Flame Scallop Has anyone ever kept one?

[Jay]

Good morning everyone...

I am considering purchasing a couple of these but have heard that they are difficult to keep for any long period succesfully. They just look so intresting. Has anyone some advice for me while I consider getting some?

Jay

[Jay]

Bump.........Bump

[Jason McKenzie]

There are several threads on them here on 3REEF Try doing a search for Flame Scallop. It comes up with 50 or so.

When doing a search make sure to adjust the search parameters like hours+ Days max/min. Also it really helps if you change the amount of posts and check one post per thread.

J

[Jay]

Will do Jason...thnks

Jay

[OoNickoC]

What i have heard from efew books is that thier natural lifespan is relativley short....i have kept one for a bit over a year with high alternating currents and DT's. Mine was the flashing variety.

[GraviT]

I kept one for about 2 weeks before it perished. :'( They aren't well known for long life in captive systems and prefer water to be a bit on the nutrient rich side. In fact, many people refuse to buy them so collectors will leave them in the ocean where they live a long, happy life.

Of course, actual milage may vary!

[Jay]

Well thet were cheap so I got a few. Im not to worried about them if the dont make it. I eat probably 100 a year myself. Although im sure a different variety. I will try my best to keep them alive for as long as possible. I also ordered some more Hawian Dusters and emerald crabs for my bubble algea.

Jay

[GraviT]

Well, now that you have them, be sure to place the back of the shell into a cave or against a rock so they don't move around too much.

Here is some information I found after mine died:

"Rob Toonen writes...

I'm going to guess that you are talking about "flashing" scallops, Lima scabra. Although these animals are called "scallops" they are not related to scallops by anything other than appearance, and are really file clams{scallops swim "forwards" while clams swim "backwards"}. Their care is identical to that of the flame scallops. In laboratory experiments, researchers found that plastic beads of the size of phytoplankton{5-10 microns} were ingested at the same rate as the phytoplankton themselves, but beads the size of invertebrate larvae{100-200micron} were rejected by the clams. Unlike most studies of invertebrate filter-feeding, addition of phytoplankton to the medium did not affect bead ingestion rate, and in this case, the animals actually seem capable of selecting particles directly by their surface flavor {which is why pea flour and yeast-based aquarium products probably fail at keeping these animals alive}. The primary prey of the animals were invertebrate larvae, and ~75% of larvae were consumed in a given trial. A good diet of mixed phytoplankton and enriched rotifers ought to be appropriate for keeping these animals, but I would suggest staying away from the typical aquarium "invert foods"

[Craig Manoukian]

Great info GT!

[Jay]

I snapped this last night.

Jay

[glow=red,2,300]Beamin : )[/glow]