sandys
12-11-2003, 2:34 PM
I'm going to have about 3 tubes maybe 4 but need some names of inverts that will be ok for low lighting. I know a few that I can put in. Anyone help
OrionGirl
12-11-2003, 3:16 PM
What do you mean by 'tubes'? 3 No lights, or something else? The type of bulb, inclusing output, will make a significant difference.
In any case, there are a number of inverts that will be appropriate. Mobile inverts, like crabs, shrimp, snails, limpets, and stars, have no lighting needs at all, so will be appropriate. There are a few species of crabs and hermits that utilize photosynthetic inverts as protection or home, so be aware of them. For corals, some mushrooms, gorgonians, and filter feeders like tube worms may work, depending on the age of your setup and your willingness to feed with a quality invert food. Brown polyps will also work.
For an extremely low light setup, less than 1 watt per gallon, consider the variety of sponges available. All sponges prefer low light to down right dark environments, and come in a variety of colors and shapes. They do require feeding, and obtaining healthy specimens that have not been exposed to the air, can be difficult, but well worth the effort. Some species of fish eat sponges, though, so you'll need to make sure any livestock you have will not munch on your sponges. Butterflies are well known sponge consumers, as are many species of angel.