Doing some homework..

[Willie_6]

I am in the process of upgrading my lights. One of the items I am interested in is getting a clam. How difficult of a task at I looking at. My water quality is good, lights will be better quite soon. Can anyone tell me the most difficult part of keeping a clam? Also, are there types of fish that are not good to have with clams? What about anemone's or types of corals?

 

[mbbuna]

lighting is the most important thing. u will need MH from 6500 to 10k is best for clams.i would watch ur coral beauty and ur fire shrimp,and some blennie's will nip also

 

[Julio]

It also depends on what kind fo clam you want to keep, the larger clams will require more intense lighting.

 

[grimmjohn]

the larger clams will require more intense lighting.

(Croceas and maximas over ~3inches....the larger species actually require less light)

cheers,

grimmjohn

 

[Julio]

Not always true!

 

[Zoalander]

Calm down, just make sure you have enough lighting for a big or small clam. On a 75 gallon you shald have at least 2X250 watt MH's.

 

[Willie_6]

hmmmm...let the debate begin!!

What kind of risk am I running with putting a clam with my current livestock. Certainly my intention wouldn't be to get the guy picked at by his fellow tank mates.

 

[mbbuna]

well if the clam gets picked at it could die

 

[Willie_6]

Do you guy's/gal's keep your clams in a tank along with your fish or do you have a seperate clam tank? Loks like mbbuna has a designated tank for clams.

 

[Reefcherie]

I also have a dedicated tank for clams. Prior to that, however, I had 4-5 clams in my 180-gallon reef with the following fish (off and on) w/o any issues: Yellow tang, Red Sea Sailfin Tang, Royal Gramma, Midas Blenny, Mandarin Dragonette, Purple Firefish, True Percula Clownfish, Lawnmower Blenny, Cleaner Wrasse, Bangaii Cardinal.

Two fish that I've had clam issues with: Orange Diamond Goby (A newbie impulse buy whose sand spitting habits were very rough on sand bed clams) and Raccoon Butterfly. It took the Raccoon a year before it ever touched a clam, so I thought I was one of the lucky ones w/ this fish - not so. Once it decided clam mantle was tasty - it was relentless and had to be removed.