Experimenting with livestock

[trackfast]

Has anyone here put a clam, oyster, conch, snail or whatever into their tank that was purchased from a grocery/seafood store? The local market here sells live stuff like that and it made me curious. (I know, I have too much time on my hands today.)

 

[Jaybird]

Most of the stuff for sale in a grocery store are for cool or cold waters. The temps in our tanks would either kill them or dramatically shorten their lifespan.

If you had the proper temps then they may survive.

 

[cmor1701d]

I have added Long Island clams to my tank on occasion. They bury themselves in the sand and live for a while doing their thing (cleaning). But, they die within a few months (if that long) and then the shells surface (empty).

 

[trackfast]

Anyone here doing a cold water marine tank? I know warm water species have better color but I think a cold water one would be interesting too. Hmmmm.....(cogs working in brain now) lol

 

[mr_X]

a lobster tank perhaps....make a nice tank and go into the food business! you'll be the first to have Illinois lobsters!

 

[Deep Seven]

It is a lot harder to get cold water species unless you can capture them yourself. There are very strict laws in some areas of north america on what local species you can have and what permits may or may not be required.

That being said I've seen some very nice coldwater tanks. My favourite is Coldwater marine aquarium Blog . It was running for 2 years and he shut it down when he moved just over a year ago. Tropical temperatures remain somwhat constant year round, while temperate climates go through temperature swings, high in the summer, low in the winter. One decision you have to make is whether to keep the temperature constant or go through the seasons.

One of the main differences is a reef tank replaces corals with macro-algae. There are coldwater corals but they live very deep on the ocean floor. The macro algae also replaces some of the colour you lose with colder species of fish.

I plan on starting a cold/temperate aquarium, but I wanted to get my tropical freshwater tank running first. Two big things needed for the temperate are the chiller required to keep the tank at a low temperature, and depending how low you want to go, a custom built tank so that it's insulated a lot better and easier to chill. If you don't do a custum tank, then at least do acrylic, as it insulates a lot better then glass.

 

[johnmaloney]

there area few species you can find in the tropical hobby that are well suited for coldwater tanks. catalina goby, girabaldi damsel, many macro algae, margartia and mexican turbo snails are all temperate/coldwater species

 

[trackfast]

Deep Seven, would like to see pics when you get the cold water tank up and running. And thanks to all for the comments.

 

[Jaybird]

Deep Seven: I checked out that blog and was really impressed. That was quite the tank build.