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The following is a list of organisms in the Invertebrate Tank. To view a larger image of the organism, either click on the index image or the common name of the organism.
Arrow Crab
Scientific Name: Stenorhynchus seticornis
Size: Leg-span up to 6 inches
Habitat: On Rocks, Sandy Substrate, & Coral Reefs
Diet: Meaty foods (i.e. featherduster worms); Frozen food (i.e. squid)
Behavior: Territorial; Aggressive toward other Arrow Crabs; Scavengers for food
Banded Coral Shrimp
Scientific Name: Stenopus hispidus
Size: 1.5 to 2.5 inches
Habitat: Anywhere where it can hide (i.e. behind or within rocky areas)
Diet: Bits of fish food, Plankton, & Frozen food (i.e. squid)
Behavior: Very territorial; aggressive towards other shrimp
Blue-Green Damselfish or Chromis
Scientific Name: Chromis viridis
Size: 3 inches
Habitat: Throughout the Aquarium
Diet: Plankton; Flakes; Frozen food (i.e. shrimp brine); Fresh bits of shrimp
Behavior: Comfortable in Populated environment; Peaceful
Burgundy (or purple) Sea Star
Scientific Name: Linkia tamaria
Size: up to 8 in
Habitat: Originally from the coasts of Fiji and Tonga, these sea stars climb along live rock in search of food.
Diet: It will eat detritus from the live rock, but will also eat bits of clam and film algae.
Behavior: Generally solitary, and peaceful. Some Burgundy Sea Stars have six legs instead of five, but all are intolerant to sudden changes in water chemistry.
Catalina (or Blue-Banded) Goby
Scientific Name: Lythrypnus dalli
Size: up to 2 inches
Habitat: This species can be found in the rocky bottoms of the Gulf of California.
Diet: In its natural habitat, the Goby will eat plant material and small pieces of fish.
Behavior: They are usually peaceful, darting around the rocks in their natural habitat as well as the rocks in the aquarium.
Coral Beauty Angelfish (aka Two-spined, or Dusky Angelfish)
Scientific Name: Centropyge bispinosus
Size: up to 4 inches
Habitat: Common on the Great Barrier Reef
Diet: In its natural habitat it will feed upon soft or stony corals as well as algae, and smaller inverts.
Behavior: It is a semi-aggressive fish that is prone to fight for territory, but if there are many hiding places, it usually just seeks shelter there.
Dwarf colored Feather Duster
Scientific Name: Bispira spp.
Size: up to 4 inches
Habitat: Indian and Pacific Ocean floor where it can dig into the substrate.
Diet: It primarily eats floating phytoplankton. When food comes into contact with its crown (radiole), the feather duster then sifts it into its mouth at the center of the radiole.
Behavior: Peaceful, but easily scared. When it is disturbed it will pull its radiole into the tube surrounding its body.
Dwarf Lobster (Daum’s Reef Lobster)
Scientific name – Enoplometopus daumi
Size – 4.7 inches
Habitat – Rocky areas
Diet – All meat-based foods and tablets
Behavior – Generally stay hidden under rocks; cannot be around other organisms such as the spiny lobster, large hermit crabs, and large anemones; scavenger for fish
Flame Scallop
Scientific Name: Lima scabra
Size: up to 3” in length
Habitat: These particular Flame Scallops come from the Caribbean, although other spp are more widely distributed. They make nests for themselves out of rocks and pieces of coral.
Diet: These are filter feeders, and feed primarily on phytoplankton. We supplement its diet in the aquarium with marine snow.
Behavior: Peaceful to organisms that do not threaten it. Its gills serve two purposes: to filter food (it is very picky about size and) and also to allow respiration. If it is threatened, it can escape by moving its valves. When pushed together, the flame scallop can propel itself to safety.
Hawaiian Feather Duster
Scientific Name: Sabellastarte spp.
Size: up to 7 inches
Habitat: Near the Hawaiian Islands anywhere along the ocean floor that it can dig into the substrate.
Diet: It primarily eats phytoplankton by way of its fan shaped crown (radiole). Phytoplankton comes into contact with its radiole and gets drawn into the Feather Duster’s mouth. In the aquarium we supplement its diet with liquid marine foods.
Behavior: Very peaceful, but easily scared. When it is disturbed it will pull its radiole into the tube surrounding its body.
Long-Spined Sea Urchin
Scientific Name: Diadema antillarum
Size: 3-4 inches (without the spines); length of spines varies
Habitat: Surfaces of soft or hard substrate
Diet: Herbivore (i.e. algae & seaweed)
Behavior: Peaceful
Oyster
Scientific Name: Crassostrea spp.
Size: Ours in the Aquarium is ~4 inches
Habitat: Sandy Substrate
Diet: Plankton
Behavior: Peaceful
Purple Sea Urchin
Scientific Name: Strongylocentrotus purpuratus
Size: 4 inches (without the spines); length of spines varies
Habitat: Surfaces of soft or hard substrate
Diet: Herbivore (i.e. algae & seaweed)
Behavior: Peaceful
Purple-Tipped/Caribbean Anemone
Scientific Name: Condylactis gigantea
Size: Up to 6 inches in diameter
Habitat: Rock Crevices or Shells
Diet: small bits of shrimp/fish
Behavior: Very mobile & Uses its nematocysts as a form of defense
Sand Sifting Sea Star
Scientific Name: Astropecten polycanthus
Size: up to 1 foot in diameter
Habitat: Originally from waters near Fiji and Tonga, these sea stars move along the sandy ocean floor.
Diet: In the aquarium it will eat detritus and left over food from feedings. It will also eat small shrimp, some fish, urchins, or smaller sea stars.
Six-Lined Wrasse
Scientific Name: Pseudocheilinus hexataenia
Size: 3 inches
Habitat: Throughout the Aquarium; Hides behind rocks
Diet: Frozen food (i.e. brine shrimp); Flakes; Small Crustaceans
Yellow Tang
Scientific Name: Zebrasoma flavescens
Size: 8 inches
Habitat: Vegetation or Rocky areas
Diet: helps the aquaria with algae; also feeds on small live, fresh food
Behavior: Territorial (even to those of the same species), HOWEVER, it is still sociable towards those of its own species; swims in the open, but frequently hides in/behind vegetation and rocky areas