Oysters for nutrient export?

[5thChorseman]

I came across a R2R thread about using oysters, pacific or other warm water species, to help with nutrient export. Has anyone on MR try this?

 

[MIKE NY]

Most Mollusks are filter feeders, unfortunately there normally aren’t enough nutrients in our reef tanks to keep them long term. I use to see flame scallops all the time, not recently, and don’t know anyone who had success with them. I’ve tried some of the local species of clams and mussels etc...in my fuge and between the low nutrients and water temperature most didn’t last more than a few months.


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[ichthyogeek]

I know Dr. Dendrostein does it. But they also are kept in a high nutrient environment with NPS corals. I haven't tried it, but I should at some point.

 

[5thChorseman]

Most Mollusks are filter feeders, unfortunately there normally aren’t enough nutrients in our reef tanks to keep them long term. I use to see flame scallops all the time, not recently, and don’t know anyone who had success with them. I’ve tried some of the local species of clams and mussels etc...in my fuge and between the low nutrients and water temperature most didn’t last more than a few months.


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Currently, I feed five times a day and plan on ramping it up to 9 times per day, so I want to have as much nutrient export as possible.

 

[Mattl22]

Why 9 times a day?


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[5thChorseman]

Why 9 times a day?


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I would like to keep some nps.

 

[homegrowncichlid]

I caught a few oysters, clams and mussels locally. Mussels need cold water, not good. Clams and oysters lasts a while, but will eventually starve out, Might I interest you in a hairy sea cucumber? Apparently I kept 2 last summer, and just found both of them recently. They are nocturnal, about the size of a plum, the feeding arms cluster are about 2 inches in diameter. They are active feeders.

Here's a short vid of it, once light hits it, it retreats underground. I'm thinking there could be practical uses for it.

local tropical collecting NY, unusually warm water, no mussel beds (manhattanreefs.com)

 

[5thChorseman]

That looks cool. I had three little mussels that came from live rocks, they grew for a while. But die off for some reason when I was trying to get rid of an algae problem.

Does the hairy cucumber requires a deep sandbed? I am definitely interested if it does not require a deep sandbed.

 

[homegrowncichlid]

It's in gravel about 1 inch deep, so it's lying sideways. I'll send a private message regarding a trade, so as not to distract from this thread. Mussels need to be in cold waters up to 75F, so they are found from here all they way up the coast line.

 

[Timbo]

Lots of interesting info on using Xenia for nutrient export if housed in a fuge.

 

[homegrowncichlid]

Ah, yes! I vaguely remember about xenia, which then reminds me of Giant clams, they also need dirtier water and pull nutrient's from the water, a much better choice then oysters.

 

[5thChorseman]

there are advantages to oysters over other organism like giant clams or xenia.
(1) low cost
(2) they do not need light so can be keep in the sump or hidden in the tank.
(3) easy to control their number and thus the amount of filtration
(4) can feed coral with their spawn and other things they produce.

 

[homegrowncichlid]

Ah, I thought about the exact same thing, the oysters will starve out, I had 2, a big one 4 inches, and a little one 2 inches, they didn't make it. I believe they need to live in green water to sustain their body mass. our tanks are just too clean. I saw an educational video online showing how much water they filter per day, 50 gallons. If I didn't use dino X at the time, I would've eaten them.
I do have a small clam that's still alive, it's 2 inches in size, he's the only one I didn't eat last summer, probably a little more durable than oysters. it's still going and pretty active, moving around in the sand bed. As for spawn, then you should try either sexy shrimps, or even feeder shrimps. Snails! They spawn regularly in tank, and are much easier to maintain.

 

[Fishinizer]

I have spotted a single oyster and about 6 visible muscles growing out of my live rock at the moment these guys are no more than my pinky nail at the moment but they are popping up all over and look super healthy ....got me supper exited. when I have enough established your more than welcome to a few. these are like a bright blue stripes with a oyster shell shine texture

 

[5thChorseman]

Definite let us know how they do over time. I will visit the asian seafood stores in a few days to look for suitable oysters.