Aquarium critters

Time to take a break from garden pictures. Instead, today we have... aquarium pictures! Hubby and I recently redecorated our 100-gal saltwater tank, got rid of some overgrown corals (Kenya tree corals should not be left without supervision... they take over!), and cleaned things up a bit. I spent quite some time trying to get pictures of my fish, but they move way too fast, and they're afraid of the camera. I suppose it looks like some large, menacing reef creature to them. But the corals and other finless critters make easier subjects. So here we go:

Red-legged hermit crab, mugging for the camera:


Tridacnid clam: One species of these (but not the one I have) is what's known as a giant clam. They glow so beautifully under lights, because they have special algae on their mantles that luminesce and make energy from light. Without its algae--and a lot of light--the clam would die.


Blue sponge: My newest creature, which I just got Saturday. It's a lot prettier than the sponges under my kitchen sink! And in case you're wondering, sea sponges like this one are animals, but very primitive ones. Kinda like husbands...


Zooanthid polyps, a type of soft coral:


I'll keep trying to get good pics of the fish.