Freshwater Clams

[ANIM4L]

I was thinking abou getting some freshwater clams. I was talking to someone at my local specialty store and he knows a lot about tanks and stuff, but he said if i didnt wanna clean up my gravel very much in my 60 gallon tank, to get freshwater clams !!! I was really excited! But i dont know anything about them! I understand they eat nitrates and nitrites, and they eat debris and poop, but how many would i need for a 60 gallon tank? he suggested 30. Also will they hurt my fish, i doubt this guy would sell anything harmful to fish, but i am just curious, would thye hurt my fish? Please reply as soon as possible, thank you!!!

ok amount needed was found, the site i wanted to buy them from, unless my friend can give me a better deal, said 1 clam for every 6 inches of substrate, so a 60 gallon is 48*14= 672, and 672 / 32 = 21


so i will get 24 i guess, but still waiting for comments people please!!! thanks!

people are talking about the parasitic thing the clams do with reproduction, will this always happen? I dont want my fish to die, but what can i do???

anyone able to help me out here?

 

[ChickenScratch930]

From what I have read (although I have no experience with clams) they do not actually help clean gravel, but will filter food from the water. Also if they do spawn, they will release larvae which will latch onto fish as a parasite.

 

[ANIM4L]

anyone else have experiences or comments about clams?

 

[Teelie]

No direct experience but they aren't good IMO for a fish tank. They need clean water so that means MORE cleaning the gravel, they can carry parasites and their offspring are parasitic to fish. They don't eat fish crap or AFAIK, nitrites and nitrates (bacteria eat nitrites, nothing eats nitrates I know of but plants) but microorganisms so you should feed them a special diet.

 

[ANIM4L]

according to this they do, and u dont feed them - FW Clams

 

[Teelie]

Even so, they still carry/produce parasites which may attack your fish.

 

[ANIM4L]

i heard that in fw tanks they dont for some reason, anyone able to comfirm this?
no one else knows anything about clams???

 

[ANIM4L]

i still havent bought any but i am still looking into it. Is it true that the clams eat poop??? i need help people can anyone help me, tell me what you know about clams in an aquarium!?!?

Thanks!

 

[SirMinion]

i still havent bought any but i am still looking into it. Is it true that the clams eat poop??? i need help people can anyone help me, tell me what you know about clams in an aquarium!?!?

Thanks!

[snapback]872288[/snapback]​

No, clams do not eat poop, and even if they did they'd simply turn it into clam poop.

The article that you linked to says that the clams eat waste. That's waste food, not poop.

The only way to remove poop from your tank is a gravel vac, water changes and a good quality filtration system.

Clams are not suitable for a freshwater aquarium containing fish because of their paracytic reproductive cycle, however if you have jusr ONE clam then it shouldn't be a problem.

All this you have all ready been told.
Asking again and again will not give you the answers that you want.

 

[ANIM4L]

ok i was just asking, looking for people who have kept them and stuff. I guess i wont get any then, sorry.

 

[Guitar17]

If i just get 1 in my 55 will it harm neon and white clouds cause there small

 

[ANIM4L]

they dont hurt or eat fish