Katra wrote:
>
> Richard Periut wrote:
>
>>Katra wrote:
>>
wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>On Sat, 06 Dec 2003 02:56:00 GMT, Richard Periut >
>>>>wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>Katra wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>Donna Rose wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>In article >,
says...
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>On Thu, 04 Dec 2003 23:51:37 GMT, Donna Rose
> wrote:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>I bought a batch of mussels recently and made a fantastic wine broth for
>>>>>>>>>them. They were delicious, but they were a bit gritty.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>How does one assure that all the sand is removed prior to serving? Does
>>>>>>>>>soaking them in sal****er for any length of time help? I seem to
>>>>>>>>>remember something about oatmeal, but maybe I'm confusing this with
>>>>>>>>>something else. Anybody have any ideas? And, would the same method work
>>>>>>>>>with clams as well?
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Yes, but cornmeal is better. It also helps to plump them up nicely
>>>>>>>>for the kill. I leave mine to soak overnight, I would not consider
>>>>>>>>eating them without doing so first.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Sheena
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>How much cornmeal? Say for three dozen mussels/clams. Cover with water
>>>>>>>and add, what? A couple of tablespoons? A cup? TIA
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>--
>>>>>>>Donna
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>To purge salt water mollusks, they have to be kept alive...
>>>>>>I just re-checked with dad since it's been a few years.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Just keep them alive in sea water for 2 or 3 days and they will purge
>>>>>>the sand from their systems on their own. They are kept fasting (no
>>>>>>food) to do this.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>K.
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>As a sal****er fish/reef/coral keeper, here are my 2 cents:
>>>>>
>>>>>These mollusks need to be in a non tropical water temperature, with a SG
>>>>>which is similar to natural sea water; 1.020 to 1.023 (mind you these
>>>>>values are temp dependent.) So I would go with the higher end, since SG
>>>>>changes with higher and lower temp. Of course if you have a salinity
>>>>>meter, then you don't have to worry about temp control.
>>>>>
>>>>>The other thing this creatures need is water movement. Part of their
>>>>>extraction of O2 is through currents; let alone the fact that they are
>>>>>filter feeders, and need said current to obtain food (which I'm not
>>>>>going to get into, because it consists of a host of microscopic organisms.)
>>>>>
>>>>>So, it sounds not too practical to keep these creatures in the
>>>>>aforementioned conditions.
>>>>>
>>>>>My advice (and I've been doing this for years,) buy some sea salt (the
>>>>>synthetic one I use for my tanks is superfluous for this,) and a
>>>>>hydrometer. Mix with cold tap water, and measure the specific gravity so
>>>>>that it falls roughly with the aforementioned scale. DON'T add more
>>>>>water or salt to these creatures, because they are very sensitive to
>>>>>salinity fluctuations! Buy a cheap bubble stone and pump for your local
>>>>>pet store, and aerate them well. Keep them 24 to 48 hours, and they will
>>>>>purge their sand.
>>>>>
>>>>>When you rinse them in the end with cold fresh water (a shocking change
>>>>>in salinity), it doesn't matter because they are on their way to mussel
>>>>>heaven : )
>>>>>
>>>>>HTH,
>>>>>
>>>>>R
>>>>
>>>>That's very technical - I just put them in a large container of sea
>>>>water (clearly one could make it if not by the sea) sprinkle a
>>>>generous quantity of cornmeal on the top and leave them overnight. In
>>>>the morning they are quite a sight with all the funnels sticking out.
>>>>I shake the container while standing clear and when they are all done
>>>>squirting, I drain the water, wash them off and proceed.
>>>>
>>>>They don't seem to need more than overnight and it is very rare any
>>>>have been sandy after that. I have been doing this for at least 30
>>>>years and all is well.
>>>>
>>>>Sheena
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>See, this is the first time anyone has said to stand them in sea water,
>>>THEN add the cornmeal! :-) Sounds similar to purging Escargot then.
>>>
>>>I'll have to give this a shot... Clams normally eat plankton, but I
>>>guess they LIKE cornmeal if they are sticking out there mouths to
>>>consume it???
>>>
>>>K.
>>>
>>
>>Absolutely not! That's why they starve in inexperienced hands that keep
>>them. They are filter feeders, and they need the proper sized particles.
>>
>>Richard
>>
>
>
> Okay... but we are talking about mollusks to EAT, not to keep as pets.
> :-) I've found whole sandcrabs inside of some of the larger razor clams
> that we used to dig in California. Those intake vents can be pretty
> large. Surely cornmeal particles are small enough?
>
> Just out of curiosity tho', what DO you feed the ones that you keep in a
> seawater aquarium? And what would you feed a sea sponge? Brine shrimps?
>
> K.
>

Hi,

I was refering to the other poster which stated that they eat the cornmeal.

Sponges are filter feeders.

I feed my filter feeders Golden Pearls, and a special Tahini blend of
algae. The Golden Pearls are merely rotifer larvae consisiting of 100
microns in diameter. I mix it with some of my tank's water, and using a
turkey baster, feed my corals, clams (blue lipped, not the stuff from
the supermarkets,) and feather dusters. I do this every three days, and
they are thriving.

Richard

--
"..A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava
beans and a nice chianti..."

Hannibal "The Cannibal"

Silence Of The Lambs 1991