[jimbo2012]

We are happy to have saved this rare animal.
Reported yesterday on CNN and other news media in NY

Lucy the yellow lobster



The fates that watch out for rare yellow lobsters must be smiling over Lucy.

Plucked out of a shipment destined for diners last October, the celebrated crustacean now resides in a private 75-gallon tank in one of the four Pets Warehouse aquarium stores.

After being rescued by a Wantagh fishmonger-restaurateur, Lucy was "adopted" by the Novak brothers Pets Warehouse Group, where she now spends her days crawling around a tank specially outfitted to accommodate a lobster at a cost of $2,700, including a system that keeps the water temperature chilled to 50 degrees.

"We had to mimic the environment of the ocean," said Brian & Brad Novak, who oprate the four-location family business. "In general, lobsters are extremely difficult to keep alive in captivity."

Shortly after moving to her new digs, where she feasts on shrimp and fish, Lucy survived another brush with death -- superstorm Sandy, which knocked out the store's power for about a week. To preserve her and other sea creatures in neighboring tanks -- including tropical fish, two sharks and a moray eel -- Novak rented a generator the size of an SUV.

As for shelling out thousands of dollars to protect what could have been somebody's main course, Novak likened the scenario to that of a dog owner.

"You go to the vet," he said. "The vet says you've got to spend X-Y-Z. You just do it."

Besides, he added: "It's like holding onto a diamond. It's rare."

The odds of coming across a yellow lobster are estimated at one in 30 million, according to the Lobster Institute at the University of Maine.

Lucy "could outlive the owner easily" under the right conditions, said Robert Bayer, the institute's executive director, who said the yellow/orange coloring comes from a genetic mutation.

The odds are greater still that someone would come across two such crustaceans in a short period. But that's what happened to Frank Marinello, 46, owner of New Wave Seafood Market & Restaurant, when he spotted Lucy last fall in a 40-pound box of live lobsters plucked from the waters off Nova Scotia.

At that time, he estimated her to be 8 years old, weighing between 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds.

As for Lucy living the good life in PetsWarehouse.com at Carle Place, he said, "I think it's wonderful. . . . I'm happy to hear she's still going strong."

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Footnote: Frank Marinello, realized that with the fast approaching Super Storm Sandy coming he would not have power, and called me and I arranged with my sons to set up her up a special tank and send someone to his store to save her.

I'm trying to arrange to have a public aquarium adopt her in the near future, but for now she's thriving.

.

[Megardn]

Good story!

[duffysmom]

I'm happy for the lobster! The lobster tank in Sweetbay is disturbing when you think about how they will die. Just sayin....

[Trish Crocker]

Thanks for posting this..too cool!

[jimbo2012]

Not to alarm anyone but when received the lobster we tested the water she came from before acclimating her to her new digs.

The water was near polluted, super high ammonia, high ph, wrong salt levels etc.

In about an hour she perked up enjoying clean water.

The fish stores and restaurants do no know how the keep their lobster tanks healthy before selling/serving.

I guess the boiling water helps detox them....

Before ordering one look at the tank they R kept in, the water should be chrystal clear and very cold, you should see condensation on the glass, all good.

[Patty55]

Wow, I never realized that after 8 years a lobster would still bed under 2 pounds.