Oysters?

On the Live rock that I received from my LFS, there were some hitchhikers on it in the form of 4 Atlantic Pearlbearing Oysters.

I've fairly certain I've IDed these correctly. Does anyone have any tips or experience with oysters?

They haven't died yet and have been in the tank the entire time I was cycling, as well as out in the "cold" as I scrubbed the rocks when I first got them and they seem to be doing fine, so I'm assuming that they're fairly hardy animals.

Just seeing if anyone else has had experience with them. They're sort of a treat to have, since one has a sponge on it that has started to regrow, and another has a barnacle-looking thing on it. I have not identified either of these two things yet, however. If it's a barnacle, i'm not sure if I want it in my tank.

 

this post requires pics


I know oysters grow in the Gulf of Mexico. So, at least that variety, should be able to survive in a reef tank with its much cleaner water...

 

I had one that was huge about the size of a fist. It lasted me for almost a year. The LFS told me they prefer "dirtier water". At that time, I put it in my Zoa tank. It was pretty happy. Then one morning I went to check and it was covered with hermit snacking on some expensive Oyster appetizers.

 

*Edited for NSFW hosting:
closer up of the oysters on the right.


wider shot, 3 in right, one in upper left. Don't have a picture of the one with the sponge on it. On a side note I feel like they have slightly re-adjusted themselves since i took this picture. They're covered in growth, so it's very hard to tell shell size/shape.


edit: if these pics aren't enough, I'll see if I can get the camera out and focus it when they are slightly open feeding tonight. I should be able to get a decent pic of them slightly open.

 

The pics are great, thanks!

However, when you click on the pics, the hosting page has nudity and some pretty foul language in the ads...

I would say this is NSFW.

 

I would love to see them eating. I have always wanted to try a couple.

I would switch over to photobucket. Still a free account and no nudies.

I completely missed it till you pointed it out.

 

Oh, sorry about that!!!!

I have Ad-Block plus on firefox so I never see ads anymore, didn't even realize they were there.

-I'm going to make a mental note for future links.

 

lol i cant even go to the site but you guys talking about that reminded me about happy gilmore "nudy magazine day! nudy magazine day!" lol i love that movie

 

Due to my obsession with that movie as a child, I believe that Nudy Magazine day was Billy Madison, not Happy Gilmore.

 

Heres a few more shots of the oysters feeding/filtering. There's some good shots of what they look like inside.

Feeding under actinics:


comparison in size to finger.


Another shot looking inside:


They seem to have a brown and white mottled mantle.