KEEPING ABALONES

[jason]

Hi,

I was eating abalones and thought of if it is possible abalones in marine tank.

Anyone can advise. What they eat and etc....

I saw at turf city selling baby live abalones at $2 each, may be good investment

[bawater]

Food:

Abalone eat marine algae. The adults feed on loose pieces drifting with the surge or current. Large brown algae such as giant kelp, bull kelp, feather boa kelp and elk kelp are preferred, although most others may be eaten at various times. Abalone tend to stay in one location waiting for food to drift by. However, they will move daily, seasonally or when food becomes scarce for a long period. The color banding on many abalone shells is due to changes in the types of algae eaten. Juvenile abalone graze on rock encrusting coralline algae and on diatom and bacterial films. As they grow they increasingly rely on drift algae.

Age and Growth:

Determining the age of an individual abalone is difficult. Unlike the hard parts of some animals, abalone shells have no marks or bands suitable for assigning age. However, juvenile abalone in aquariums grow an inch or more per year for the first two years. Tagging studies have provided estimates of age for larger abalone in the wild. Red abalone are mature at 1.5 to 2 inches when growth begins to slow with age. For instance, a seven inch red abalone may be 7-10 years old, while one only 3/4 of an inch longer may be 15 years or older.

Habitat:

Small abalone seek cover in crevices, under rocks or in the spines of sea urchins. This behavior probably results from an abalone's instinctive attraction to dark places, which protects them from many predators. Though small abalone hide during daylight hours, they are active at night. Small red abalone are known to move hundreds of yards. As abalone grow larger, and become less susceptible to many predators, they seek the open, more visible locations where food is more available.

Fortunately abalone and most molluscs are prolific spawners but the mortality still probably exceeds 99%.

Nearest i got was mussels & barnacles.

[nivlac]

Hi,

I was eating abalones and thought of if it is possible abalones in marine tank.

Anyone can advise. What they eat and etc....

I saw at turf city selling baby live abalones at $2 each, may be good investment

Kept them in my tank OK. Need cool water of 25 degrees or so. Mine died when my chiller broke down and the water temp shot up to 29 degrees.

[Achilles Tang]

Be careful, Phang will be contacting you soon to frag it.

[jason]

Hi bawater,

Thank you so much for the detail informations.

[Dinosaur]

Use to have abalone in my tank also

red color one summore

But my angel finish it up

So ........ can I say angel eats abalone?

[Joe]

Be careful, Phang will be contacting you soon to frag it.

Hmmmmmmmm..........