are flame scallops hard to keep?

[crimson156]

some say they are and die fast others say all u do is throw them in the reef tank and they do fine. do u have to spotfeed these w/phyto?
anyone got any good info or exp. w/these?

 

[dragon_slayer]

they do fine in well established tanks. they do not fair well in new systems as they rely on filter feeding only and not the use of light for photosynthsis.

if your tank is well established and has a good life cycle going on in it, they will do fine.

hth
kc

 

[crimson156]

ya i got an established tank
how long do they usually live in a tank?

 

[dragon_slayer]

a healthy system i'd say forever. i've got a few that have been in my systems for about 5 yrs but most often they find a spot out of sight and arent the best for adding to look at.

they never stay where you want them and they find that perfect spot well in the back of the tank out of sight.

kc

 

[Peabody]

Wow...5 years? Flame scallops? Most often they never last a year, and their natural lifespan is usually 3 years if I remember correctly.....in fact, most people reccomend not buying them, even the acticle written about them in Advanced Aquarist.

 

[Peabody]

Here we go....to quote ...

"Just in case that didnââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t sink in, I wanted to make a point of emphasizing that the survival record of flame scallops in captivity has traditionally been extremely poor. The typical experience of people who buy them is that the animal tries its best at hiding (often with the aquarist having to pick it out of the rockwork numerous times so that it is visible in the aquarium) for a while before eventually giving up and slowly dying. Even when the rest of the reef tank is flourishing, people who add a flame scallop to their tank typically watch as it slowly wastes away over a period as short as a couple of months to a maximum of about six to ten months."

That is from http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/july2002/toonen.htm

Basically he says their natural lifespan is 3 years, and they usualy last 6-10 months in a reef tank. One of those "best left in the ocean" creatures.

Dragon slayer, can you elaborate more on your experience please? Everything I read seems to support that article...I'd love to know about yours. Thanks!

 

[dragon_slayer]

Dragon slayer, can you elaborate more on your experience please? Everything I read seems to support that article...I'd love to know about yours. Thanks!

my exp is that in my fully matured reef the flame scallops i have do not slowly wastes away over a period as short as a couple of months to a maximum of about six to ten months but live quite happily and healthy.

it could be that i dont pick at them and move them around but allow them to find a spot they like and stick with it. when they attach they do so very securly and people trying to pry them loose and move them might be the cause of their short lived life in their system.

in the few short years i've been in the marine aquarium keeping hobby i've read many published articals that are just full of it and are just the opinions of the writer rather then facts. some people cant keep scallops in their system so the scallop gets the reputation of being the problem when in fact its the reef keeper.

you'll also find numourous articals written about things that will/wont work and you'll find just as many that say the opposite of them. what works for me, may or may not for you.

i dont know the enviornmental conditions of the 3yr test scallops but its been my exp that they are long lived with proper conditions and no natural predators. i cant say that they would live indefinatly but i see no reason to think any differently of them then a clam.

as always YMMV
kc

 

[Peabody]

Facinating...thanks!

 

[dragon_slayer]

i just read the artical you linked to and it said..........

Remember that the natural lifespan of these animals appears to be on the order of three years or so,.........

appears, no one has took time to study the true life of them.

it also says a good deal about partical size that they eat and it just so happens that i feed the tank with GP's that fit that size.

after reading the artical i still get the impression that this is a written opinion and not a true scientific study of the animal in question.

kc