Bivalves with liverock

[Eryl Flynn]

I just got some gulf rock, and have a few bivalves on it. Here is a pic of the biggest.

I am looking for tips and ways to keep them alive. Feeding, conditions needed and all that. Tank is cycling as well, so knowing what ammonia level I need to do a water change at helps also.

 

[sealover113]

Is it alive? I have dead shells ALL over my rock.

 

[Eryl Flynn]

It, another smaller 2 and many of what I think are barnacles are very alive. They open and close all the time, I been watching them.

 

[FLReefster]

I have a similar bi-valve in my system. Have had it now for about 4 months. It has added about 3/4" shell and quite a bit of mass. I just leave it alone. Although, I do have calms that get fed often (1" - everyday, 2 1/2" - three time a week, and a 5" - once a week) with live Phyto. I also feed my SPS's with Cyclop-eeze a couple time a week at night. There are no "special" parameter, I feel, to keep these alive beyond what you need to keep a SMALL clam alive. Feed it often with something it can filter and keep you parameters in line..

 

[Eryl Flynn]

How do you feed each individually? Do you put a bottle on them and feed live Phyto? Do you squirt it on them?

 

[FLReefster]

Well, if you are taking about the Tridacnid, I place the small ones in cut off water bottle (until thay outgrow it). When I feed, I shut off the system including the power heads, and directly put about 5 or 6 ml of phyto in the cup until it turns a nice green. I don't like the stress of placing the bell over the clam or taking the clam out of the water and into a bowl each time I feed. The others in my tank each get about 3ml's of a direct "squirt" as needed. The tanks sits about 30 minutes off, and then is restarted. I then shut the Protein Skimmer off for an hour or two. The first pic is of the small one I have that is in the water bottle sitting next to my 4" to 5". The second pic is my mid size that went throught the water bottle process and outgrew it.

 

[zzpw3x]

I've had 3 small bivalves in my nano tank and they have been alive for 6 months. I do nothing special except for the typical feeding my corals get.

Dale