Bioluminescing live rock

[tektite]

I was watching my tank last night trying to catch some hitchhikers, and when it was dark on my live rock it looked like a lightning show. It was pretty cool. At least 10 different places on my rocks there were flickers on and off of a blue-white light. Is that common? I'm going to try to capture it on my camera tonight, but I'm not sure how successful I'll be. Anyone else have this?

 

[1ofManyNguyens]

Never heard of that but it sounds interesting! cant wait to see the shots.

 

[ReefLady]

I've heard of bioluminescent algae, but not on LR. Would love to see the pics.

 

[BigAl07]

Wow! sounds like someone wasn't getting enough FRESH air last night

J/K! I'd love to see that!

 

[redsea reefer]

That's so cool...would love to see that, maybe you can shot a short video of it.

 

[StirCrayzy]

< I'll wait all nite for this >

Lets go RED WINGS !!!!!

 

[tektite]

LOL, its all a pistol shrimp's fault. It's clicking wasn't letting me sleep I hope it happens again tonight, it was cool.

 

[StirCrayzy]

so no luck yet?? how bout the pistol shrimp, have you seen it yet?
I've been hearing some clicking, 3-5 in a row for about 6 months now, and i've been chalking it up to snails hitting glass or falling. When i hear it is mainly at night, but even with a flashlight, no culprit has been found. any ideas how to lure it out?

 

[Cavinca]

i believe pistol shrimp can cause light flashes.... Maybe its them.


Edit*
shrimpoluminescence LOL

 

[Clownfish518]

Pistol shrimp do make light, called sonoluminescence (light from sound), but it is not visible to the human eye.

Good thought though

 

[Cavinca]

heres another link on bioluminescence that actually talks about seeing it in aquariums due to plankton and copepods... they say its pretty common with new liverock as well. maybe i can get some more LR outta this, specially when i tell my wife itll light up

fireworks in the night.

 

[Basile]

heres another link on bioluminescence that actually talks about seeing it in aquariums due to plankton and copepods... they say its pretty common with new liverock as well. maybe i can get some more LR outta this, specially when i tell my wife itll light up

fireworks in the night.

Thats amazing, wow we learn every day in this program, lol.

:swmfish:

 

[reefjitsu]

A few years ago, I saw something producing light in one of my tanks. Turned out to be a peppermint shrimp that was eating a firefly that had fallen into the tank. Everytime the shrimp swallowed, it's digestive system would light up!

 

[tektite]

Yeah, I figured it was some type of plankton, because I wasn't able to see anything where the flashes were coming from. I did look up pistol shrimp at first, but saw that humans couldn't see the light formed from their bubble popping.

StirCrayzy, I did manage to catch one pistol shrimp by putting the rock in question in a high salinity dip for 20-30 seconds. I know there was more than one in that rock, so it wasn't terribly effective for me (only one came out). I've been trying to find a way to lure them out without removing the rock from the aquarium, so far no luck, though.

I tried and tried to catch pictures of the bioluminescence, but I wasn't able to. Tried with my camera at first, then somehow got my father-in-law to loan me his SLR camera with a really fast lens (he's a professional photographer). That still wasn't enough. The light isn't very bright, visible to me when my eyes are adjusted to the dark, but not bright enough to register on a camera, unfortunately.

 

[tektite]

A few years ago, I saw something producing light in one of my tanks. Turned out to be a peppermint shrimp that was eating a firefly that had fallen into the tank. Everytime the shrimp swallowed, it's digestive system would light up!

LOL, that's awesome! The light really reminded me of fireflies because it flickered on and off like them.

 

[Cavinca]

I tried and tried to catch pictures of the bioluminescence, but I wasn't able to. Tried with my camera at first, then somehow got my father-in-law to loan me his SLR camera with a really fast lens (he's a professional photographer). That still wasn't enough. The light isn't very bright, visible to me when my eyes are adjusted to the dark, but not bright enough to register on a camera, unfortunately.

i dont think having a fast lens would help. Try doin a long exposure on a tripod. youd probably get some good lighting pics. leave it going all night if you could and youd probably get your whole tank lit up by the stuff...

 

[psiconauta]

i agree... get the bulb adapter on the DSLR so you dont move it a lot by pressing the release button, and leave it open all night, just remember to close it before daylight comes...
good luck

 

[tektite]

I did try long exposures, that's what I thought the fast lens would help with. Even with F2.8 and ISO 1600, it still wasn't enough to capture the light. By the time the light flickered enough to register, the ambient light even in the dark room made the picture too overexposed. I'll keep trying, but I'm not confident of catching the light.

 

[Wakeskater02]

I did try long exposures, that's what I thought the fast lens would help with. Even with F2.8 and ISO 1600, it still wasn't enough to capture the light. By the time the light flickered enough to register, the ambient light even in the dark room made the picture too overexposed. I'll keep trying, but I'm not confident of catching the light.

I say we just call it a monster of the deep and wrap it up......:bluemad: :laughroll