Any idea about " oyster filting"

[calk me Q]

Once heard from an experienced marine hobbyist that an oyster can filter 5 liter water every hour for anything coming through like nitrate or phosphate besides micro plankton, I am interested in that but more confused. Are they naturally living in the ecological system where the water colume has significant level of nitrate or phosphate? If not, why could they filter phosphate or nitrate as food source? Any ideas about this...

[AliciaP]

I know they aren't the same, but I have clams in my tank that are there just as filters. They are live clams the you can buy at your grocery store. Got them from TOPS and I pop one open every now and again for a treat for my fish and crabs and snails.

[calk me Q]

I know they aren't the same, but I have clams in my tank that are there just as filters. They are live clams the you can buy at your grocery store. Got them from TOPS and I pop one open every now and again for a treat for my fish and crabs and snails.

clams are filters as well as lighters but oyster are not, logically thinking oyster filter more than clam. So...probably they are good filters. But , as u mentioned oyster is a good food resource for marine fish:spin1: Oyster feast, oyster eggs..:lmao:

[MrClam]

Common misconception. Oysters and clams are "filter feeders" that survive by eating food particles in the water column. They are not "filters" because they do not trap and hold anything. They digest the biological material that they capture and release waste in the form of nitrates and phosphates as well as higher level compounds (which are then broken down by the natural bacteria in the tank). The person you talked to had it backwards in that they can not filter nitrates or phosphates as food, but they can filter microplankton for food.

Point being that, while interesting little creatures, they will do very little to help reduce nitrates or phosphates in the tank. Most likely they will simply die unless special care is given.

[AliciaP]

They are a pretty big hit at my house. The kids enjoy seeing them with their vavles open and at night, the adults know where my flashlight is and they will take a peek when all is dark. The clams are known for having their tongue out and touching the bottom. And I've also caught them in the act of moving around. It's a neat experience for all.

[TY31088]

They are a pretty big hit at my house. The kids enjoy seeing them with their vavles open and at night, the adults know where my flashlight is and they will take a peek when all is dark. The clams are known for having their tongue out and touching the bottom. And I've also caught them in the act of moving around. It's a neat experience for all.

Do you have oysters or clams?
How big are they?
Where did you get them?

[small alien]

I'm curious too. I've got a few mussels that came in as hitchhikers. One is a couple inches across now. Having a clam or two could be cool.

[AliciaP]

I have clams. I bought them at TOPS. Just a grocery store chain here. ...In the seafood section. I get them by the dozen, in the netting, on the ice.

[small alien]

Oh. I meant live ones. :-)

[greg1786]

I actually posted about this about four months ago. If you search "oyster bay" youll see the thread. A friend of mine brought me a 8 oysters from his catering company alive but on ice. They were from right out of the chesapeak bay here in maryland. I very slowly acclimated them to my tank and as they warmed up they came to life. I put them in a little colony in the corner of my 125. I started out feeding them coral smoothie every few days but I have a good bit of sps which require very clean water so I stopped that after less than a month. They are all still alive and well and the eat the small food particles out of the water column ans anything else small enough for them. They are becoming covered in coraline algae so they are really cool looking at this point. I, along with many others, thought they would have died off by now but they had other plans. I enjoy them because they are different and add a neat aspect that most reef tanks dont have! Ill get a newer picture up tmw when the lights come on but heres a pic from when I first put them in.http://i1068.photobucket.com/albums/u450/greg1786/image_zps9b8fbc54.jpghttp://i1068.photobucket.com/albums/u450/greg1786/image_zps41e35b35.jpg

[small alien]

Neat!

[AliciaP]

Oh. I meant live ones. :-)

They are live! You get the live in the store and instead of cooking and eating them, I ever so slowly acclimate them and put them in my tank to live.

[small alien]

To quote some hippy friends of mine, "far out!"

I'll have to give the a whirl. Thanks.

[vette.tech]

I Dont eat clams so i never knew you could buy them live, so the ones at the grocery store may still be living sitting there on ice??

[anbosu]

I Dont eat clams so i never knew you could buy them live, so the ones at the grocery store may still be living sitting there on ice??

Yes - I've just thrown them in the tank for food and have had them live for months before.

[xrayjeeper83]

May have to try this. At worst my hermits, snails and eels have a meal

[AliciaP]

I acclimate to room temp, then place them in a bag with as much air as it can hold and allow them to acclimate to the tank temp, then drop them in. It's really cool to see them doing their thing. I will check the clams in the netted bag to see if they are alive. I gently poke at them a little bit and they close up, that way, I know they are alive. :)

[williewilliams]

The clams at the grocery store are definately alive. It is not safe to eat if dead prior to cooking.