fire scallop spitting out food

[smaug]

It was doing great for awhile,once a day I spot fed it phytoplankton and it always stayed open and actively fed. For about the past 3 days or so I attempt to spot feed and it spits whenever the cloud touches its lashes. It also doe not seem as brightly colored and its inner tissues seem less healthy,almost darker red and not the nice translucent hot orange. I know these thisngs are picky and are very difficult to keep but I. Know I am feeding the best stuff I can get which is a combo of DTs and reef nutrition . I do notice that it seems to have more debris around its lips and just inside its mouth then usual,it and and does move occasionally but has been in this same spot for weeks. As I type this I start to suspect it might be the new reef nutrition phyto I mixed in with the DTs I was using. The dt was running low so I mixed the rn in with it to save space in the fridge.

[Dave66]

Flame scallops don't feed when they either satiated or the food doesn't suit them. Does it close and scoot away when you move your hand toward it? It should if still healthy.

The debris does concern me, since the scallops normally keep their mouth 'clean'. Any way you could help clear it?

Dave

[smaug]

I could use the sea squirt to clean it some. I have done it before. I was always under the impression that scallops never get enough food and are always near starvation in normal aquariums such as mine. As for trying to get away,it is backed into a corner but if I get the squirt too close it does try to back off.I wish I would not have contaminated the DTs with the reef nutrition.

[sheamurai]

I think spot feeding is only good for one "mouthful". They filter all day long and I'm thinking they are not really able to take in much during a single spot feeding. Unless you feed the tank as well, I don't think its really getting enough.

As far as it spitting food out - I don't think thats what its trying to do. Mine, if I fed it too strongly (too much, or too strong a squirt) it closed or sputted away. I think yours might be trying to move, but if its backed into a corner it likely can't. Its not like it can turn itself around so it can sputt the other way. Ordinarily I advise folks not to touch their scallops and let them go where they want, but it sounds like maybe yours needs a bit of help turning around so it can move.

All of this is just supposition...I've kept mine a year and half now but I can't really say what it is I am doing right, as I basically am doing everything I've read to keep it happy.

[sheamurai]

Sorry, what are "DTs"? I've looked at all the stuff in my fish larder and I don't see anything I feed my clam that I can construe a Dt out of...I'm sure it's going to be a "d'oh!" when you tell me...

[sheamurai]

here is one of my favourite articles on Flames...I'm still looking for the other good one...
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/7/inverts

[smaug]

DTs is a brand of phytoplankton. I don't think I should move this guy. He put himself there and is all tied in as well. I do feed the entire tank once a day with the filter off as well as give it a spot feeding. I will back off the spot feeding and see what happens.