Newbie to clam feeding how to. Please Help

[Tri916]

I just purchased 4 clams. I was wondering to all clams owners how they feed their clams? I heard that you would have to take them out and feed them DT'S Phytoplankto, is this true. I was wondering if you can just dose the Phytoplankton right into the tank. I would appreciate any help from anyone, please.

 

[Scuba Dog]

Congradulations on the clams! it depends on the size of the clams, if there all real super small, yep I would use the bowl tank and feed DT's or better yet culture your own.... im sure you know the technique, take a clean plastic cup or bowl...submerge it in the tank...place the unatached clams in it....then take the container out of the water making sure there is no direct contact with air, simply dont let the air touch the clams....then add enough DT's to give the water a slight green tint...come back later and put the clams back where they were in the tank making sure once agen they dont have air contact....i usually leave my baby maxm out for 15minutis to 30 mins...or whenever i remember to put him back the water should be back to normal coloration.....or you could use the pop bottle top method...just drop the cut pop top bottle over the clams add the phytp with a syrenge or turky bater that way...and if the clams are large in size then i would feed the dts directly to the tank...dont add to much at first the stuff and up your nitrates and phosphates...but your pod population would enjoy the DT"s

 

[Tri916]

I really appreciate all the info and guidance.

 

[Scuba Dog]

Sorry for all the typos I went back and reread my post...What size clams did you purchase?

 

[tanker240]

I just turn my pumps off and pour DT's in and you can slowly watch it drift down over the clams. I have 3 and it works well

 

[Tri916]

I bought a 5" derasa and a 2.5", and two 2.5" maximas. I dont know why I bought so many, now I dont know how to take care of them. I think I bought too many. One more question can I purchase the KENT Phytoplankton at the LFS? Or is that stuff no good. It seems everyones using DT's.
Thanks SCUBA.

 

[Surfzone]

i'm a newbie to clams as well and i have been feeding mine with a turky baster. but you'r methods seem to be better and the clam probly doesn't close up eather. i think i'll try the bottle top method. i understand that clams don't like to be moved so i don't want to desterb him. my clam is still small and it's a crocea. also how often should i feed. i'v been feeding everyother day is this too much or should i feed it everyday?

 

[Surfzone]

here's a pic of my little guy

 

[Scuba Dog]

Rule of thumb the smaller the clam the more it depends on being fed....i think a 3 to 4 inch clam is the cut off area for being fed often.....but thats up to debate....I would feed it at least 3 times a week...and that also depends on your water quality, like your nitrates and phosphates...if your feeding so often that those numbers are going up I would cut back then on the feeding sechedual...also if you have fish they get some nurishment from that and when you scrape the glass clean they get nurishment as well, lol once agen thats also up for debate....

ps the clam looks like a maxima to me.....some other people will chime in on there opnion...but looking at the shell and the scoots and the mantle pattern sure looks like a maxima....

 

[Surfzone]

maxima or crocea eather way i love the colores on it

 

[Peabody]

Congrats. YOu've gotten good info on the feeding. Where have you placed them in relation to your light? (What kind of lights do you have?)

 

[Surfzone]

it's on the bottom i have a 250 MH over the tank which is a 30 long so plenty of light. i'm in the process of perging my tank of softies and going sps

 

[Peabody]

That sounds good. The question was actually for the thread starter, but glad to hear you're good on the light

 

[Surfzone]

haha sorry to have stolen the thread. now i hand it back to the starter lol

 

[Peabody]

lol...no problem

 

[Scuba Dog]

clams are addictive critters....i have a fondness for the animals that i cant afforde to fly off and see for myself in there natural ocean....as far as foods i would go with live phtoplankton, if its live like dts then its good...or a cheaper alternative is culturing your own "green water" florida aquafarms is a good site that can get you started...also flamangel here at reefcenntral has an excelent web site and shows how to culture it as well.....and joyce wilkersons book on clownfish goes into great detail on culturing it...ill be soon set up to culture my own...

 

[Surfzone]

hmm sounds like a better idea than feeding things like phytoplex or micro vert

 

[Scuba Dog]

Im thinking you could get set up for 50 bucks im guessing to culture your own, youl need an air pump...some gang valves some rigid plastic tubing about 4 empty clan two litter bottles...and the culture kit...DTs is way expensive iv paid up to 45 bucks for the litter bottle...and it goes bad in time especally if you dont refrigerate it and shake it every couple of days..