritus within them.