Abalone, sys. fdg. I read your article on WetWebMedia on abalone, and have a few questions for you if you don't mind answering them. <I'll try> -I bought mine at the market, and it doesn't look like its doing so good. It won't stick onto anything, it really doesn't move, but I know that its alive because I see very little movement if I take it out of the water or touch it. What do you think is wrong? <Might be on its way out... these Archaeogastropoda die slowly... It should attach itself on its own... Is this a tropical species? Do you have it in a "normal" temperature range?... It might have gotten jabbed well enough to "leak" osmotically... Many other possibilities. Is this a coldwater species? Not suitable for tropical waters if so.> -are they safe for reef systems? <Yes... about as "safe" as anything.> Yours truly, Paul PS I heard they eat coralline algae. <Not really... mostly "leafy" greens, red and brown algae... Depends on species to some extent... take a look through the Net using the common name, the family (Haliotidae) and the words "culture", "husbandry"... Bob Fenner>

Re: abalone It died this morning. I think it might have been punctured when taken out of the taken. How hardy are they to water conditions? <Hmm, "not very"... most take a beating in the process/es of culture, shipping, re-shipping... to the "end-user"... and die consequently in a short period of time in/on arrival... Many people are unaware of their simpler biology (they're macrophagous herbivores... don't eat encrusting Rhodophytes/Red Algae, are mostly cool water species...). Pays to investigate before purchasing any livestock... unfortunately there's just too much to know, relate for any given "vendor relationship" to provide sufficient help... Be chatting, Bob Fenner>

Re: abalone Is it possible though that these species can exist in a warm water reef tank at all, or most likely will they die? Paul <Look on the Net for the diversity of the group... there are tropical Haliotids... but most of the ones sold are cultured cool/cold water species that rarely live for long. Bob Fenner>