LETS TALK CLAMS!!!!

[graphixx]

I have had a lot of people ask me lately about clams. So I decided why not post a thread on some general information on these critters. I think a clam is a beautifull show piece for your tank! That is what I get most of the ooohhs and aaaaahhs about when people see my tanks.

Before I bought my first clam I did ALOT of research on them.

I will cover what to look for when buying a clam which types of clams there are and the difficulty in keeping them. Lighting and food for your clam and a few other topics.

First off when selecting a clam there are a few things you want to make sure and look for one that is alert and responsive. the best way to do this is to put something between the light and the tank and when it gets dark the clam should close quickly. You do not want one that reacts slow or is sluggish. Also when inspecting your clam make sure it has a clean bassal (this is the muscle or tendon that attaches the clam to the rock or sand) turn him over and make sure that it is not torn or ripped. It should look clean and white and smooth.

While inspecting the bassal make sure there are no snails attached to the bassal. these snails are about the size of a grain of rice you want to make sure your clam is free of these they will literally eat your clam from the bottom up.

You want the mantle to extend past the shell and be full of color. You do not want one that has any clear spots or a washed look to them. and the mantle should be full and no tears or rips should be present.

Now when you get your clam picked out and get him home you want to make sure and acclimate your clam nice and slow. I do a drip with my clams for about an hour. Clams are very sensetive to swings in the water conditions. so a slow introduction will ensure a safe transfer. they are also very sensetive to lighting changes as well for example if you buy a clam that has been kept under PC lighting and put it in your tank with 250 W of metal halide lighting you are going to burn that clam. You should use the screen method and slowly acclimate him to the lighting.

Lighting is one of the most important things for keeping a happy clam. Alot of people think you cannot keep a clam under PC lighting. This is not true, I have friends that have derasa clams with PC lighting. This is a good rule of thumb to follow. the brighter the color the clam the more lighting it needs. Like a derasa clam, they are brown in color and can be kept in PC lighting. I would not recommend this with a crocea or maxima these clams do need intense lighting.

Now picking a good spot for your clam is a very important part. Some clams prefer rock work while others prefer sand. Derasa,Gigas prefer a sandy bottom to rest on while Crocea and Maxima prefer a rocky place to attach.You want to make sure that your clam is place facing up. If you do place your clam at an angle make sure thatthe inhalant siphon is on the lowest portion of the slope. The reason for htis is that is the side that the bassal is on and as the clam grows you will not run the risk of the bassal tearing because of the weight of the clam.

You do not want to put your clam in a direct current your clam is able to pull the water in itself without current.

Now that your clam is in his spot and is happy you want to make sure he stays that way. A clam does not need to be directly fed. He will pull all he needs out of the columm himself. The #1 building block for a clam is calcium you want to make sure your right at 420. Strontium is also incorporated in the shell of clams as well. And dosing iodine will greatly enhance the color of the mantle of your clam.

Those are the basics to a healthy happy clam. If I left something out I apologize. If you have any questions please let me know by this thread or drop me a PM.

I think Clams are one of the most beautifull things you can put in your tank. And with good water and lighting they will live for a very very long time and can grow quite quick and quite large. Gigas clams have been know to get 54" across and weigh 400 lbs!!! where as a crocea will grow to about 7" across.

I hope I did not bore you all with such a long post

Greg

[graphixx]

can you spot the commensal shrimp!!! these little guys are awesome!! they actually live inside of the clam. they are a beneficial shrimp that live symbiotically with the clam. they keep the clam nice and clean. thought this was a cool pic and wanted to share it!!!

[dakar]

Awesome thread, and good info...

Got any helpful insights to keeping Squamosa Clams? I know they tend to grow rather large, 20" give or take, reasonable for a larger tank. Think that may be one of our next clam purchases in the next few months or so.

We have two Maxima clams now that have so far been babied to no end (spot feeding with DT's and great lighting) in return they have rewarded us with a fantastic growth rate, they have almost doubled in size in under a year.

[graphixx]

Dave, Squamosa clams are one of the easier clams to care for like the derasa. They prefer a sandy bottom to nestle in. what a lot of people so is put a flat piece of rock about 1" under the sand and they really seem to like that. they are one of the less demanding clams as far as light. But they are so striking in color

[jerryc]

Goood right up my friend.
Hope you don't mind but I'm going to make one correction on feeding A clam under 3'' need to be fed over 3'' don't
The smaller the clam the more its necessary to feed them. some Small clams may survive with out feeding but the percentages will go up with it.

[graphixx]

Jerry you are 100% correct, a juvenile clam relys more of food than light and as they grow older they rely more on light than on food. thank you I did miss that point. Also, when buying a clam you really want to stay away from a juvenile clam 2-3" they are very very hard to keep. that is why they are sooo hard to come by now. most of your farms like the ones in bali, palau, hawaii, are not even exporting juveniles any more because of the mortality rate. they are letting them mature before they put them up for sale

[carpenterwrasse]

this info on how to keep a clam but what do they do for the tank other than conversation pieces.

[carpenterwrasse]

by the way i found the shrimp

[dakar]

this info on how to keep a clam but what do
they do for the tank other than conversation pieces.

Besides looking really cool, they are filter feeders, so they help
reduce the nutrients in the water column as they feed on phytoplanton
and other forms of microalgaes.

[graphixx]

you can call them natures protein skimmer :D

[jerryc]

Thea can also be very calcium demanding. Can be a problem if you have triable keeping calcium in line

[Tom McKenna]

very nice write up may I print it out and give to people at my store who ask me like every day? =) It takes awhile to tell them all that.

[dakar]

Why not point them in the direction of CR while you are at it :D

[graphixx]

that is a good idea Dave. Actually I am starting a reef club in my area and I hope you dont mind but I listed CR on the fliers.

[dakar]

Not in the least bit! The more the merrier!

[jerryc]

that is a good idea Dave. Actually I am starting a reef club CR on the fliers.

Hope that gos good for you my friend you will enjoy it a lot and make some grate new friends. One thing we do is get the LFS to offer discounts to club members helps get a lot of interest in paid up card curring members. I thank we get from 10 to 20 % discount at deferent ones. Also we get them to sponsor meetings and Thea usual have some good sail items for the event makes a good deal for them as will as us as it brings in customers Thea wont have otherwise.

[graphixx]

Jerry thanks those are great ideas!!!! I will definately do something like that. thanks

[dakar]

Such great info in this thread I'll bring it back to the top... especially since Angel bought me a long awaited 2" Squamosa clam last night... pics to follow.

[Reptoreef]

Hey, if future employment brings us closer... save me a spot in your club. I'll bet you're gonna lead up to one heck of a gathering! BTW, I have 3 clams(as you've seen) and believe that depending on the size of the clams in relation to the system, that it may be beneficial to run a wet/dry for nitrate production as well as a "less advanced" filtration system. Possibly just a fuge.

[Fatman]

Awsome info! Here's my clam!
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y158/fatty0203/e1fc4c09.jpg

He seems happy with daily Calcium added and plankton feeding every 2 to 3 days.

[butterfly_babe4200]

Wow that was alot of great info! I can't wait to get stronger lighting to get a clam.

[JustDavidP]

Rep Rep Repto...has it goin on! Yeah.. Nitrates! Clams LOVE nitrates. They can aid in the quality of water by pulling more than actual solids and/or nutrients. They are NITRATE sponges. As a matter of fact, MOST, but not all, clam farms actually PUMP nitrate into the systems with juvi clams in them. I'm sure that that scares the bejezzuz out of some of you purist reefers eh?

Also, as far as positioning goes... It is true that you want the inhalant siphon down, but for a couple reasons. One, of course, having already been mentioned. That is the possible tearing of the byssal port from the sheer weight of the clam pulling upon itself. Keeping the same principle of physics in mind, the second reason is that if positioned upside down (that is with the inhalant siphon upwards) that SAME pressure is exerted upon the clams "guts". SURE... take a peek INSIDE the inhalant siphon. You can easily see their gonads, gills etc. Note the positioning...it is UP there. So, if that same clam is turned upside down, all that force is pressing downward upon its internal organs. How long could YOU last with ME sitting on your chest? ;)

Great write up. I think it could be a START to a good source of information about clams. I'd love to chime in where I can. I just love the darned bivalves!

Dave

[JustDavidP]

Greg...

Do tell more about the byssal port... if you could. I'm sure people are SICK of hearing from me, but just that one organ/group of organs alone are amazing! The way the clam uses secretions to anchor itself etc.

For what it's worth, I had nasty cleaner shrimp that dined on byssal threads like pasta. They became fishing bait :D

Also, did you know that Gigas, the larger of the "aquarium kept" clams actually loses it's byssal function? The sheer weight of the shellfish alone is enough to keep it right side up, and happy as a clam in the sand. Of course, they have to attain some "girth" before they can do that. So, as juvis, they still "do the byssal thang" and lose the need and ability to do so much later in life..

In any case... I love clams! In tanks, in rolls with tartar sauce ;)

Dave

[mutts]

Okay guys I want an education. I would really like a clam. And this is something I am not willing to buy on impulse and just figure it out along the way. I have ordered the book Giant Clams from my school

[carpenterwrasse]

not an expert here but i have been told the paler in color the less light it requires...

[dsfdbutterfly]

I also have a question, I bought a tridacna maxima clam. He's beautiful and doing well. A little on the small side of things but that's what you get for mail order. I target feed him every three days with different types of stuff. The thing is I have placed him on my rock all over the tank. I will watch him and he pitches himself off the rock and back onto the sand after about two hours nomatter where I put him. There is some rubble in the sand that he put his foot down on now so should I just leave him or continue to try to get him on the rocks and out of the sand? It isn't the current because it doesn't happen until he does something for him to move. He also moves himself around in my sand. Anyone ever hear of a wandering clam?

[Fatman]

dsfdbutterfly, my clam I placed in the sand, and I know many people that prefer to have them on sand. A local guy thats on his 5th clam ( 3 of his he's had for 2 years+) he says he thinks they prefer the sand. Mine hasn't moved but he is pretty big, it could be part of its age.

[graphixx]

butterfly, just keep an eye on him as long as his mantle is extended and he looks happy (as a clam!!) he should be allright.

[lReef lKeeper]

1423

my clam... who can identify?? i know but do you ??

[rickm]

If I had to guess without a good look at the shell I would say it's a Crocea. If you check out my gallery you will see my 2 Crocea sitting in half a clam shell in the sand bed. It's been funny to see them turn themslves around in it to a position of there liking. The Squamosa sits in the sand with the LR extending out under the sand for it to attach too.

[lReef lKeeper]

very good rick ... i tried not to show to much of the shell, but just enough to let you get a peek. so i guess the Crocea is to popular for a riddle type thread. oh well just thought it would be interesting to see what guesses i would get without a lot of shell showing.

[Reef_Angel]

We had 3 clams in our tank, and all have been quite happy until the other day. We lost both a good sized maxima & crocea clam that we've had for what seems like ages. We were told that a clams lifespan is approximately 80 years. The clam can be big or small and still have hit the 80 yr old mark. Since both of ours were different types, and they were purchased at the same time, I hardly think their age had anything to do with it. I noticed that their bellies seemed to be puffed up like a pregnant woman, but just figured they were being weird. They really enjoyed their DT baths, but I ran out, and the supplier of DT's just doesn't seem to want to sell them to anyone anymore. I have no idea what his trip is, but he can be darn right rude about it if you ask him. Anyway, about 3 days later they died. I've read though this wonderful thread and don't see anything that would apply. So, can someone advise me as to what might have happened to them? I sure appreciate it!!
....Angel:angel1: