Electric Flame Scallop

The Hypnotic Filter Feeder for Experienced Reef Aquarists

​The Electric Flame Scallop (Lima sp. / Ctenoides ales), also known as the Electric Fileclam, is one of the most mesmerizing yet challenging bivalves available in the marine hobby. It is easily recognized by its vibrant crimson-red mantle and a halo of long, flowing tentacles protruding from its shell.

​What truly sets this species apart is the "electric" neon-blue arc of light that continuously dances across its inner mantle edge. Despite looking like a bioluminescent or electrical current, this phenomenon is entirely passive. The scallop features a highly reflective strip of specialized tissue that catches and reflects ambient aquarium light, creating a pulsating flashing effect designed to deter predators and capture micro-plankton.

Quick Care Parameters

​⚠️ Important Note: Due to their specialized dietary requirements, Electric Flame Scallops have a poor long-term survival rate in standard, clean reef tanks and are recommended primarily for advanced aquarists or dedicated filter-feeding systems

Care Level Expert Only

Minimum Tank Size 30 Gallons

Temperature 72°F – 78°F

Salinity / Specific Gravity 1.023 – 1.025 (Highly sensitive to osmotic shock)

pH 8.1 – 8.4

Alkalinity (dKH) 8 – 12 dKH

Calcium / Magnesium 400–450 mg/L / 1300–1350 mg/L (Critical for shell health)

Temperament Completely Peaceful

Reef Safe Yes (Will not harm corals or fish).

Key Behaviors & Habitat Selection

​The Flight Mechanism: Unlike sedentary clams, the Electric Flame Scallop is capable of actual locomotion. By rapidly snapping its two shells together and expelling a jet of water, it can swim backward through the water column to escape predators or find a more desirable location in the aquarium.

​Hiding Tendencies: Despite their bright coloration, these scallops are cryptic cave-dwellers. Once introduced into an aquarium, they will almost immediately migrate toward dark crevices, underhangs, or the back of rockwork, securing themselves to a surface using sticky byssal threads.

​Passive Flash Trick: The neon-blue flashing effect occurs continuously throughout the day and night as long as there is an active light source in the room for the mantle to reflect.

​Feeding & Nutrition (The Secret to Longevity)

​The primary reason Flame Scallops fail to thrive in home aquariums is starvation. Because they lack photosynthetic symbiotic algae (zooxanthellae), they rely 100% on filtering live food out of the water column.

​Target Feeding Required: They cannot survive on aquarium fish waste or leftover food alone. They must be target-fed 3 to 5 times per week using a syringe or dosing bulb.

​Ideal Diet: Liquid phytoplankton, micro-zooplankton, marine snow, rotifers, and ultra-fine powdered foods engineered for filter feeders.

​How to Feed: Gently puff the food upstream of the scallop, allowing the natural water current to wash the particles directly into its tentacles. Turn off your protein skimmers and main circulation pumps for 20 to 30 minutes during feeding to keep the food in suspension.

​Compatibility & Predators

​Safe Tankmates: Small, peaceful reef fish (Gobies, Firefish, Cardinalfish) and passive clean-up crew invertebrates.

​Predators to Avoid: Large, inquisitive, or aggressive invertebrates will quickly pick at the scallop's exposed tentacles. Keep them far away from large hermit crabs, Arrow Crabs, predatory Wrasses, or Dottybacks.