Flame Scallop gone in two days

[Sushi Roll]

I bought an electric flame scallop for my 12 oz nano cube. I told the LFS owner that I had a clown fish, firefish, clown goby and neon goby. He said it would be fine.

I forgot to mention that I had a fire shrimp and hermit crabs. They hide so much I hardly think about them. Two days later the scallop shell was still there but the entire insides (the living part) was completely gone. I checked the water quality (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, salinity and alkalinity) and it was fine. The only problem with the water was that the Ph was now 8.1 instead of 8.3 which I usually try to keep it at. I should mention I have a leather finger coral in there that is doing great. I should also mention that I acclimated the scallop befor placing it in the tank.

So what happened? Is it possible that the shrimp or hermit crabs ate it? That's the only thing I can imagine for it to disappear so fast. Clearly its not hiding because the shell is still present. I suppose it may have died first and was then eaten by the cleanup crew but I have no idea why it would die so fast.

This was my first scallop and it was really cool. If I could find out what happened I would like to give it another try after correcting whatever problem there was. If anyone has knowledge on scallops, especially electric flame scallops, please let me know what you think happened.

Thank you.

 

[Blazer88]

They don't last long in aquariums, yours just happened to die quicker than most and get eaten. I wouldn't try another one as it will most likely get the same fate.

 

[triggerfreak]

How long did you have it? And did you feed it daily? I have had one for about 4 months now, and it is doing great. I spot feed it daily with phyto, marine snow, cylopeze and coral frenzy.

 

[Sushi Roll]

I had it for two days... I put flakes and pellets in the tank (for the fishes but heard the scallop would filter the flakes also) AND I put phytoplankton in the tank. The second day I spot fed the phytoplankton. And the third day (two days after I bought him) he was gone. I was shocked to say the least.

I never used phytoplankton prior to getting the scallop and I wonder if I possibly overfed it? Still, I don't know why it would die so fast if that was the case...

 

[zemuron114]

flames need to be spot fed in order to have any chance at living (even then it is doubtful) they are found in dirtier water where nutrients is very high.

 

[jmaneyapanda]

agreed. dont get another.

 

[I like Triggers]

I have a friend who has kept one for about 6 months in his 100 gallon reef. He never spot feeds it, and we see it around in his tank all the time. His name on here is bugitup

 

[Gundo5000]

I have always heard that flame/electric scallops are a quick fix and a wayste of money. They do look cool though.

 

[Sushi Roll]

Well, that explains why of the numerous aquarium stores I go to I've only seen them sold at one store

To "I like Triggers" - Do you know the secret to your friend's success? Maybe they just need large tanks?

Thanks to everyone for their input. So, is it safe to say that it was not eaten by my hermit crabs or shrimp?

 

[JR719]

Chances are.... It died and the clean up crew went to work.

 

[Project Reef]

When you say "gone" do you mean it disapeared and completely vanished, or do you mean it died?

 

[Sushi Roll]

I meant it died since the shell is still present. But the remains were completely gone (except for the shell) two days after I bought it...

 

[Monkeyfish]

Flame scallops do not need to be spot fed and if they are it does very little good. They will only filter out a certain amount of food at one time. Spot feeding often overwhelms them and they close up in short order.

They need to be kept in established tanks with a lot of microfauna and microflora - kind of like what some SPS corals eat. I have one in a 29 gallon tank for about 16 months. The tank was 2 years old when I added him. They generally do not do well in smaller tanks due to the lack of food and unstable water parameters though from what I've seen nitrates do not bother them at all.

 

[Steven Pro]

Read this, Flame Scallops by Rob Toonen