flame scallop hanging open by foot half up glass hours after lights out

[Fish Think Pink]

CRAZY !! Anyone else ever have/see/heard of this below?!

I turned on my tank light to quickly double check my tank temperature because of tonight's first really cold night, and I caught my flame scallop hanging wide open by its foot, halfway up glass - reminding me of some overly drunken party reveler hanging off light pole, shirtless and perky wearing marti gras beads!!! My flame scallop is always under a rock with its 'whiskers' out, doing calm family style filter feeding. Filter feeding was at a WHOLE DIFFERENT LEVEL tonight. I've a peppermint and skunk shrimp that never ever seem to sleep (day or night) so that scallop should know there is no 'safe' time in aquarium (though... fish are sleeping).

After catching it, I turned light back off, ran to find camera, came back and turned light back on only to find it completely closed lying on the sand bottom as if I imagined the whole experience... "nothing going on here... lol"

Not until tonight did I know my flame scallop has a wild side! Do they all? Do I need to do this sneak nighttime check to catch this on camera?

Why do I feel like the parent just catching my teenager up to no good?! If I had not seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't have believed it could open that much and do what it did... wow... think I have some phyto I will put in there for it right now... maybe it is extra hungry... maybe it is crazy... but I'm no longer worrying about tank temperature tonight - its getting hot in there - LOL - curious if this is normal flame scallop behavior and I just sleep thru it...

Apologies if this isn't the right area of marine life for scallop discussion but everything else didn't fit.

This photo is similar, but lacks showing both shells open wide/flat against glass - more flexible than yoga master!


Thoughts?

 

[hnurge]

that's awesome! where did you find it and how long has it been with you? I used to see them all the time, but haven't seen one in years..

 

[Fish Think Pink]

SO, I've learned a lot about my scallop since my first post above. While above got my attention and was likely due to forgetting to turn pump back on after feeding tank dinner, studies indicate it is also starving despite its appearance.

Invertebrate Non-Column: Flame Scallops

I wanted to make a point of emphasizing that the survival record of flame scallops in captivity has traditionally been extremely poor.

reefs.com

They need phyto added to the water at the same time food is added, and while they may appear to filter other foods, only foods 0>200 microns are eaten. Based on below article (linked in), I am going to resume feeding Reef Nutrition Oyster Feast to my reef tank with some Phyto Feast, and I've moved the scallop to the mixed reef 180 gallon so corals can also benefit.

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[Fish Think Pink]

that's awesome! where did you find it and how long has it been with you? I used to see them all the time, but haven't seen one in years..

Saltwater Paradise in Irving has them right now!

 

[Fish Think Pink]

Here is a surprise one year anniversary update on my scallop - just found it peeking out of the left cave front opening (hairy green mushrooms are a little more under control and not currently stretched across cave front opening)

 

[Fish Think Pink]

If you can't see flame scallop in above close up - here is a photo where I just circled him/her: