Oysters are critical foundation species in estuarine ecosystems, providing essential ecological and economic services. Through suspension feeding, oysters directly influence coastal water quality and benthic–pelagic coupling by removing particulate organic matter from the water column. However, oyster populations worldwide have declined sharply due to overfishing, habitat loss, eutrophication, and climate-related stressors. Effective restoration and aquaculture efforts therefore require a mechanistic understanding of the physiological and environmental factors that govern oyster feeding, growth, and resilience under changing coastal conditions. Using an in-situ filter feeding device we are investigating oyster feeding ecology in the Mississippi Sound across a range of conditions in addition to comparing diploid and triploid Crassostrea virginica. Preliminary data suggests that seston characteristics are the most important factors in determining oyster feeding. Clearance rates are lower when there is a higher ratio of inorganic to organic material, though high levels of total particulate matter can suppress clearance rates. Seasonal variation in temperature and salinity is less influential, though effects are confounded by interactions among sites. Ploidy affects energy acquisition strategies and digestive efficiency. Diploids generally demonstrate higher feeding rates though absorption is not different from triploid oysters. Further sampling over a larger geographical area is planned to improve understanding of feeding variability and potentially tease apart the effects of seston characteristics and water parameters such as salinity. This data will be leveraged through machine learning to develop a tool that will rank site suitability for oyster farms.