Baby Clam

[DonavonsReef]

Ok i was given a small 1.5 in. clam & am going to do my best to rear this guy. I find it hard to believe that it is impossable to keep these little guys healthy. If it was there would be no aquacultured big clams. The tank is a 29 gallon about 18in deep. The lights are new 150w D.E. M/H 10k with 2x 24w T5's actinics. I have 2 clams in the tank now one 2.5 in. crocea & one 3in. squamosa which i feed DT's phyto every other day. This reef tank has been up for four years what else do i need to do to keep this little guy happy and growing? My water perams are second to none. Any help would be very appreciated.

 

[mbbuna]

its not that its imposable, its just a lot harder. it will help if you feed the whole tank phyto (just a little bit) every day or remove the clam to a bowl of tank water and add just enough phyto to tint the water light green and do this maybe 3 times a week

 

[DonavonsReef]

I have a space set up & when he attaches i would rather not move him. I'ts only a 29g so will it be ok just to tank feed every day. Also how fast will this little guy go from 1.5 to 2+?

 

[mbbuna]

its hard to say how fast it will grow. put it this way, you will be feeding for a little while.

if you place a small flat rock under it now, it will grab that then you can move it when/where you want

 

[DonavonsReef]

Should i keep them up high?

 

[organism]

well, they get more food from the phyto than they do from photosynthesis when they're at that size, so it's probably fine where it is, just needs feeding

 

[DonavonsReef]

But it being up high will it stress it or will it not make a differance?

 

[mbbuna]

it wont stress it

 

[DonavonsReef]

Well it's been about a week a my little clam has settled in and attached himself but now i think i have a big problem. If you look on the right side of the mantle in the top view pic it is not fully expanding. over the last few days it seems to be getting worse. Does this little guy have pinched mantle & if so what do i need to do that would be safe for this small of a clam? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[smcnally]

I have a Maxima that I got at 1.5" and it is about 2.5" now. I put it on a rock that I can pull to bowl feed though. That squamosa will out grow your 29 gal tank in now time. Mine is at 10".

 

[mbbuna]

check the clam about an hour after lights out for these

 

[DonavonsReef]

I checked last night no snails. What should i do????

 

[shane 1111]

i have the same problem. and i have no snales

 

[DonavonsReef]

I talked with Barry at ClamsDirect & he said with such a small clam i have a 50/50 shot with fresh water dip. without a fresh water dip 100% he won't make it

 

[shane 1111]

!!!!!!!!!!!!! damet. why do they get pm?

 

[DonavonsReef]

It's a protazoa & of course it had to get my rarest clam. My gold baby maxima & my other 2 croceas are fine.

 

[jay24k]

That looks like the one off ebay. I was going to bid on that but it got too high for me. I thought you won that one. Hope he does well for you. Really nice clam. I thought ORA clams were supposed to be really hardy and rarely got PM.

 

[DonavonsReef]

The one on e-bay was just relisted it's like 3.5in. Mine is just 1.5 I got it from a friend in trade & yeah it's from ORA. All i can do now is cross my fingers & hope it survives the F/W dip.

 

[jay24k]

There was one before that from riptides reef. The guy on ebay wants 1200 for his lol.

Riptides was 1.5" when I asked him. I wanted it but it went for a bit more then I wanted to spend.

 

[DonavonsReef]

Billy at RiptidesReef is a good guy. The one on e-bay now is only 100.00 i don't think he's going to get 1200 lol.