Purchasing A Clam

[datman422]

HI fellow reefers. I had purchase a clam about 3 month back and it only survive for a week before it die. I dont want to have another casality like that agian. What do i need to look for when purchasing a clam? What is the best way to acclimate it? How often should it be fed?

 

[Bozad]

What type of lighting are you using? The clams in my tank love the MH lighting.

 

[joe123987]

datman
I noticed you have a 50g tall with 250 MH - how far away from the lights was the clam, what type of clam was it, what size was it, were you dosing strotium or iodine, what kind of shape was the clam when you bought it, were you doing any supplemental feeding with Phyto, what were you water parameters, how old are your bulbs, etc.

Start by buying from a good dealer - you can't go wrong with Barrys or East Coast. For your first clam get one that is 5"-6" so you won't have to spot feed - but you will still need to dose DT's about twice a week (turn off your skimmer for about 2-3 hours). Run your temp about 80 and salinity at 1.25. Make sure your calcium is 400+, dkh 10, and ph 8.4. Start by placing the clam about half way up the tank in a low flow protected area - if it doesn't jump off and is doing well move it higher in about a week. If it decides to jump off the rocks 2 or 3 times then try placing a flat rock on the substrate and see if it will stay there. If it moves around let it go where it wants. Be aware - if it's on the bottom of your tank I would increase the DT's feeding to 3 times a week. Do not dose strotium or iodine (poison to clams). If after 6 month's it is still alive and growing then you are ready for 1 or 2 more and you can advise someone else.

IMHO
Joe

 

[datman422]

HEY JOE THX. the clam i purchased, was a maximus clam about 5-6". it was on my sandbed with moderate flow. I remember it tilting to its side and I had to keep on correcting it. I wasn't feeding it DTs, just the frozen cubes, and hundreds, thousand of pods that I had on my sandbed. My parameters were well in good shape, although, I had added 30lbs of LRs that same week and may have had an amonina spike. And no I wasnt dosing strontium or iodine. More input plz.

 

[joe123987]

Datman

How did you feed a clam frozen cubes???

Clams only eat Phytoplankton and are very picky about the size of the phyto. They will not eat anything else. The moderate flow as well as the lack of a solid structure to attach to was probably what caused it to tilt. Do as much reading as you can before buying your next clam.

IMHO
Joe