Flame Scallop care

[TXSea]

Okaaay so I picked up a red flame scallop from Elegant Reef today and its beautiful. I have read many a posts about them not surviving in captivity but figure I would give it a try. I did get some phytoplankton from Louis to feed it so I hope this works out well. Anyone ever kept one and how did you fare with it? Thanks for any reply!

[ErikH]

I had three in my sump that I had assumed had died because I never checked on them, but found all three to be alive and kicking.

[tebstan]

They don't have a long life span, a few years at best. If they're already full grown when they're taken from the wild, you'll only be able to enjoy them for so long. Feed the tank live phyto on a regular basis, and it stands a better chance of lasting as long as possible.

[Europhyllia]

If you culture your own phyto (I do) Isochrysis will be much more useful to bivalves than Nannochloropsis. Plus it's kind of a pretty color. Reminds me of beer.

[TXSea]

The stuff I have for feeding is called "Phyto Feast". How do I know if the scallop is eating the stuff or not? Is there a way knowing that its eating when I puff it around it? I checked on it this morning and it is wide open I guess filtering for food. I read a lot of ppl have problems with them closing up but mine seems to like the tank. It will starting opening and closing when I puff the food around it which I don't know if I'm startling it or its "biting" at the phytoplankton. Thanks for your answers!

[Europhyllia]

I don't think it bites the phyto. it filters it. Don't pour large amounts around it. The dead stuff tends to cause a nice cyano bloom if you overdose

[TXSea]

Thanks Karin, I guess there is no true way to tell if its eating other than just making sure I put a dose around it and hope that it is feeding. I've heard they don't do well in captivity so we'll see.