Cold Water Marine Aquarium

Here is our well established Cold Water Marine Aquarium.

Here you can see just a few of the marine creatures which can be found on the Dorset Coast.

Two Spot Gobies, Spider Crab, Hermit Crab, Snakelock Anemones, Beadlet, Anemones, Daisy Anemones, Strawberry Anemones & Prawns.

Osmington in December

Tide receding on a warm December day.

Had a trip to Osmington in Dorset, it was a mild December day at around 9 degrees.

The water temperature was 12 degrees.

The rock pools here vary from close to the shoreline with just rocks & boulders to further out being well inhabited with colourful varieties of seaweeds, see underwater video.

We found Hermit Crabs, Rockling, Shannys, Blennies, Strawberry Anemones, Beadlet Anemones, Gem Anemones, Snakelock Anemones, Cornish Sucker Fish, Worm Pipe Fish, Sea Slaters, Edible Crabs, Shore Crabs, Porcelian Crabs, Hippolyte varians Shrimps, Prawns & Chitons. 

One of two Cornish Sucker fish found.

Shanny

Rock Goby

Strawberry Anemone

Rock Goby

Gem Anemone

It can be tough being a Hermit Crab

The smaller of these two Hermit Crabs, Pagurus bernhardus, is having a tough time of it. Firstly it appears to have lost it's front claws when changing skin & now it has chosen to exchange it's small shell for one that is far too large for it, also a larger Hermit Crab then trys to attack the smaller one. I must admit we did step in & help the little fellow, see the two videos below.

Long Legged Spider Crab after moulting

This Long Legged Spider Crab, (Macropodia rostrata), is not only now larger after its moult, but in particular the size of it's claws have increased dramatically. In the above video it can be seen cutting of pieces of a red seaweed (Chondria dasyphylla) and chewing on them.

After moulting this Long Legged Spider Crab hid away until it's new shell had hardened, it has now resumed it's normal feeding habits.

Marine worm & Two Spot Goby

Several of these small worms have turned up in the aquarium, they appear to have come attached to some live rock introduced into the aquarium. The Gobies, in this instance a Two Spot Goby, (Gobiusculas flavescens), have shown interest but have never been seen eating any.

 Here in the video above the worm can be seen pulsating.

Female Two Spot Goby showing interest in the worm.

 If anyone can identify the worm please let me know.

Hairy Porcelain Crab, Porcellana platycheles, Filter Feeding

Here a Hairy Porcelain Crab, (Porcellana platycheles), can be seen filter feeding after being fed Marine Snow & Rotifers.

Click on Play button above to see video.

It is also known as the Broad Clawed Porcelain Crab

Long Legged Spider Crab found at Poole

This Long Legged Spider Crab, (Macropodia rostrata), was found at Poole, it looks very delicate but is quite tough fighting off prawns & walking across anemones to steal food from them.

Click on the play button above to watch video.

Netted Dog Whelks & a Prawn fighting over a Cockle

Here you can see two Netted Dog Whelks, (Nucella lapillus), & a Common Prawn, (Palaemon serratus), fighting over an Edible Cockle, (Cerastoderma edule).
Click on play button above to watch video.