Seagrass

[Percula Dreams]

Hi all,

I was wondering about seagrass...I don't know anything about it. But I was told my flame scallop would do better if he was in a tank with seagrass...Does seagrass take over your tank? Does it go sexual like caulerpa?

Thanks in advance.

[skylsdale]

First of all, your flame scallop is doomed in a captive system--it's just a matter of how long it will take for it to starve to death in your tank. I'm sorry, but we simply cannot provide the amount and types of food these organisms require.

The seagrass tank solution is probably based on a tank with more nutrients, theoretically providing more food for the scallop. But this would be walking a pretty thin line, IMO, and I'm not sure if would make much of a difference.

As far as your questions, there have already been a couple good seagrass threads in this forum: do a search and your questions should be answered in those discussions.

[piercho]

A description of seagrass habitat: http://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/Seagrass_Habitat.htm At the bottom of that page you'll find links to species descriptions. Thallasia (turtle grass) is the one available through hobby vendors.

"Dynamic Aquaria" Rev 2, Addey & Loveland gives a description of keeping seagrass. Eric Borneman has written a brief on-line article.

"Does seagrass take over your tank?"
It's rooted, and will be confined to sandy areas. It won't grow up onto your rock.

"Does it go sexual like caulerpa? "
No. It isn't an algae like caulerpa. Its a vascular plant like grass.

"I was told my flame scallop would do better if he was in a tank with seagrass..."
I haven't kept a flame scallop, and don't know what community it comes from, or it's specific requirements. If it's a "generic" filter-feeding mollusk, it's probably obligated to feed on phyto-plankton, which is often absent in captive tanks.