Polycarpa aurata

(Quoy & Gaimard, 1834)

Golden Sea Squirt

Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean

Natural Environment: Inhabits hard substrates in shallow water subject to good water movement via tidal changes.

General Husbandry: Occasionally seen in the home aquarium trade.

Requires special attention to feeding requirements. For those that want to maintain them, they require numerous feedings per day of live and/or preserved commercial phytoplankton/zooplankton products or that of animal and plant powders that produce suspended products in the bulk water and/or bacteria laden waters.

Proper placement is also quite important. Generally, most prefer low light and do better with indirect light and gentle water movement.

Besides being difficult to maintain, they have a very short life span, usually about one year and sometimes far less. Only those willing to provide for their demanding level of care should attempt keeping them in closed systems.

I've maintained this species for well over six months using a product called Combo-Vital from the Marc Weiss Companies.

Taxonomy:

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Ascidiacea

Order: Stolidobranchia

Family: Styelidae

Genus: Polycarpa

FYI: In the wild, can bore deep into limestone rock where only the inlet and outlet siphons are visible.

Experience Level: Intermediate

Diet: Plankton feeder

Temperament: Peaceful

Aquarium Environment: Reef or fish-only aquarium

Coral Safe: Yes

Fish Safe: Yes

Invertebrate Safe: Yes

Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+

Aquarium Hardiness: Moderately hardy

Calcium (Ca): 380 - 430 mg/l

Alkalinity: 2.5 - 3.0 meq/l

Phosphate (PO4): <0.05 mg/l

Magnesium (Mg): approx. 1350 mg/l (relate to specific gravity)

Strontium (Sr) 8 - 10 mg/l

Temperature Range: 72 - 83°F (23 - 28°C)

Minimum Tank Size: 50 gallons

Lighting: N/A

Water Movement: WM 1 - 2

Specific Gravity: 1.023 - 1.025

pH: 8.0 - 8.4

Iodine/Trace Elements Monitor/as necessary to maintain quality seawater.