My friend went full retard and literally just adopted a fucking lobster. He had no idea how to handle one, and I don't want it to die. How do you take care of a lobster. Food, shelter, cleaning, etc.
Make sure to take it for a walk at least 2-3 times a day.
>>2078950
If that is what your friend'S lobster looks like, then you have some hard news to break to him
>>2078950
If he has a dog door, tell him to take it out and put in a lobster door.
>>2078950
They eat diced garlic and sea salt, and they like to sleep in boiling water. Tell your friend to check on him every hour or so.
>>2078950
Ok, honest answer, here's what yall need to do (assuming he actuallyou has a lobster).
-Get a container to temporarily hold the lobster
-go to your local fish store an buy an air pump, an air stone, and enough saltwater to fill the container (in know lfs water is nasty, but it's just for now)
-hold the lobster in that while you research the species and their preferred parameters
-get a better tank/water/filter that works for that species
-if worse comes to worse eat it and don't do stupid things like this again until you've researched enough.
>>2078950
What kind of adoption agency adopts our aminals without making sure the person can properly care for it?
>>2078995
Fish Mkt
>>2078982
Thanks, dude.
You're gonna need at minimum a 100+ gallon tank with heavy filtration. You'll aslo need a large chiller. They're extremely expensive but 100% needed since lobsters need water well below room temp.
Basically, there is absolutely no hope of keeping it alive unless you either can drop a shitload of money IMMEDIATELY or can somehow convince a public aquarium to take it.
>>2079184
This.
A chiller is 100% necessary. Otherwise it will die in a week or so anyways. Chillers can be as cheap as $50 on craiglist, but thats if your rreaalllyy lucky. Normally much more expensive. And Id say you need at east a 55 gallon aquarium, but still a pretty big tank. And saltwater isn't exactly cheap
Basically, just eat it. And let me know where he's adopting these lobsters, especially if its free. I could use some.....
>>2079184
Don't forget they're saltwater animals!
>>2079186
>that name
Whoops, I was on /tg/.
>>2078982
To really take care of them you need to change the water regularly too and provide them ample space although they can grow to fit their container. Some better places that sell them by the water use a system that constantly pumps in fresh seawater.
>>2079009
Many you find in markets are weak or dying, that's why when picking one to eat you should choose the most active one.
Boil it alive. Serve with garlic and butter
>>2078952
To keep an Atlantic lobster as a pet requires a large filtered aquarium with a proper chiller installed. They can't handle warm water or rapid temperature fluctuations.
If you live on the American Atlantic coast anywhere from North Carolina to Canada, I would suggest freeing the lobster in a sheltered rocky bay. It will most likely do better there than as a pet.
If you don't live there then you need a large aquarium with a chiller. In a pinch (so to speak ^_~) you could probably use a big rubbermaid tub or something else instead of an actual aquarium if you can't afford a real large aquarium right away. But you'd still need the chiller and filter. And you need to make sure that ammonia and nitrite don't build up in the water. You have to understand the nitrogen cycle.
Basic requirements of Atlantic lobster in captivity: Clean cold saltwater, space, food, substrate (not strictly necessary but will make things much better for the lobster because it will be able to get traction--bare bottom tanks aren't really good for most bottom-dwelling inverts).
You also want to make sure the water is the correct pH. I believe around 8.2 (with some wiggle room) is the correct pH for Atlantic lobsters.
This could actually be a very interesting pet if your friend actually takes care of it properly. On a bare bones budget it might be possible to get a decent setup going for $200 or so.
>>2081133
>You also want to make sure the water is the correct pH.
this is how we spot the newbs
any of the processes that will change your pH in saltwater will first kill your livestock. If your lobster is still alive your pH is fine.
>>2081133
how many tablespoons of salt should i put in every liter of water
>>2081251
You'd do better to buy a bag of artificial seawater mix from the pet store and follow the instructions than try to make saltwater at home yourself with regular salt.
The stuff from the store has special minerals and what not and has the right ratios printed on the bag.
>>2081196
Wouldn't recommend it. Lobsters like a temperature of roughly 50-60 degrees Fahrenheit without big fast swings from one end to the other. If the temperature goes from 50 to 65 over just a couple hours that could harm the lobster.
Also, without a cover on the pool the lobster would probably escape and die. And even with a cover, the lobster could likely puncture the pool, which would cause it to leak.
Really not an ideal option.
Is your friend anywhere on the East Coast (north of North Carolina) so he could just free the lobster?
If not then he should do the best he can...cool, clean seawater is really absolutely essential.
>>2081270
Should add that kiddie pools might have toxic chemicals in the material that could leach out into the water. I don't think stuff like that is really well-regulated or anything and so they don't have to put warning labels on the box. Just a bad idea all around to use a kiddie pool as a pond, IMHO.
