Clams

[bunjiweb]

Whats the deal with clams? I hear so much mixed opinion on them i just don't know what to thing!

First up, lighting, do they really need the MH lighting everyone insists apon?
Second, they can grow huge right, but do all species or is it just a few select ones? Also im guessing it takes years for them to grow massive.
Third, do they feed on anything or just photosynthesise?

And yes, i probably could google for information for the rest of my life but i'm still finding much conflicting info!

Ben

 

[Opcn]

the mantles ae big and broad and colorful, they don't need mh lighting but they need good lighting, some more than others, when small they filter feed quite a bit but when large they primarily rely apon photosynthesis. Some species grow to 4 feet others only to 4 inches, however your likely to get one that grows to 6 or to 12 or to 16, google this.

The reason that you gt so much conflicting info is that the different species of clams do have different requrements, oh and buy aquacultured, they are near extinction in the wild

 

[superman]

Croceas, and Maximas are the type that will seldom get more than 10" and are for the most part great additions to a reef tank. If you decide not to light with metal halide, then you MUST have them very much near the surface of the water, because generally speaking, PC, VHO with the exception of T5 are not intense enough to mimmic the sun over the shallow waters that they are found in the wild. Long story short, if wanting a clam, get a metal halide that is well suited for the depth of your tank.

 

[Ethos]

I have a very little goldish colored clam, he's pretty cool, although very small.
I dunno if I'd pay money for him (he was a hitch hiker), but he makes a lovely addition to my cycling tank.
Hmhm...
I can't wait till he grows up!

 

[Navarre]

Deresa CLams tend to live in lower light levels but i would still say that Metal halides are needed for them to thrive.

I have a deresa and a Croceas (Boring clam) The deresa has grown to nearly double its size in 12 months.. its shell is now almost 10 inches across.

The Croceas is wild caught ) And actually came to the shop by accident as they had ordered Maximas and someone made a mistake. However, the size of this clam is about 6 inches across. The Croceas definately preffers high intensity lights, i had it directly under my 150w 20k bulb to enhance its blue colour and within a week i noticed it was turning brown I now have it 4 inches under the surface directly under the 10k 400w halide to try and bring back its colour.

As for feeding, well light is very important but they also like a slight nitrate content in the water so i guess they are also partly filtering out nitrate as well.

 

[superman]

The browning you are seeing may not be an indicator of an unhealthy clam, but it may be just that brown zoanthellae is the more dominant type in the higher light levels. A possibility that you may want to consider.

 

[bunjiweb]

Very interesting comments here, and much more what I was looking for rather than the massively conflicting comments on the net.

It's not something I would want to try in a Nano, but maybe when i move onto a bigger tank a couple of years down the line I will get one then.

Ben

 

[Paul_MTS]

do clams have any predactors?

I would be interested in 1 for my FO system which I'm planning on a 150w metal halide over. only 20" deep.

 

[superman]

Sure do, many ty pes of angels will nip and possibly eat them, pyramid snails eat them as well. These are just some of the predators off of the top of my head.

 

[JJ1234567]

I had wanted to some day get clams for my new 20" tall tank. I have a 400 watt Powercompact fixture. Think that will be enough, or should I still keep them near the surface?

 

[Riggerssssback]

Whats the deal with clams? I hear so much mixed opinion on them i just don't know what to thing!

First up, lighting, do they really need the MH lighting everyone insists apon?
Second, they can grow huge right, but do all species or is it just a few select ones? Also im guessing it takes years for them to grow massive.
Third, do they feed on anything or just photosynthesise?

And yes, i probably could google for information for the rest of my life but i'm still finding much conflicting info!

Ben

Alway's go with the most lighting you can afford when keeping clams.
Yes the derasa's require less lighting than say a crocea{most light needy} ..and the maxima's..however all clam require a feeding of live phyto such as DT's or liquid life.
YES= they use 80-90% of converted sugar energy{lighting within the cells}-from the lights,however many people think this is enough..it is not.Clams hold a high metabolic rate\are alway's feeding and use great amounts of energy doing so..the phyto has been even known to help them prosper and grow without adequate lighting for quite a surprising lengthy time.

Good luck

 

[steelhealr]

All good advice. I wouldn't put a clam in a nano without a metal halide or intense PC lighting. Some people opt to put them in when small since they don't require high lighting at all. HOWEVER, at this stage they are heavy filter feeders and the amount of food necessary to keep them alive is enough to force you to remove the clam from the tank and to feed it outside.. The amount of food needed would crash your nano with nutrients. SH

 

[superman]

All good advice. I wouldn't put a clam in a nano without a metal halide or intense PC lighting. Some people opt to put them in when small since they don't require high lighting at all. HOWEVER, at this stage they are heavy filter feeders and the amount of food necessary to keep them alive is enough to force you to remove the clam from the tank and to feed it outside.. The amount of food needed would crash your nano with nutrients. SH

Very good advice as usual steelhealr!

In response to Rigerssssback, you are correct that they need more than light to "feed" on, but also remember that clams consume nitrates and phosphates as well, so in the majority of tanks with great lighting and sime sort of bioload producing nitrates and phosphates then you are set as far as feeding the clams. Though I'm sure the clam wouldn't mind some sort of supplimental feedings of phyto and the like, but it is not completely necessary.

 

[Riggerssssback]

All good advice. I wouldn't put a clam in a nano without a metal halide or intense PC lighting. Some people opt to put them in when small since they don't require high lighting at all. HOWEVER, at this stage they are heavy filter feeders and the amount of food necessary to keep them alive is enough to force you to remove the clam from the tank and to feed it outside.. The amount of food needed would crash your nano with nutrients. SH

Very good advice as usual steelhealr!

In response to Rigerssssback, you are correct that they need more than light to "feed" on, but also remember that clams consume nitrates and phosphates as well, so in the majority of tanks with great lighting and sime sort of bioload producing nitrates and phosphates then you are set as far as feeding the clams. Though I'm sure the clam wouldn't mind some sort of supplimental feedings of phyto and the like, but it is not completely necessary.

Yes i am very aware of the intake of nitrates and phosphates with clams.I also have been witness to the much increased color and growth while using a suitable product within the desired micron sizes that clams do feed on I:E:In the wild. Of course they also require iodine calcium and magnesium as well as sufficient lighting.
I also find much added added advantage to other specimens within the same tank that also feed on the same product..win\win situation there.
Why have the survive on bread and water when they could thrive on additional supp's\foods to help them truly prosper.
My 2 cents

 

[Riggerssssback]

All good advice. I wouldn't put a clam in a nano without a metal halide or intense PC lighting. Some people opt to put them in when small since they don't require high lighting at all. HOWEVER, at this stage they are heavy filter feeders and the amount of food necessary to keep them alive is enough to force you to remove the clam from the tank and to feed it outside.. The amount of food needed would crash your nano with nutrients. SH

Very good advice as usual steelhealr!

In response to Rigerssssback, you are correct that they need more than light to "feed" on, but also remember that clams consume nitrates and phosphates as well, so in the majority of tanks with great lighting and sime sort of bioload producing nitrates and phosphates then you are set as far as feeding the clams. Though I'm sure the clam wouldn't mind some sort of supplimental feedings of phyto and the like, but it is not completely necessary.

Yes i am very aware of the intake of nitrates and phosphates with clams.I also have been witness to the much increased color and growth while using a suitable product within the desired micron sizes that clams do feed on I:E:In the wild. Of course they also require iodine calcium and magnesium as well as sufficient lighting.
I also find much added added advantage to other specimens within the same tank that also feed on the same product..win\win situation there.
Why have the survive on bread and water when they could thrive on additional supp's\foods to help them truly prosper.
My 2 cents

WWW.DTPLANKTON.COM ---- Ck this link out for supplementation articles related to feeding clams{for the doubtful and reserved} clam keepers! B)