Coquinas from the beach

[Bluetooth]

Anyone ever put some of these little clams into their system?

 

[o2zen]

Pics?

 

[SoundsFishy2me2]

I have a gulf experimental tank I play with as well. I tried putting them in once to see what they would do and how they look in captivity but they didn't make it, I think they lasted about a week. I feed with phyto feast so they should have had enough food and the water conditions in that tank were better then gulf waters.. I think they might just be short lived creatures? It's also possible something was eating them at night but didn't see anything other then empty shells.

 

[Bluetooth]

Thanks for the reply. With that being said, I wonder if they would be an ok food source for my puffer since it needs hard things to keep it's teeth in check. Anyone who has been to the beach around here knows that there is an endless supply of them.

 

[SoundsFishy2me2]

I'd bet so, try a few and see what he does! (like anything wild I'd give them a quick f/w wash or dip b4 adding into your system) I talked with a guy in Siesta Key collecting seaweed for his angels and he said he fed the crabs and shell items to his triggers, he aslo said he collected his own shell aggorgate (sp?) and crushed/washed it for his calcium recator right from the beach there too! (I haven't tried that but sounded doable too) were lucky to live near the saltwater!

 

[Ah64av8tor]

They only live in the surf zone, so unless you have lots of waves in the tank they wont survive. I know people that feed them to mantis shrimp and they survive a week but end up eaten.

 

[Bluetooth]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9621361#post9621361 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SoundsFishy2me2
I'd bet so, try a few and see what he does! (like anything wild I'd give them a quick f/w wash or dip b4 adding into your system) I talked with a guy in Siesta Key collecting seaweed for his angels and he said he fed the crabs and shell items to his triggers, he aslo said he collected his own shell aggorgate (sp?) and crushed/washed it for his calcium recator right from the beach there too! (I haven't tried that but sounded doable too) were lucky to live near the saltwater!

Sounds like good advice, thanks

 

[Bluetooth]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9621554#post9621554 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ah64av8tor
They only live in the surf zone, so unless you have lots of waves in the tank they wont survive. I know people that feed them to mantis shrimp and they survive a week but end up eaten.

Make sense. Only see them at the wave/sand mix zone. Thanks

 

[CMcNeil]

ive seen them back in the shallow waters of coquina key.it is muddy and murky water and full of coquinas.i dont think they are short lived as i have seen some big coquina shells.

 

[rockstar]

I tried them in a 29G reef tank and they slowly died out over time. It's been a few years ago, but as I remember they were probably all gone within 2-3 months.

 

[ladyfsu]

Mine got eaten in a few weeks, mostly by my mantis. I'm going to be collecting and seining etc Mon-Wed at Clearwater so I'll be trying it again!!!! What's crazy is I've seen these seen online for .50 each!


BTW if you want to try to go seining on Tues or Wed morning, PM me tonight and I'll give you our number (not sure where to go since I"m not from there)! I've got the seining itch and bet it lasts for a few months!

 

[alizarin]

I've found clams that at least look like coquinas in the seagrass and mud flats around the skyway. There's not nearly as many there as the surf zone though. I've put them in my tank but I couldn't say how long they lived since they stay under the sand.