Polycarpa sea squirt (Polycarpa sp.). - EXPERT ONLY
Polycarpa sea squirt (Polycarpa sp.). - EXPERT ONLY
EXPERT ONLY - This species requires specialist care.
CARE ADVICE - Polycarpa sea squirt (Polycarpa sp.).
A type of Ascidian, the same family as sponges. Keep in a clean and algae free system. They do best in systems without skimmers so there is plenty for them to eat. Acclimate slowly and do not expose to air. Colour may vary depending on specimen. Reef safe. Avoid keeping with tank mates that eat Sea squirts or Sponges, such as Triggers, Angels, etc. EXPERT ONLY - Sea squirts have no way of getting rid of algae from their bodies, they also require plankton rich water. They should only be kept in tanks without skimmers, that are algae free. They may require occasional gentle cleaning of their exterior to keep them free of algae and detritus.
WATER QUALITY
All inverts require stable water parameters. Temperature and salinity should be kept as stable as possible, we recommend keeping temperature at 27.5c to 28.5c and salinity at 34.0ppt to 34.5ppt at all times. Many inverts are very sensitive to changes in salinity and should be acclimated by being floated in the tank, with small holes in the bag for a minimum of 4 hours. Inverts should not be expoed to a sudden change in salinity of more than 0.5ppt.
FLOW
Many inverts like medium to strong flow.
FEEDING
We recommend feeding mobile inverts at least once a day. Grazing inverts can be fed seaweed or Vitalis grazing rings. Many inverts enjoy eating frozen Mysis. For filter feeders it is generally not necessary to add additional food for most species, for heavier feeders, or, in tanks with skimmers, feed weekly or daily with liquid coral food. We use Salty Revolution Coral Food 99. This is available here: CLICK HERE. Brightwell (any), Continuum (any), and, ReefRoids, are all also great foods for inverts. Most other brands we have tested have not given very satisfactory results. Ask for advice if you’re unsure whether you need to feed your inverts, and, what to feed them.
SIZE
Inverts vary in size, see care advice above or ask for more information if required. Most inverts are fairly small, and most inverts can b kept in almost unlimited number is tanks of any size. Stocking ratios for most species of as many as 10 inverts per litre (or more) usually cause no issues.
COMPATIBILITY
Some fish may peck at or eat inverts, ensure your fish are compatible with the inverts you want to keep. The fish most likely to cause problems are most Butterflyfish, large Wrasses, and Pufferfish. All our inverts are reef safe, unless stated otherwise. Any inverts that are not reef safe will have large warnings next to their name above saying “NOT REEF SAFE” or “REFUGIUM ONLY”. Unless it specifically says that, then they will be safe in a normal reef aquarium. You may see conflicting advice online regarding how reef safe an invert is. Inverts will climb on corals to clean algae from them, to scavenge from a dead or dying coral, or out of a desperate attempt to prevent death by starvation. Reefkeepers that are losing corals are often happy to blame the inverts for the loss, to make it not their fault the coral died. In reality very few inverts attack corals, and the vast majority of the species we stock do not eat corals as part of their natural diet. We keep a huge variety of species of inverts in with our corals, with no issues at all. Ask for more advice if you are unsure.
UK DELIVERY
We deliver corals, inverts, fish, and, dry goods throughout the UK. You can buy online for pickup in store, or, UK delivery (delivery charge may apply). See the Salty Revolution Shipping Guide for more information on our UK delivery service.
