Dead Clams

[Nick17]

Dead clams? Has anyone had a baby clam die? I am thinking about getting one b/c they have them on sale for $25 at LFS (maxima's) and it's about 1" long.. I know you have to spot-feed them/feed them in container but wondering if they would die otherwise?

I am running 175 MH w/ XM 20k bulb..

I'm just afraid it will die if I have it at the bottom of tank and think it would recieve enough light (but baby's don't need light until they are 3-4", right?


Thanks,
-Nick

 

[Underwaterrealms]

baby clams die

baby clams die

I have a 200 gallon sps/tridacnid clam tank with around 14 max's 2 squams 2 derasa's a crocea, gigas and hippopus. The tank is 30 inches tall and because of this I have 2 400 watt and 1 250 watt 10k mh bulb which I supplement with 660 watts of actinic. I have a calcium reactor and refugium to help maintain reef parameters I also dose with the proper additives, Iodine magnesium strontium I also use phytoplankton once a week mainly to feed my acro's which I am sure does not hurt the clams.

I have had great success with clams although I will admit I have had only 4 baby clams one a derasa the others maxima's. I have been staying away from them because of the extra care involved. One of the max's did die after 4 months for what reason I do not know the other 2 clams I recieved in the same shipment are still alive and healthy although have not grown much. The derasa clam I started as a 1 inch baby is now 5 inches in length and it grew this much in 9 months. All the other clams I have purchased have been 2 inches or larger.

I have lost 3 inch clams also for reasons that I do not understand they seem to be fine good reaction and opening well to not opening and dying a week later. I also have a clam that was shipped to me free because it was one I wanted and the shipper believed it was going to die, it was gaping and not reacting well and started to bleach, I put it in my system and 9 months later the bleaching is all but gone the gaping is all but gone away and it is a nice healthy clam now.

I believe clams are hit and miss even with a healthy system just like people who get cancer or some rare disease albeit it seems to happen more frequently in clams than in people.

All you can do is set up and take care of a system the best you can for them and if they are healthy it is up to them to live.

My question for you would be is when the clam gets larger and light becomes more of a requirement than the feedings will you have something more intense than the xm bulb for it to grow under. IMO I believe just a 175 watt 20k bulb will not be enough unless it is near the top of the reef right under the bulb.

Good luck
Chuck

 

[Nick17]

The tank is only 14" deep..

And thanks for the reply


I am only going to add two maximas to my tank (I'm hopefully going to order a camo clam and get this clam for $25..)


Will it kill everything in the tank IF it dies?

My water conditions are perfect..



What do you recommend as something more? maybe a 400 watt or something? I was fixing to trade this one for MAYBE a 400 or sell it for cash.. b/c my water temp has been hitting 86 ocasionally b/c of my MH which is exactly 9" from water with two fans..

Any thing else I should know?

Thanks,
-Nick

 

[Underwaterrealms]

dead clam

dead clam

If you monitor your reef daily you should know how the clam is doing and check it's health, so if you notice the clam is not doing so well you might do well to increase your monitoring of the clam to be able to take it out in case it does die. For as well as we all know the size of your system and how long you leave a dead animal in it will determine whether it causes a large enough ammonia spike to kill all your other livestock or not.

I would say go for at least a 250 watter and a 400 would be best depending on the other corals you want too keep in the tank, a 14 inch tank with a 400 watt bulb would keep you in the higher light corals.

Good luck
Chuck

 

[Nick17]

It's a 29gal and I love to just sit at the couch and look at the tank.. it's relaxing! LOL


Anyways, what are some serious signs of death? Will check before I buy too..


Thanks,
-Nick