Oysters in the aquarium?

[Agnate80700]

I just had sort of a random thought... anyone ever try putting an Oyster in an aquarium? Peticularly a pearl-producing one? lol

Just thought it'd be cool to maybe cultivate and harvest pearls out of my own aquarium.... it'd make for one heck of a unique gift in any case. Anyone ever hear of keeping oysters?

 

[roka64]

I believe they live in colder waters. I'm not sure how you would get one to produce a pearl. I believe they start from a piece of sand that irritates the oyster and they form a protective coat around it, but then again I could be wrong. I heard that a long time ago (when I was a kid) and it might not even be true.....

 

[tecwzrd]

Oysters are bivalves that filter feed, requiring food designed for these types of invertebrates.

This makes them somewhat more demanding in the home aquarium than their cousins the Tridacna Clams. They require supplementation with phytoplankton, and organic foods (Marine Snow or Selcon) provided by using a small pipette/straw to dispense the food upstream of its location. Each oyster needs to be fed individually.

You're right Scott, most of the pearls on the market today are cultured pearls produced in Japan and they are formed by an irritant introduced into the oyster.

 

[roka64]

Cool, thanks for the link.

I really liked this part, from your wikipedia.com link.
"Incidentally, prior to the 1930s, exporting pearls was the main economic activity of Kuwait. When the Japanese invented cultured pearls, the Kuwaitis decided to drill for oil. This was the start of the Kuwaiti oil industry."

 

[Agnate80700]

Hm, I believe black pearls come from tahiti, figured it'd be kinda warm water, but maybe theyre down deeper. In any case, arnt there other more common aquarium critters that need special care like that? (Gorgania comes to mind) But I dont really know... thats why im in the FOWLR section hehe.

 

[roka64]

figured it'd be kinda warm water, but maybe theyre down deeper.

I have to agree, anything under 30-100 feet (black pearls are found in oysters more than 100 feet under the surface) will be cooler water.