hmmm, I have kept scallops for almost my entire experience with saltwater (23+yrs) and I have never used supplimental food sources.
I have had losses and fortunately the right size tanks and enough cleaners to deal with the issue before it caused major issues within the system.
But I find my self wondering if I may have starved them. They always seemed to be in good health....moved around, jetted cleaners away from them, open and filtering.
Currently I have 4 bay scallops in my 20gal fuge and again I assumed good health with movement and constant activity.
I had mentioned before that I primarily use fresh offshore saltwater, planktons, and pods to bring life to my tank; in winter and non diving months I do augment with ready made water. I had assumed there was enough "life" in the water to bring the bits of yummies to my little dudes.
I would feel terrible if I had brought these guys in only to starve them.
What signs, beyond the basic common sense ones of shrinking tendrils, loss of flesh thickness/color, no shell growth, lack of activity could I use to determine if these filter feeders are getting enough to eat?
Shoot, I have maintained 100's of caribbean cluster feather worms, a dozon or so large caribbean calcifying feather worms, and a dozen or so scallops (bay, ocean, red and white "flame") at the same time in the same tank (250gl) maintained the same way I mentioned earlier...without any major issues.
Now as I used primarily collected flora/fauna, I would return/exchange pieces of "live" rock to reclaim fresh micro and macro life, return any fauna that were slow to eat or were acting too lathergic (so they could recoop in their original environment), and other such routines.
So you can understand my concern. I know that they are just simple lifeforms, but I have a sense of responsibiltiy from removing them from their environments. If I was bringing them in for my and my families visual enjoyment, just to starve them I would feel quite put out.
So I guess the question at hand in this...am I providing enough micro life for my filter feeders (and I do not run a skimmer...thats what I have my filter feeders for, I thought).
Ray Boemler
www.peanutbutterjellyfish.com