Instructions
Acquire a sea spider. Sea spiders can be a nuisance to invertebrates living in an aquarium so they are extremely difficult to find in a pet shop. Occasionally an unwanted spider will appear in a tank. The spiders must be removed to protect the tank invertebrates. Ask your local pet shop owner, or aquarium professional, to contact you if other tank owners call complaining of sea spiders. Collecting a spider from another tank owner is the most assured way of acquiring a sea spider.
Maintain the pH levels and temperature of your saltwater tank. Most tanks require a temperature between 73 degrees to 82 degrees Fahrenheit. The pH (or pondus hydrogenii or "weight of water") is a measure of acidity to alkalinity. A balanced water pH will fall near a measurement of seven on a 0 to 14 scale. Small pH test kits are available at most pet stores. Sea spiders, though hardier than some marine fish, are sensitive to changes in the environment. If the spider is able to grow to maturity in your tank's environment, odds are you already have a successful maintenance routine in place. However, it never hurts to keep an extra close eye on the tank.
Remove all sea sponges from your tank, unless you are willing to sacrifice the sponges for the spider. Many species of sea spiders eat sea sponges. If you want to preserve your eye-catching invertebrates, you will have to move them to a different tank.
Feed the spider phytoplankton or plankton fish food. Plankton-based fish food is available at most major pet shops. The spider will munch on the flakes that sink to the tank floor.
How to Keep Sea Spiders in a Home Aquarium
Over 1,000 different species of sea spiders live in marine environments. Sea spiders, or pycnogonids, resemble land spiders but are actually derived from early forms of sea creatures called chelicerate. Its main sources of food are various types of plankton and sea sponges, so they are not a threat to other fish in a saltwater aquarium. The otherworldly creepy-crawlers often show up inside a tank as if by magic. The spider larva is barely visible to the naked eye. It can cling to rocks freshly extracted from the sea and placed in your saltwater tank. If you are looking to acquire a spider for your tank, try asking a fellow aquarium owner.