Flame Scallop – Lima Scabra

Flame Scallops are a beautiful species of scallop commonly available in the aquarium trade. They’re named for their extremely bright red mantles with long tentacles extending off the edge, resembling tendrils of flames. Interestingly, unlike most bivalves, scallops are fully capable of moving to find their preferred home, and will jet around the aquarium with their siphons until they settle in a spot they like.

Care

Flame Scallops grow to around 3″, and are generally sedentary once they find a spot they like, so can be kept in aquariums of any size as long as you can meet their other needs. They’re a non-photosynthetic species, and depend entirely on filter feeding to meet their dietary needs, requiring frequent targeted feedings of phytoplankton. These demanding feeding requirements result in many scallops slowly withering with time, as there isn’t enough naturally occurring phytoplankton to sustain them in the home aquarium. It’s also important to note that scallops prefer dark secluded areas, and are fully capable of finding them. Much to the chagrin of many reefers, they’ll often end up moving from the prominently displayed area they were placed in to a hidden back corner of the tank.As with other invertebrates, they’re intolerant of copper and rapid changes in water conditions, so should be acclimated carefully.

Diet

Flame Scallops, as obligate filter feeders, require a diet of phytoplankton such as Reef Nutrition’s Phyto Feast.