I bought a Fire Scallop and...

Tomorleans · 06/27/2007, 03:15 PM

He seems to be doing fine except he will hop around the tank and get stuck in a corner between live rock.. I was wondering how do you prevent him from doing this? Do you arrange the rock in a way that kind of gives him a playpen so to speak so he wont go wondering off and get stuck in one spot for days?

kevin2000 · 06/27/2007, 03:35 PM

Fire/Flame scallops are great looking and popular purchases by new aquarist .. but almost all die and I suspect they are on the "do not buy" list of several authors and most experienced aquarist. They are hard to feed and they they will eventually jump somewhere where the food supply isnt sufficient and starve. Not much you can do to prevent that .. sorry.

Tomorleans · 06/27/2007, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by kevin2000
Fire/Flame scallops are great looking and popular purchases by new aquarist .. but almost all die and I suspect they are on the "do not buy" list of several authors and most experienced aquarist. They are hard to feed and they they will eventually jump somewhere where the food supply isnt sufficient and starve. Not much you can do to prevent that .. sorry.

hmmmm what about if i keep him in a certain place and feed him mysis shrimps?

papagimp · 06/27/2007, 04:25 PM

ACtually, there not that bad to feed, keep lots of phytoplankton available, live phyto preferably, like DT's Live Phytoplankton or culture your own. (very easy to do) As for him jumping around alot and getting wedged in the rocks and stuff....this is normal. He'll keep moving until he finds a spot that nice and shaded for him and not too high a current but enough to bring food to him....if you are not target feeding him, he'll keep moving looking for food though. Also might add that the first flame scallop i purchased hid from sight for several months. They do not like the bright lighting and will hide from it, even if it means behind all your rockwork where you'lln ever see him. They do not utilize the light at all for feeding, such as clams and corals do so you much provide food. MUST! And they can eat alot too, so keep that in mind.

papagimp · 06/27/2007, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tomorleans
hmmmm what about if i keep him in a certain place and feed him mysis shrimps?

You won't be able to keep in still without harming him, and mysis are far too large for him to eat...they need small micro planktonic life to eat on, like phytoplankton. Even pods are probably going to be too large.

Tomorleans · 06/27/2007, 04:29 PM

thanks guys.. now I need to see if my LFS carris the phytoplankton. Does any place online carry it?

Moonstream · 06/27/2007, 04:53 PM

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...fm?N=2004+6135

Tomorleans · 06/27/2007, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Moonstream
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...fm?N=2004+6135

thanks. I did a quick search on phytoplankton and It didn't list any stores on the first page. So I assumed it was hard to get etc etc..

Moonstream · 06/27/2007, 05:40 PM

welcome

any time.

loosecannon · 06/28/2007, 04:09 PM

Tomorleans: It`s all ways a good idea to know if you can keep it a live BEFOR you bring it home!

SARBoy · 06/28/2007, 04:19 PM

if you have a fuge you could try him there, my electric clam is doing fine in my fuge but would not put him in main tank as food would present a problem.

xian · 06/29/2007, 09:20 AM

I have read that the natural life span of a flame scallop is not that long in the first place. 1-2 years tops.

06/27/2007, 03:15 PM	#1
Tomorleans Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: New Orleans(Westbank) Posts: 226	I bought a Fire Scallop and... He seems to be doing fine except he will hop around the tank and get stuck in a corner between live rock.. I was wondering how do you prevent him from doing this? Do you arrange the rock in a way that kind of gives him a playpen so to speak so he wont go wondering off and get stuck in one spot for days?

06/27/2007, 04:25 PM	#4
papagimp COMAS Rocks! Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Oklahoma City, OK Posts: 8,185 Blog Entries: 2	ACtually, there not that bad to feed, keep lots of phytoplankton available, live phyto preferably, like DT's Live Phytoplankton or culture your own. (very easy to do) As for him jumping around alot and getting wedged in the rocks and stuff....this is normal. He'll keep moving until he finds a spot that nice and shaded for him and not too high a current but enough to bring food to him....if you are not target feeding him, he'll keep moving looking for food though. Also might add that the first flame scallop i purchased hid from sight for several months. They do not like the bright lighting and will hide from it, even if it means behind all your rockwork where you'lln ever see him. They do not utilize the light at all for feeding, such as clams and corals do so you much provide food. MUST! And they can eat alot too, so keep that in mind. __________________ 58g Softie & 75g Stoney Member, Central Oklahoma Marine Aquarium Society Current Tank Info: 58g Mixed Reef Project - Started June 2011

06/28/2007, 04:09 PM	#10
loosecannon Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: port kent Posts: 1,292	Tomorleans: It`s all ways a good idea to know if you can keep it a live BEFOR you bring it home! __________________ I like getting WET! Current Tank Info: 44gal. 40 gal. 75 gal. 30gal. and working on a 75gal. rigt

06/28/2007, 04:19 PM	#11
SARBoy Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Scotland Posts: 125	if you have a fuge you could try him there, my electric clam is doing fine in my fuge but would not put him in main tank as food would present a problem. __________________ Help our Search and Rescue crews, GET LOST! Fly it like you stole it. Current Tank Info: 135ltr nano

06/29/2007, 09:20 AM	#12
xian Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Troy, NY Posts: 2,180	I have read that the natural life span of a flame scallop is not that long in the first place. 1-2 years tops. __________________ -Matt Christian Define Irony: Algae growing on a snail. Current Tank Info: 125 gal planted lagoon

06/27/2007, 03:35 PM	#2
kevin2000 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 3,805	Fire/Flame scallops are great looking and popular purchases by new aquarist .. but almost all die and I suspect they are on the "do not buy" list of several authors and most experienced aquarist. They are hard to feed and they they will eventually jump somewhere where the food supply isnt sufficient and starve. Not much you can do to prevent that .. sorry.

06/27/2007, 04:29 PM	#6
Tomorleans Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: New Orleans(Westbank) Posts: 226	thanks guys.. now I need to see if my LFS carris the phytoplankton. Does any place online carry it?

06/27/2007, 04:53 PM	#7
Moonstream Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: NYC Posts: 2,581	http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...fm?N=2004+6135

06/27/2007, 05:40 PM	#9
Moonstream Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: NYC Posts: 2,581	welcome any time.