How to take care of clams

[mygreengoldfish]

I am rather new to this reef aquarium thing, I just got my first few corals a month ago, and simply put how do you take care of clams?

 

[Barry N.]

Glad that you are asking about this first before buying a clam. Daniel Knop's book, " Giant Clams" is a good comprehensive book but really does not tell how to take care of them but a great start. You will find that most folks in this forum can help you with a lot of your questions. Do some searches and just keep reading and asking.

 

[mygreengoldfish]

Thanks Barry for the information, I will check my LFS to see if they have the book. But to anyone out there, what do clams eat and what lighting do they need?Also, what are the differences between the different species?

 

[Peabody]

Good job askign before buying. Here's the short story. THe pretty ones (maxima and crocea) which are really colorful need metal halide light pretty much without exception THe least light you would need for them for your tank would be 2 175 watt MH bulbs....I would do 250.

If you have enough VHO light you could try a derasa, squomosa, or hippopus clam. THey are not as brighty colored, and grow much larger. GIgas clams would be to large for your tank.

THey need high calcium and alk, which must be constantly monitored, and they require pristine water consitions, and stable SG and water temp.

Beginners should probably not buy clams under 3 inches...they need several special feedings a week of live phytoplankton. Larger clams aren't as picky, but really appreciate live phyto.

What kind of lights do you have, and how long has your tank been running?

 

[Barry N.]

Beginners should probably not buy clams under 3 inches...they need several special feedings a week of live phytoplankton. Larger clams aren't as picky, but really appreciate live phyto

Peabody has provided some good information to you and would like to add that a Tridacna derasa is IMO & IME the best clam for the beginner, very hardy.

 

[Peabody]

Agreed. If you have the appropriate amount of PC/VHO/T5 lighting you would be able to keep one. Just make sure you have good (salifert) CA/ALK kits, and maybe even a refractometer (one of the best investments for any tank)

 

[mygreengoldfish]

I am interested in the crocea and maximas despite them being more difficult to care for. I would be willing to target feed 2 times a week if it meant a more colorful clam. I will still take your advice and not buy a small clam but I would like to get the smallest I can so it would be in my tank longer and so I could watch it grow.

As for lighting, I have a 250 watt 10K metal halide and I was thinking of maybe getting a second some time in the futur. My tank has been running for a little less than a year now with the first fish and corals for the last 5 months. Water conditions are ~450 calcium, 12 alkilinity, ph 8.1-8.2, specific gravity 1.0225. The calcium is easy to keep high right now because there is only a brain coral, star polyps and zoanthids as well as shell and aragonite substrate.

Any suggestions on clams and equipment would be greatly appreciated. I don't want to make any compromises for for aquarium inhabitant's health. Thanks.:rollface:

 

[Barry N.]

You will be able to keep both maximas and croceas but I would suggest placing them under the 250 MH. Like Peabody stated, if you go with a 3" or more than 80-90% of their energy comes from zooxanthellae. T.crocea is the slowest growing of the Tridacna and in most cased reaches 5-6" where as a maxima, it can grow larger. No special equipment is needed to keep these awesome creatures as long as you have the proper lighting, clean water, high ca, and compatible tank mates. With that being said, what kind of fish do you have?

 

[Peabody]

Barry has given you some excellent advice. My only thing to add at this point is to raise your salinity to natural sea water levels 35ppt or 1.025-1.026

 

[mygreengoldfish]

Barry has given you some excellent advice. My only thing to add at this point is to raise your salinity to natural sea water levels 35ppt or 1.025-1.026

True, my salinity is a bit low, but in both Reef Secrets by Nilsen & Fossa as well as The Conscientous Marine Aquarists by Robert Fenner they recommend 1.021-1.024 and 1.021-1.025 for reef aquariums. Considering their experience and knowledge, I trust what they are saying as well as my friend who is the owner of the local fish store. I think you might need to lower your salinity to natural sea water levels.:rolleye1:

 

[Peabody]

Mmmm...I wouldn't be so sure of that. Do a search for salinity and specific gravity and you'll see. If that's true 99% of reefkeepers are wrong.

 

[Peabody]

Take a look at this article, by the leading expert on reef chemistry. This shows all chemistry parameters in NSW and the reccomended levels for reef aquaria by experts.

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.htm

Searching will reveal that 99% of reef aquarists strive for natural 35ppt salinity which is around 1.025-1.026 depending on temerature calibration

 

[mygreengoldfish]

Thank you both for all of the information. Sorry Peabody if the last post seemed like I was attacking you. I was just saying what I read and meant to be informative.

My current fish are a yellow tang(soon to be returned), a purple tang, an algae blenny, a rainford's goby and a cleaner shrimp. All algae eaters so I don't think there would be any problem.

Also, upon reading The Conscientious Marine Aquarist the author said that smaller clams were more likely to survive the stress of shipping and transportation. Have you heard anything like this? If I were to get a clam around 2-3 inches what would I have to feed it with? I have heard about DT's, is this what most people use to feed their clams? And what are good places online to get croceas and maximas? The only ones at my LFS are giants(6+ inches)

 

[Peabody]

No prob.

A clam 2-3 inches would require feedings. The smaller clams Bob is referring to is more in reference to 2-6 inch clams rather than 8-12 inches, for example. You would probably be best to stick in the 3-6 inch area..they would be least demanding for you.

 

[Barry N.]

As far as salinity goes the wholesalers keep their inverts at 1.022 but we have all our tank set at 1.024-1.025.

 

[mygreengoldfish]

Thanks for all the help on clams. Now I just have to look around and find a nice looking clam that doesn't cost a fortune. Does anybody know of good online dealers in the central to western part of the U.S.?

 

[Peabody]

www.clamsdirect.com Best clams anywhere, and you just may have already talked to the owner. (not me)

 

[Charlie Davidson]

I agree- but the store doors are closed- OOP's Open now, Me, Me, I get first dibbs!

 

[JENnKerry]

I would like to get in on this if I may as I am interested in getting a Derasa. So Peabody, what is the optimal calcium level for a Derasa, or a Squamosa for that matter? Thanks

 

[Peabody]

Calcium needs maintained at 425-460 and alk should remain steady at 10-11 dkh. This can be very tricky as derasa and squamosa's suck those two things out of the water with blinding speed! Clams have driven countless people (myself included) to getting reactors. I was dripping kalk and dosing 6 times the reccomended maximum amount of B-Ionic to barely maintain the demand for 2 small and 1 medium clams when I went crazy and got my reactor What kind of lighting setup do you have?