I Serve My Tank 1 Mussel A Day (Like This)...

[jaxteller007]

I've been thinking about trying something like this to help make sure our CBB is eating. Anything special I should look for when buying them at the store?

 

[salty joe]

Make sure the shell is closed tight. An open shell is a dead mussel.

 

[jaxteller007]

Step 1: Crack the frozen Mussel with a nut cracker

Step 2: Break off the largest piece(s) with a small knife, or just use your hands

Step 3: Using the tip of the small knife, scrape away and discard all the tiny shell fragments you don’t want mixing into your aquarium sand

Step 4: Use the same knife to cut off some larger feeding ‘scraps’ from the few larger broken pieces

Step 5: Feed the ‘scraps’ to the tank, along with dropping in the largest portion of the Mussel shell directly into the tank

Make sure the shell is closed tight. An open shell is a dead mussel.

Just got a pound of live mussels from the store. Do I need to freeze them before letting the fish have at it or can I crack one open now and let them try it?
Of course I apparently don't have a nutcracker right now so I may have to freeze them anyways lol.

 

[salty joe]

What I like to do is freeze them in a Tupperware container. When I feed one I let it thaw for a few minutes and the shell opens a bit. Then I take a knife and finish opening the mussel. Finally, I tie a string to the mussel and drop it in.

 

[Tristren]

Is keeping a supply of live mussels in the sump or in a separate tank a practical idea?...

I buy live clams from the grocery store occasionally. They are just sitting on ice when I buy them. Some go straight into the freezer and end up as fish food. A few I've put into a bowl of chilled tank water that I let warm up and then put them in the sump or refugium. Most have done fine.

At the moment there are three in there that have been in since the start of the year. So keeping a bunch on hand as live food should work well enough. I have a pretty messy system so there is plenty for them to eat.

It does raise some questions about the line between Pet / Pet Food I suppose....


Tony

 

[JumboShrimp]

New tank, but keeping up the Daily-mussel routine. All the fish are healthy.

 

[JumboShrimp]

French Angel is enjoying a mid-morning Mussel.

 

[JumboShrimp]

Updated photo… still growing, thanks to “mussel power!” Lol.

 

[Koh23]

Way back, i feed my chelmon with mussels, but u have steady supply of fresh ones, not frozen....

Sadly that supply line is gone now, ther arrive fresh (at least that is what they selling it), didnt want to buy, selling is only at kilograms, way too much even for daily feeding, always felt that there will something go wring if i freeze them....

Glad u share your experience, time to go and buy some.....

 

[CanuckReefer]

Updated photo… still growing, thanks to “mussel power!” Lol.

Beauty French! One of my favourites to see on the reef. Also glad to see I'm not the only one doing this lol... same technique as yourself. I buy 2 pounds fresh, twice a month, have my own feast and put a bunch in the freezer!

 

[salty joe]

Way back, i feed my chelmon with mussels, but u have steady supply of fresh ones, not frozen....

Sadly that supply line is gone now, ther arrive fresh (at least that is what they selling it), didnt want to buy, selling is only at kilograms, way too much even for daily feeding, always felt that there will something go wring if i freeze them....

Glad u share your experience, time to go and buy some.....

Not a thing wrong with freezing them. I buy a bag and put them in a tupperware and pop it in the freezer. I always use up the few that are not shut tight first. I also do the same with oysters and clams. I like it because my fish have enough to pick at for an hour or so. Every week or so I pull a pile of shells from the tank.

JumboShrimp, your French looks fantastic! My bluering pair is getting there. A great way to feed (almost) live food.

 

[Koh23]

So, you just open shell and put it whole in tank? Or?

 

[CanuckReefer]

So, you just open shell and put it whole in tank? Or?

That's my method, thaw a bit, knife the shell open, and in it goes. I think OP might crack their shells first.

 

[JumboShrimp]

Now my most recent addition is getting the hang of things— my Bicolor Angel.

By the way, I found that if I just wait about 10-15 minutes thawing the Mussels out, I can split the shells in half with my bare fingers and I can skip the nutcracker altogether.

 

[CanuckReefer]

Now my most recent addition is getting the hang of things— my Bicolor Angel.

By the way, I found that if I just wait about 10-15 minutes thawing the Mussels out, I can split the shells in half with my bare fingers and I can skip the nutcracker altogether.

Nice! Tried a Bicolour about 20 years ago lol....it perished after about 2 months. This would be my next Angel purchase since so much more is known now about their care/ feeding habits it seems. 5 fish in this 90 now....Yellow Tang, Ocellaris, Three Stripe Damsel all for 18 years, Coral Beauty, and Eibli Angel.... do I dare make this pygmy pair a harem in a 90? Oh its tempting , but all heck would break loose likely....temper the desires lol.

 

[salty joe]

If I'm in a mad rush, I'll nuke the shellfish for a few seconds before I split it open with a knife. I drop the whole mess in the tank and clean the shells out on the weekend. Usually, I let the shellfish sit in my sink to thaw a little while I get ready for work. Oysters are by far the hardest to split open.

 

[CanuckReefer]

Mussel time for the Dwarf!

And there seems to be a lineup at the bar!

 

[CanuckReefer]

the 'leftovers'

 

[Koh23]

To raise topic....

I bought 2kg of fresh mussels, and put them in freezer. Then i just take one or two, when i want to feed my tank, after few minutes i crack them in half with knife...then in tank.... Or take them from shell and chop small pieces...

Question is, how long they can last in freezer? Is there better way, maybe defrost them completely and then feed?

Also i throw one in sump, before freezing of course, its still closed, how to know if its alive or?

Edit- now i looked at sump, try to move mussel, but it seems that he is attached to bottom of sump.....

So probably still alive, or?

 

[JumboShrimp]

Photo from today