Tip
An oyster that does not close when touched or disturbed is dead or dying.
Oysters, and all bivalves, are notoriously difficult to keep in a home aquarium. They require pristine water conditions and copious feedings to thrive. These are best limited to one or two in a fish or reef aquarium. An oyster-only tank is a better option, as most aquarium fish cannot tolerate the high flow and amount of food necessary in oyster keeping. Spiny oysters are the most commonly kept in home aquariums.
Step 1
Set up a 20 gallon or larger tank with saltwater with an undergravel filter bed and a mechanical filter (hang-on-back or canister) Provide an aerator and a pump designed for high water flow. A 20-gallon tank can house approximately 15 oysters.
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Step 2
Add a substrate of crushed coral, crushed oyster shells or dolomite.
Step 3
Cycle the tank by running it with no lifeforms for up to three weeks to build up nitrifying bacteria.
Step 4
Add oysters slowly, a few at a time. Wait a week before adding more.
Step 5
Feed your oysters daily. Turn off your filtration during feeding. Feed an invertebrate diet for filter feedings, occasionally combined with a fatty-rich, microalgae-filled liquid food offered on the market as a larval food. Feed each oyster individually with a pipette or syringe (needle removed) upstream of the oyster.