Indo Pacific Furry Lobster research

[Casual_reefkeeping]

So I went to my LFS, saw this neat orange lobster, asked about it. Store said it was a slipper lobster, care requirements sounded doable for us, so we purchased. After getting it home and doing further research, I finally saw a picture of a slipper lobster, and this obviously isn't one. After a few hours we determined it is an Indo Pacific Furry Lobster, Palinurellus wieneckii. we were unable to find any additional information about it, or even any in the aquarium trade.

We decided to give it a shot since it seems to be related to the slipper lobster. This thread will be where I share what I learn and our experience keeping it.

 

[blaxsun]

Do we have a name for our new crustacean?

 

[Bucs20fan]

Shall hence forth be named Mr. Fuzzy, the anomaly of the reef.

 

[Casual_reefkeeping]

Do we have a name for our new crustacean?

My wife named him Sid for some reason, but I think Mr Fuzzy is a good nickname as well

 

[Casual_reefkeeping]

The morning update, Mr Fuzzy is hiding under a rock now, he did eat a little chunky LRS last night, and the other tank inhabitants seem u bothered by his presence.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

What kind of system is it going in?

 

[Casual_reefkeeping]

What kind of system is it going in?

I'm not sure if it's ideal, but for now it's in a 32 gallon biocube. There's just soft corals and clownfish in there. I didn't want to use my 180 reef for the science experiment. Depending on what we learn soon, I can upgrade this system to a larger one, I've got a 35 gallon sump laying around already.

 

[Casual_reefkeeping]

Day 2: Mr Fuzzy seems to be pretty nocturnal. More so than the snowflake eel I have in another tank. Saw a little movement in the rocks around lights out but not much noticable until an hour or so later. Completely hidden when I got up this morning.

 

[Mr_Knightley]

So neat! I love the animals in the slipper lobster complex.
One method to train nocturnal beasties to go out in the day is the feed them only in the morning, nothing at night. They'll get used to it and start wandering around with the lights on!

I love a good experiment, good luck with this one! I'll follow along.

 

[Gatorpa]

I never name fish, just sentences them to an early death..

 

[Casual_reefkeeping]

So neat! I love the animals in the slipper lobster complex.
One method to train nocturnal beasties to go out in the day is the feed them only in the morning, nothing at night. They'll get used to it and start wandering around with the lights on!

I love a good experiment, good luck with this one! I'll follow along.

That's my plan when I go back to work tonight. I work midnights so when I get home around 7am has been a good opportunity to feed the nocturnal creatures. Been working on a sun coral like that as well. Hasn't opened during normal day time but it is opening earlier. Hopefully we get to see more of this lobster, so far it's been antenna sightings through the rocks lol

 

[Casual_reefkeeping]

I never name fish, just sentences them to an early death..

Luckily we don't seem to be cursed too bad, Kayla gives them all sorts of goofy names. Eel named graham cracker, six line wrasse named Mildred, the list goes on.

 

[Steve and his Animals]

I have one of these in my 90g reef. She's pretty harmless. She hides in the big cave in the center of the tank during the day. I drop half-clams in front of the opening, she grabs them and eats away.

The species only gets about 6 inches long, so pretty manageable for a lobster. The lack of claws means they're safe with fish as long as the fish are alive and decently smart.

Pic of her most recent molt.

I'm about to attempt a couple baby slippers in the same tank. Not sure what species they are yet as I just got them today. Only thing in my tank I imagine they might try to eat is a baby crocea clam, but we'll see.

 

[Casual_reefkeeping]

I have one of these in my 90g reef. She's pretty harmless. She hides in the big cave in the center of the tank during the day. I drop half-clams in front of the opening, she grabs them and eats away.

The species only gets about 6 inches long, so pretty manageable for a lobster. The lack of claws means they're safe with fish as long as the fish are alive and decently smart.

Pic of her most recent molt.

I'm about to attempt a couple baby slippers in the same tank. Not sure what species they are yet as I just got them today. Only thing in my tank I imagine they might try to eat is a baby crocea clam, but we'll see.

Well that's pretty cool, glad I'm not the only one then. I'll have to try some half clams, so far it picks up reef frenzy or chunky I leave by the back cave. Any luck getting it to come out during the day?

 

[Steve and his Animals]

Well that's pretty cool, glad I'm not the only one then. I'll have to try some half clams, so far it picks up reef frenzy or chunky I leave by the back cave. Any luck getting it to come out during the day?

I get her antennae to poke out when she smells me feeding the others, then I give her a chunk by hand. Working on it.

 

[Casual_reefkeeping]

I get her antennae to poke out when she smells me feeding the others, then I give her a chunk by hand. Working on it.

Same boat then. I'll be sure to update as I go.

 

[Alpha_and_Gec]

Gonna resurrect this post because I also want one. How did it go? did it eat anything precious or get eaten?

 

[Casual_reefkeeping]

Gonna resurrect this post because I also want one. How did it go? did it eat anything precious or get eaten?

Hey sorry I haven't been checking reef2reef.
Lobster is still alive, really haven't seen much of it unless I look at night. It is very nocturnal, but no fish have gone missing.
I'll see it move in the corner in the evening to scavenge, otherwise if I happened to wake up on the middle of the night I can catch it wandering the tank.

 

[Casual_reefkeeping]

Gonna resurrect this post because I also want one. How did it go? did it eat anything precious or get eaten?

I captured this a few months ago at around 2am before the light scared it off. Might try an infrared camera