My very first clam

Let me ask a question to you clam and phyto feeding experts.

IF I was to start dosing Phyto (no reason not to, I have a numbr of extra bottles, as Im going to start a culture), would you reccomend target feeding, IE in a speciman container w/ tank water and phyto, or would feeding the whole tank be better?

I ask beacaue, I worry of 'clogging' the clams 'organs' when diret feeding. Even if you are putting only a bit in the water. I remember this was something of a conroversy a few months ago. What are your thoughts?

If I were to feed the whole tank (58g display, 15g sump) what would be an approprite dosage?

I understand that when dealing with Acropora sp. and feeding phyto, the corals dont really eat the phyto directly. Instead, the benifits come from the sand bed fauna reproducing more readily b/c of the phto. And in turn, the larvae of the sand bed fauna is what s feeding the corals.

Anyone make the cool phyto doser in this months reefkeeping? That is my next project hen my cultures are stable.

Rob- Im glad you dont order small clams ussually. Better try a bit harder, there are 3 maximas on your site under 2.5" and I have seen many more previously!


Thanks.

John
 
Sorry John if I have offended you. That was never my intention. Your clams maybe of a different circumstance then Pfittttz.

Please accept my apologies. It's just my opinion and nothing more. Doesn't mean that I am right.

I am just thinking that in order to give the little ones a very good chance for survival feeding probably is very necessary. That's all and from everything that I have read and through my own experience I would feel that dosing phyto is necessary.

Thanks,
Bill
 
I use to feed dt's to my tank but I lost a crocea which I believe was in part to too large a particle size in the dt's, clogging the gills, as I don't blend it up with water or anything to break up the stuck algae particles. I haven't fed since, just feed the fish on the heavy side and clean the glass and the clams have done well. This is for 2.5"-3" clams. JME.
 
bgerrard said:
Sorry John if I have offended you. That was never my intention. Your clams maybe of a different circumstance then Pfittttz.

Please accept my apologies. It's just my opinion and nothing more. Doesn't mean that I am right.

I am just thinking that in order to give the little ones a very good chance for survival feeding probably is very necessary. That's all and from everything that I have read and through my own experience I would feel that dosing phyto is necessary.

Thanks,
Bill

No need to appologize! Im am going to start phyto actually. There is no reason it would harm my tank, so theres no reason not to give it a try.


John
 
John
I think that if you dose enough to the main tank then you shouldn't need to target feed your clams.

I dose a gallon of home grown phyto a week in my 75 gallon tank with 20 gallon sump. No more diatom algae growing these days. My glass does get dusty, but it is green instead of brown. My gravel stays white though.


Sorry I can't answer to the cloggin the organs thing. Never heard of it until now. I can say this though, that if you have softies and LPS corals some of them will feed on the phyto. Plus you are right about the sand bed fauna. I have tons of mysis shrimp growning in my tank and lots of copepods and amphipods.


Good luck and I am sure you will get good results.

Bill
 
From what I understand the whole clogging thing is from too much concentration of the DT's or any particle in the water. That is why I shake the bottle really good and mix it with tank water before feeding my baby clam and I would never squirt the clam directly with anything. That is also the reason I use a 2 liter bottle so there is plenty of tank water in there to mix the DT's with.

Anyway, Thank you all for the good wishes and the clam compliments and the advise. I am just so happy to finally have my first clam.





:rollface:
 
From what I have heard it is good to pulse it in the blender for a few seconds with tank water to break up the particles? Because I think it is still kinda clumpy even when shaken in the bottle. Any thoughts?
 
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