What’s growing behind my rock?

[jdubDaReefGuy]

They are relatively easy to care for if you are able to support their dietary needs. Not many people known that they need specific foods like phyto, and the scallop slowly starves then dies. This is mostly how they got the reputation of being "hard" to keep. I am not saying they are easy to keep, but the reason they have the reputation to be hard to keep is because of their dietary needs which not many people are aware about.

Yes I agree. Most things labeled “expert only” tend to only be labeled that way because they require special feeding.

 

[himynameis]

If the video will load, this is how they move around. This is mine while I was drip acclimating him. If not here is a link to it on YouTube

Hah that’s so cool.

 

[jdubDaReefGuy]

Wow that’s quite the story! Glad to hear it survived. I too dose phyto every few days, maybe that’s the trick.

I ended up with $850 in store credit, but basically had to start over completely. I had a pencil urchin and the scallop survive. All the Corals and my dragon face pipefish pair didn’t make it.

 

[AydenLincoln]

Yes their diet is very special and they are filter feeders. They also have extremely short lifespans. How long have you had it?

 

[himynameis]

Yes their diet is very special and they are filter feeders. They also have extremely short lifespans. How long have you had it?

Since April of last year, so about a year now!

 

[jdubDaReefGuy]

Yes their diet is very special and they are filter feeders. They also have extremely short lifespans. How long have you had it?

I have had this one for around 8 months. It survived my tank crash. I think if you feed them properly, they are pretty hardy

 

[jdubDaReefGuy]

Yes their diet is very special and they are filter feeders. They also have extremely short lifespans. How long have you had it?

I tried spot feeding mine when I first got it and it would just blow the food away. So I just add the phytoplankton to the water near the power head and it seems to get plenty. Haven’t had any issues with mine.

 

[AydenLincoln]

I have had this one for around 8 months. It survived my tank crash. I think if you feed them properly, they are pretty hardy

Yeah they usually live about a year or so in captivity. Their actual lifespan is only around 3ish years and they are a few years old when they are collected. It’s really not that long.

 

[jdubDaReefGuy]

Yeah they usually live about a year or so in captivity. Their actual lifespan is only around 3ish years and they are a few years old when they are collected. It’s really not that long.

I’ve read that but I’ve also seen tanks that have had them much older than that. I truly do think the lifespan of the critters in our tank boil down to how we care for them

 

[AydenLincoln]

I’ve read that but I’ve also seen tanks that have had them much older than that. I truly do think the lifespan of the critters in our tank boil down to how we care for them

I understand that but even in the wild they aren’t the longest living critters when compared to the general ocean population and fish lifespans. Of course there’s always exceptions though. But like the general consensus both in the wild and in captivity is no longer than 3-5 years and usually it’s much much much shorter than that.

 

[jdubDaReefGuy]

I understand that but even in the wild they aren’t the longest living critters when compared to the general ocean population and fish lifespans. Of course there’s always exceptions though. But like the general consensus both in the wild and in captivity is no longer than 3-5 years.

I wonder why they average so low? I wonder if as filter feeders, they end up absorbing toxins. But then I’ve seen clams that are bigger than a foot ball. So I truly wonder why lifespans vary so much

 

[AydenLincoln]

I wonder why they average so low? I wonder if as filter feeders, they end up absorbing toxins. But then I’ve seen clams that are bigger than a foot ball. So I truly wonder why lifespans vary so much

Most bivalves usually average less than 3 years in lifespan just a thing. Some species of bivalves do live a lot longer though.