Seeking advice on appropriate clams

[Mighty Quinn]

Hello Everyone,

My tank has been maturing for over a year now and I am starting to plan the addition of corals, shrooms and other inverts. I have always found clams fascinating and have considering including one in my master plan. My tank specifications are listed below:

Aquarium: 25 gallon CPR LT3
130W PC lighting
Lots of live rock w/ a deep sand bed
Fish: Ocellaris pair (may add a lawnmower blenny in the future, but that would be it for fish)
Corals: none yet

Clean up crew:
snails: 1 astrea, 1 turbo, 3 strombus varia, 1 nassarius, 1 fighting conch, several columbellids
misc worms, pods, etc...
no crabs or shrimp (nor with there ever be!)

Nutrient export:
Protein skimmer
Weekly 5 gallon water change with RO/DI water and Crystal Seas Bioassay salt mix

Daily Feeding:
Homemade meaty frozen food (variation of Borneman's coral food recipe)
20-30 ml DT's phytoplankton
1/8 tsp of ground spirolina pellets

Additives:
B-ionic or C-balance to maintain calcium and alkalinity

The tank has been setup since April 2003. I have not added any corals yet because I have been fighting a plague of caulerpa, which I think I have finally got under control (knock on wood). The tank water parameters are very stable and I have extensive growth of small "rock clams" on my live rock, as well as numerous sponges, feather dusters and other sessile filter feeders that came on the live rock.

Based on the articles I have read, I will be limited to derasa, squomosa, or hippopus due to the fact that I do not have metal halide lighting. So, here are my questions for you folks:

1.) Is my tank appropriate for a clam?
2.) If so, which clams would you recommend and why?
3.) What, if anything, will I need to do differently with respect to feeding, tank maintenance, etc...
4.) Where is the best place to locate the clam: sand bed or live rock? low flow or high flow?
5.) How will adding a clam limit future additions to my tank? In other words, are there specific inverts that cannot or should not be mixed with clams?

Due to the size of my tank, I would like to get a relatively slow growing clam. I like to keep my critters long term and I do not plan on upgrading to a larger tank for several years.

Thank you all so much for your help.

Kindest regards,
Quinn

 

[Peabody]

Wow! Props for doing your research first and doing things right!

You are correct. Derasa, squamosa, and hippopus would be your best bet light wise. Other than that, make sure EVERYTHING is steady chemistry wise. Most importantly, keep CA and ALK high and super stable. Temp, SG, and PH stable as well.

As far as slow growing, I would thing Derasa is the fastest growing, based on my experience. All of those three get large, but I think hippopus is the smallest.

For #3: nothing should be different, just maintain good chemistry. Clams under 3# will need special live phyto feedings.

#4 - Those three do best on the sand. All clams do not appreciate heavy flow. Just give them gentle flow and they'll be fine!

#5 - No fish like pygmy angels, bi-color blennies, etc. Clowns and a lawnmower should be fine! As far as inverts, as long as they're reef safe, they should be clam safe. No specific exceptions come to mind, but it is late

Best of luck!

 

[Foreverlearnin]

Q,

I would say your tank is pretty small for clams. It can be done if your willing to dedicate a rather large portion of your tank to them.

Derasa & Squamosa normally grow very fast and will take over a large section of your tank in no time. My Squamosa has about 1/2" of new white shell growth on it. For comparisons sake, my Maximas have about 1/4" maybe more, and some of them are as small as 2". However you have very low light levels as far as clams are concerned, and I am not sure the 65W of 10K you have is sufficient to keep them growing quickly, if even at all.

Feeding, frozen phyto is just as good for the clams as live, IMHO, if not better. Your gonna need lots if your clams are small. The larger ones are not so dependant on it. Frozen is heavily concentrated & usually flash frozen @ thier nutritional peak. Live is in stasis and have lost a large portion of thier nutritional value because of thier lack of food, but they are still alive. However live is still in a small amount of culture water, which is very high in nitrates, ammonia, phosphate & other goodies. I have experimented heavily with most different brands & found Tahitian Blend to be the best compromise of quality & price.

Derasa & Squamosa almost always on the sand. They can handle a wide range of water motion so long as thier mantle is not heavily disturbed.

Future additions are limited to nothing that will disturb the clams such as cleaner shrimp or fish that will perch on thier mantle. Regualr disturbances will cause bleaching.

Peabody said no pygmy angels, I however have had 3 Centrophyge with my clams, no problems.

Daniel Knopp has a VERY good book on Tridacna. Wayne Sheng also has a new book & DVD out, which has the nicest pics anywhere of clams & video footage of mass spawnings in his aquarium. Its a MUST have. I would venture to say his clams are some of the nicest in the world. Well worth the $$. He is my hero!

Welcome to the world of clams, prepare to kiss all your $$ good bye!

 

[Peabody]

That's awesome you've had luck with angels! FOr MIghty Quinn's info he should know that they're usually about a 50% chance for being clam nippers/killers. SOmetime it takes them months/years as well.

 

[Mighty Quinn]

Peabody and Foreverlearnin,

Thanks for the great advice. Without trying, I think that you both convinced me that my tank is NOT appropriate for a clam. My primary concern is sandbed real estate. A 25 gallon does not provide much of a footprint for the sandbed, especially after live rock is added. At present I have just enough sandbed to support a small fighting conch, and even that is pushing it. It sounds like clams are happiest on the sandbed and I'm afraid that I just don't have the space to keep one long term.

Thanks again guys.
Q

 

[Mighty Quinn]

Peabody and Foreverlearnin,

Thanks for the great advice. Without trying, I think that you both convinced me that my tank is NOT appropriate for a clam. My primary concern is sandbed real estate. A 25 gallon does not provide much of a footprint for the sandbed, especially after live rock is added. At present I have just enough sandbed to support a small fighting conch, and even that is pushing it. It sounds like clams are happiest on the sandbed and I'm afraid that I just don't have the space to keep one long term.

Thanks again guys.
Q