Feeding Blue mussels?

[reef_research]

Hello RC'ers!

Recently, I have planned to start a coldwater tank devoted to Long Island sound species, particularily from the intertidal zones.

I've secured a company for the specimens, so legal issues are not a concern.

One of the species that I would like to maintain is the Atlantic blue mussel (Mytilus edulis). I know that they are filter feeders, and are a food species, so aquaculture info should be availible.

Can anyone suggest a suitable commercial food for them? I figure it should be some sort of plankton, but I have no idea what size range will be appropriate.

Thanks,

 

[billsreef]

T-Iso, aka Tahitian strain Isochyris galbana, is the prevalent phyto used in shellfish culture, along with some Tetraselmis thrown in as well.

 

[reef_research]

Excellent! Thanks Bill!

Do you know of any products that have those strains/species, or is it something that has to be cultured at home?

Thanks again,

 

[billsreef]

Reed Mariculture produces some algae products that are useful without the need for home culture.

http://www.reed-mariculture.com/microalgae/shelldiet.asp

I take it your on the other side of the Pond in CT?

 

[reef_research]

Oh yeah, we've got some perfect tidal areas around the Clinton/Westbrook areas that I've grown up by.

Most of it is basically the ocean's DSB, with shallower (<4-6', at high tide) depth making collection/observation easy. Lots of Sea lettuce (Ulva sp. ), brown kelp (wide blades), and rockweed for vegetation. Mostly open sandbed, but great diversity below. The sand is full of organics from what I can tell (it supports what must easily be millions of snails), and contains a distinct metal sulfide layer if one digs down about a foot.

It would probably be a better biotope to include this, but we have some bristleworms here that are just plain awful, as well as whelks, and God knows whatever else we're not seeing.

The mussels are often clumped to algae and a few barnacles (all secured to a rock) and burried shallowly on the surface. From what I can tell, They don't filter the sand for food like a cuke or quahog, so I don't think sand is an absolute necessity.

 

[billsreef]

Yeah, the mussels just need a hard substrate to attach to. The quahog's, while buried in the sand and mud, don't filter the substrate, the filter the water. The sand is just the hiding the place BTW, you are just about due North of me

 

[reef_research]

Sweet. What do you find for habitat layout on the north coast?

 

[billsreef]

Lots of the same sandy and rocky sort of coastline. After all, we're the scrapings of CT :lol: