Littleneck Clams

[jda]

I bought a bag of live littlenecks to feed my fish. I use a screwdriver to split them open usually and the fish go nuts.

It appears that if I don't open them on my own, they like to bury themselves in the substrate in my tank during the night.

I know that they won't live for long, but how long will they live in a 79 degree FO tank? Also, how long will they live in the fridge without being underwater?

Just curious is all...

 

[jda]

Anybody?

 

[dzekunoi]

I had 2 of those. They lived in my tank for 6 month.

 

[billsreef]

They will live in the tank for a couple of months, till they starve to death. However, that also means that their nutritional value is rapidly going down the tubes. It would be far better to freeze them while fresh for long term keeping of more than a few days. As for the fridge, I've kept them damp and refrigerated up to week when I've dug my own clams, however, the ones from the market are likely to have been kept that way for several days already by the time your buying them.

 

[jda]

Thanks. I am just feeding them. My fish really like them. I don't want them to live. I was just curious.

Also, are they available all year, or are they seasonal?

 

[billsreef]

I don't know about all areas, but in NY it is a year round fishery with some creeks being open closed seasonally due to increased shorefront populations during the summer tourist/summer people season.

 

[REDDAWG43]

Why would they starve to death if you feed your tank regularly?
They filter feed, so wouldn't they get the stuff my corals don't?

 

[jda]

I don't think that they could get enough to eat unless your tank was really nasty.

 

[billsreef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9076076#post9076076 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by REDDAWG43
Why would they starve to death if you feed your tank regularly?
They filter feed, so wouldn't they get the stuff my corals don't?

They need lots of phytoplankton of a particular size range and sufficient nutritional profile. The favorite among clam aquaculturists is Isochrysis.