Bivalves have exceptional potential as sentinel organisms because their sedentary benthic lifestyle and ability to pump large volumes of water in short periods of time results in bioaccumulation of pollutants and toxins present in the water column. Scope for Growth (SFG) is an instantaneous measure of production that ranges from maximum positive values under optimal conditions to negative valves when the organism is stressed and utilizing its body reserves for maintenance. We determined baseline SFG for the Texas bay scallop Argopecten irradians amplicostatus so that this species might be used to determine sublethal effects of toxins, contaminants, or other environmental stressors in light of recent harmful algal bloom events in the Gulf of Mexico. We also quantified the effects of different diets (phytoplankton, zooplankton, mixed phytoplankton/zooplankton) on Texas bay scallop SFG. SFG of starved animals was negative, indicating that body reserves were used for maintenance. SFG varied significantly (P < 0.001) by diet, with rotifers yielding the highest value (mean = 14.88 Joules hr⁻¹g dry weight, SE = 0.72). We determined that the Texas bay scallop has presently unrecognized potential as sentinel organisms to define effects of various environmental and anthropogenic perturbations.