How to care for flame scallops?

ToadstoolCoral155 · Jul 11, 2018

I have a 14 gallon tank so far and adding much more would crowd it too much, but I have been looking at flame scallops as they grow pretty small in a smaller tank without being stressed too much from what I hear, correct me if I am wrong.

My issue however is that there is hardly any reliable information about it. It's either 50% trying to sell you food without actually telling you what it is, or 50% people explaining care for it but not specifically whatsoever and just fail.

It would be splendid if I could get a detailed rundown about caring for the thing, and what it does not tolerate, and what it specifically eats. Thank you.

Mrod · Jul 11, 2018

From what I have heard most Fail to keep them alive for more than 3-6 months.

It is recommended for “experts” and live aquaria gives details about what they eat and how to care for them with a Pipete.

I think they are gorgeous but wouldn’t attempt one and suggest you maybe steer away also. If you do attempt it there are multiple articles on the web but almost all say it cannot be done and should be avoided.

cristata.reef · Jul 11, 2018

I have not heard of a single person who has kept these long term. I assume you would need some heavy filtration since you would likely be both broadcast feeding and target feedings daily (probably multiple times). IMO these are best left in the ocean. Although they're beautiful, it's best to leave them be in the wild (I promise I'm not a hippy). This goes for things like nudibranchs and crinoids as well (whoops I've kept nudibranchs, and no preature deaths either!!)

ToadstoolCoral155 · Jul 11, 2018

Sonofives said:
I have not heard of a single person who has kept these long term. I assume you would need some heavy filtration since you would likely be both broadcast feeding and target feedings daily (probably multiple times). IMO these are best left in the ocean. Although they're beautiful, it's best to leave them be in the wild (I promise I'm not a hippy). This goes for things like nudibranchs and crinoids as well (whoops I've kept nudibranchs, and no preature deaths either!!)

Thank you for the information, and I am starting to find the same things you have found- people failing to keep these long term. What a shame, so beautiful- best left where they belong though, I agree

Kamden Uelton · Jul 11, 2018

Had one for 2 years, I feed Brightwell Aquatics Blizzard Reef - O and Phytoplankton, I feed the Reef - O 4 times during the day and phyto once at night.

Ghost25 · Jul 11, 2018

I bought one from my LFS because the guy who worked there said he had had one for about a year and said if you have a relatively nutrient rich tank or feed a phytoplankton product like Reef Chili you should be fine. I also heard they don't generally live more than a year or two in captivity but the guy said that's simply because they don't have a very long natural lifespan. I don't know if that's true or not but if it is it might explain why they only last a few years at most. Does anyone actually know how long these things live in the wild?

Kamden Uelton · Jul 11, 2018

My LFS has a 5-year-old one that's absolutely HUGE, I think they live around 10 years or some like that in the wild.

cristata.reef · Jul 11, 2018

Kamden Uelton said:
Had one for 2 years, I feed Brightwell Aquatics Blizzard Reef - O and Phytoplankton, I feed the Reef - O 4 times during the day and phyto once at night.

Ooof dude why didn't you tell me this. Also I figured you could probably keep one cause of all you dang crinoids

AcroNem · Jul 11, 2018

They need a consistent supply of adequately sized foods to survive for any amount of time. A pipete won't cut it, even several times per day. I kept a group of them for a little over a year and a half before selling all from my NPS system. The system was automatically fed hourly. Food particle size range was 1-100 microns, and consisted of 6 species of green phytoplankton, 2 species of Diatoms (which seemed to be a preferred food source for a lot of selective filter feeders), 5-50 and 50-100 micron golden pearls, and rotifers.

They're very demanding, but can be kept if you are willing to give them the food that they need and control nutrients that come from those foods. I'm happy to answer any other questions you have about keeping them.