Clam in an odd place!!!

[jojo22]

I was at the grocery store today and stoped by the seafood counter to pick up some food for my trigger and my grouper. while I was looking I noticed a sign that said "Live Clams". After talking to the man behind the counter I discovered that they where saltwater and they where indeed live. I purchased one and brought it home as food for my trigger. As of right now the trigger has shown no intrest and the clam after a little digging is a cleaner clam theat is not photosynthetic as far as I can find. I plan to go back and purchase a few more tomorrow and see how they do. The kicker to the whole story is that I paid a whole 50 cents for this little guy. NO WAY you could get a cleaner clam for 50 cents at the LFS.

[graphixx]

arenty they a pretty cold water clam????? that would be cool if they live. let us know how he does.

[jojo22]

I think they are pretty adaptable. The thing lived out of water for a couple of days at the store so who knows???

[mutts]

maybe you can ship some over when it gets warmer and you know if he lives or notm that sound really cool. over at saltwaterfish.com it is about $4 or $5 for a cleaner clam

[jojo22]

Just checked it is $4.99 and they are reef safe so I asume they will live in warm water. Now to see if the trigger eats it or not. I think they have some live mussels I may toss in there too.

[Dirt4dinner]

I have seen people put those clams in there sumps for filtering....they tend to only live for a few months as they are cold water clams and don't do well in the high 70's of a reef tank. But they are cool!

[jojo22]

I wonder if I droped my temp a little as it is a FOWLR predator tank???

[JustDavidP]

Um...ya... those cleaner clams... their scientific name is Mercenaria mercenaria. They are incredible raw, with a dash of tobasco or just a squirt of lemon. They are most definately COLD water fish. I catch them by the bushel in my yard on Cape Cod. They are one and the same as the clams in your chowdah!! Quahogs.

They will die fast in any system kept over 75F. When they do, they will foul your system like no other. Finally, they have been known to carry nemitodes and other nasties that when cooked, are okay...but in your tank, would proliferate beyond your wildest dreams :)

Dave

[JustDavidP]

Here's a bucket of "cleaners" that I took before the end of the season...

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d176/JustDavidP/clams.jpg

They made a wunnerful chowdah :) Now...before you say...they didn't look EXACTLY like that.. I'd tell you, these are a "Chatham" variety. They are more drab gray as you go further south on the east coast.

Dave

[dakar]

I remember digging those critters (and lots of others) up on the coast of Rhode Island as a kid, not to mention the days worth of shucking shells afterwards.

Knew how to pronounce their common name, but did not know how to spell Quahogs till right now... sure do miss REAL calmcakes and chowder *insert Homer drool here*

[Sweetpea]

MMMM.... Chowwwwderrrr!!!

[mutts]

poor clams... lol