MARINE BIOLOGICAL LABORATORY
AQUATIC RESOURCES DIVISION
WOODS HOLE, MASSACHUSETTS 02543-1015
E-mail: specimens@mbl.edu
Telephone: (508) 289-7375
Fax: (508) 289-7900
MARINE ORGANISMS FOR AQUARIA AND THEIR REQUIRED
MAINTENANCE
The Marine Biological Laboratory's Aquatic Resources Division offers a selection
of marine organisms. This collection of live marine organisms is an economical
way for students to observe a mini-intertidal ecosystem of invertebrate life in your
classroom.
This Collection Includes the Following:
2 Brittle Starfish (Ophioderma brevispina)
3 Periwinkle Snails (Littorina littorea)
2 Starfish (Asterias forbesi)
3 Hermit Crabs (Pagurus longicarpus)
2 Sea Urchins (Arbacia punctulata)
2 Sea Cucumbers (Sclerodactyla briareus)
4 Grass Shrimp (Palaemonetes sp.)
2 Barnacles (Balanus sp.)
2 Small Blue Mussels (Mytilus edulis)
3 Mud Snails (Nassarius o)
Small amount of Sea Lettuce (Ulva)
10 gallons of Woods Hole Natural Filtered Sea Water
A few of these organisms like snails, mussels, and barnacles are not very hardy
and/or may be preyed upon by other organisms in this set. They are included for
the observational opportunity they provide. With reasonable care, most of the
organisms will live for an extended period of time.
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 (or algae cultures) 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 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
1. Was this set of instructions helpful?
2. How can we improve them?
3. How are you using these creatures in your classroom?
4. Would you mind if we listed your classroom methods and acknowledged you?
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). 01/03