Further introduction and question about a potential new product

[Go2Graham]

Hello everyone,

So now that I've been introduced by Colin and Jared, I figured it is an appropriate time to describe further some of what I will accomplish as forum moderator.

First and foremost, I am here for you as was previously mentioned. Something that has disappointed us, as a company, was our inability to be as accessible, active, and present on the forum as we now can be. With myself as the appointed moderator, I will be the one fielding and answering your questions, so please think of me literally as your go-to guy.

Beyond this, we would like to establish more of a dynamic between you and us in our forum, and one of the ways we will be doing this is by posing questions with the goal of making us a better, more efficient source for your marine life needs. Inherent in this is striving to make the experience of buying from us as easy and affordable as possible for you.

Some of what will be asked will relate to which new products you would like to see us offer, reviews of products purchased from us, and feedback and testimonials about our service and company as a whole. These are only a few of the types of threads we will create in hopes of attaining and maintaining the highest levels of satisfaction for everyone.



That being said, I would like to pose the first question relating to a potential new product we can offer you. Throughout the dives we have accumulated some Flame Scallops (Lima scabra) that can be made available for sale. Let us know what you think.

This thread is the first of many, so get ready to help us help you!

Cheers,
Graham
Coral Morphologic

[aquawolf]

It is my understanding that flame scallops never survive for very long in captivity. I know when I bought one it lived for about 2 months and that was it.

Do you have some tips that you could share that would possibly make a difference in their survival rate? If so, then I am sure quite a few people would be even more interested in getting some of them.

[Go2Graham]

aquawolf - You are absolutely correct, and in my haste I omitted care information and suggestions. It is true that Flame scallops usually fall under the moderate-to-difficult category, and the main reason for this is the fact that their sole source of nutrition is through filter feeding.

There is a tricky curve and relationship between the health of a reef-type aquarium and the health of these and other pure filter-feeders in that the cleaner your water is (in terms of particulate organic matter, POM) the worse it is for a flame scallop in terms of food availability. However, when you slide to the other side of the spectrum and have "dirtier" water (again, relating to POM) the worse the parameters of the water often are for the health of the scallop and other organisms; especially invertebrates. Therefore it is very tricky to establish and maintain a proper balance of "food" and "water quality" in an aquarium.

One of the main ways to ameliorate this is to target or spot feed the organism (or feed the system if you have successfully been doing so already, though target feeding is always recommended and encouraged). Rotifers, phytoplankton, and zooplankton, as well as products that mimic natural marine snow are all ways to supplement the filter feeders' diets. These are the exact methods used by many reefers of varying merit to successfully increase the health of the corals. So, if one is going to those lengths anyway, then he or she would easily be able to add the scallop to his or her feeding routine, and hopefully would be successful in keeping it.

Another thing to consider about these organisms is that they often hide underneath rocks, and can sometimes only be seen from certain angles or only the tentacles are exposed. Therefore these animals should only be attempted by those who either know from experience they can keep them alive, or someone who has read or knows this information previously, already has a feeding routine or is willing to start one, and is willing to try to keep one.

Here are some links to further information: Central Pets & Advanced Aquarist Magazine

I apologize for this slip up, and next time I will remember to have taken the extra time to introduce appropriate information about any animals or products we may offer to offer in the future.

Cheers,
Graham
Coral Morphologic

[aquawolf]

Thanks for that information Graham.

No need for an apology whatsoever. I hope I did not come across as accusatory or anything like that, as that was definitely not my intention.

I was just curious and wanted to know if there was something I could have done better. Mine definitely went and hid under the rocks and, as you stated, all I ever saw was one or two tentacles exposed. That makes it very difficult to judge the health of a critter as well, especially when they have the potential to move even deeper under the rock structure.

I had hoped that mine was still alive in there and fending for itself quite well, but alas when I tore down the tank to put in the rock lifts I found the empty shell in the rock work.

Thanks again.