Mussels on Gulf Live Rock?

[Adamantium]

Hi all, these mussels(?) came in on some Gulf Live Rock I got. They’re ~4-5” each.

I should probably not put them in my 24 gallon reef, right?

I would feel bad just throwing them away. Does anyone have suggestions other than eating them?

 

[therootcause]

Heck yeah I’d put them in my tank. Find someone local selling phytoplankton.

 

[thedon986]

His website calls them turkey wing clams. I have gotten several and they seem to live long term in my systems.

 

[Tavero]

That are some fine specimen. I have several of them in my 23g tank some are now 5-6 years old. Mine are only 1.5" large though. I found out they don't need a lot of food though. I would leave them in the tank. Free filtration.

Edit: they are also able to move very slowly. I wanted to make a pic of mine right now, but they moved from the front of the rock to the back during the last month.

 

[Adamantium]

His website calls them turkey wing clams. I have gotten several and they seem to live long term in my systems.

Thank you! You’ve had them for years without issue, then? No spawning, mass die off, etc?

 

[Adamantium]

That are some fine specimen. I have several of them in my 23g tank some are now 5-6 years old. Mine are only 1.5" large though. I found out they don't need a lot of food though. I would leave them in the tank. Free filtration.

Amazing! Thank you! I was super concerned they’d nuke everything. Their acclimation guide specifically says to watch out for large bivalves like these, but it doesn’t specify whether they mean to throw them away, or just be careful with them haha

 

[thedon986]

Thank you! You’ve had them for years without issue, then? No spawning, mass die off, etc?

Yep. I would just look out for large sponges more so. Those things do not survive and release a lot of ammonia.

 

[Adamantium]

Yep. I would just look out for large sponges more so. Those things do not survive and release a lot of ammonia.

Thank you! There were a few sponges, one of which is pretty large. I guess I’ll remove it.

 

[JoJosReef]

No need to remove sponges! Just make sure they are alive. If you have your gulf rock exposed to air for a long time they will long time, they will probably die. If not, then they could live for a while and even grow (my black and red sponges slowly died off, but a white ball-type sponge is doing well and growing 2 years later). If they are dead, just scrape them off.