Cleaner Clam Question???

KimKissyFish · #1 02-26-2005, 05:07 AM

HIm
I just got my SWF order yesterday and placed 2 cleaner clams on the sandbed well at 1 am i looked into the tank and they are nowhere to be found. Do they move quickly like flame scallops?? AT least the scallops are red and you can find em' I also got a nudibranch.. that thing is SCARY looking! LOL

Thanks, KIm

Yosemite Sam · #2 02-26-2005, 08:37 AM

Those cleaner clams burrow into the sand bed. They do a pretty good job of hiding.

Hey, my 1000th post :)

KimKissyFish · #3 02-27-2005, 02:34 AM

HOW COOL... thats explains it, I havent seen them since. LOL

and happy 1000 birthday!! I am honored to be part of your anniversary/birthday... LOL

luvsaltlyf · #4 03-14-2005, 04:55 PM

Hey Kim! We got one last week from SWF and it hasn't opened or moved. We are wondering if it was DOA?? Anyway to tell?

bergamer · #5 03-14-2005, 05:02 PM

you can pick up those clams at your local fish market- even packed in ice

b4 you place in tank, just put in a bowl full of tank water until it spits, then place in your tank

1 per every 5 gallons and your nitrates will always remain low:joy:

bergamer · #6 03-14-2005, 08:09 PM

i have 5 in my tank and they have been there for months
my buddy has had them in there for years

the most important aspect is making them spit b4 you put then in your tank. i will take some pics later and post later

Francis · #7 03-14-2005, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by shawnts106
NO way to I believe you can buy frozen cleaner clams at a local fish market!!!... And How do they survive?... do you have pictures of these cleaner clams in your tank?... This is just hard to believe!

Yeah i agree to that! can you please educate us?:D
i once saw these clams in our local fish market, in a bucket full of clams & was spitting everywhere:D i've thought of buying some but i didn't, knowing they wouldn't survive. But, will they? is okay to put some even with my tank has fish already? Tnx!

ninjamini · #8 03-14-2005, 08:49 PM

Wait...
So I get a clam from the supermarket and if he spits (alive) drop him in he tank. If he dont spit apply lemon and eat.

He will burrow into the sand so I dont see him (kinda ugly and all) and poof he eats up all the nirtates. Like no more nitrates.

It cant be that easy!:confused:

bergamer · #9 03-14-2005, 09:07 PM

ok ok ok ok very funny

but I would not go to a hole in the wall place, I go to a fancy fish market. Buy them fresh, even when packed in ice THEY ARE NOT FROZEN, just packed in ice to keep cold

here is a few picks- its hard finding them bc they move and go where they please, but I found one- I have had these for months and my buddy for YEARS
sorry, SWF.com is down and I cant send any pics

bergamer · #10 03-14-2005, 09:10 PM

lets try again

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KimKissyFish · #11 03-14-2005, 10:08 PM

Im crackin up here..

I'm NOT talking about clams from stop and shop..LOL these are cleaner clams from SWF!

YOu guys are putting regular "steamers" in your tank???

I'm STUMMPED!

kim

BTW; I havent seen them yet Luv. Maybe yours was DOA :confused:

XoXoX · #12 03-15-2005, 02:36 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ninjamini
Wait...
So I get a clam from the supermarket and if he spits (alive) drop him in he tank. If he dont spit apply lemon and eat.

He will burrow into the sand so I dont see him (kinda ugly and all) and poof he eats up all the nirtates. Like no more nitrates.

It cant be that easy!:confused:

Naw, you cut him open, apply hot sauce, and yum,yum,yum...

:yes:

(the cleaner clams on this site are the same you get at your supermarket)

KimKissyFish · #13 03-15-2005, 07:14 AM

WHAT???

SAme as the supermarket? Geesh, now what did I pay for those??

Your kiddin' right?? Like "steamers"?

Kim

ctgretzky9 · #14 03-15-2005, 09:56 AM

I never thought about cleaner clams! I didnt even know what they did...can someone enlighten me?
Can they live in crushed coral beds? Do they really lower/eliminate nitrates?
Thanks!

sammiefish · #15 03-15-2005, 12:31 PM

i need to follow this one...

what type of clam are we talking.... is there a name relative to the food store obtained clam that is compatible with a warm water tank? mahogany, little neck, cherry stones... which one?

MN1467 · #16 03-15-2005, 01:02 PM

Does anyone have an answer to this Can you get cleaner clams from a fish store and put them in your tank. I am really curious

KimKissyFish · #17 03-15-2005, 04:22 PM

They look like the ones that you crack open and put cocktail sauce on. They are the thincker rounder clams, NOY steamer shaped. Like I think they are called cherry stones on a half shell.

LOL KIM

sammiefish · #18 03-15-2005, 05:13 PM

wow, this is too funny...

what clams are farmed for food in florida... any?

bergamer · #19 03-15-2005, 05:58 PM

The ones I ordered from SWF.com are no different than the ones i bought in the store.
And even if it is a cold water clam, THEY ARE LIVING AND THRIVING IN 78 DEGREE TEMP WATER IN MY TANK!!!!
my buddy has had the same ones in his tank for years!!!!

and yes, they do taste good in a white wine sauce

Jimlssc24 · #20 03-15-2005, 07:02 PM

Really great information bergamer. Iam always looking for a way to save money

MN1467 · #21 03-15-2005, 07:12 PM

what do you mean by "spit"

bergamer · #22 03-15-2005, 07:16 PM

if you try it, you will know what I mean
all of a sudden the water will be nice and clean in your cup, then the next second you will see a squirt and the water will be nasty
then it is alright to put in your tank
as i said b4, my friend has had the same clams he bought at teh supermarket for years
mine have been in my tank for months
just eating away at nitrates- and if I recall the rule of thumb is 1 clam for every 5 gallons

bergamer · #23 03-15-2005, 07:57 PM

im on los angeles and fish markets are everywhere!
that is one I picked up at a local fish market
the SWF one is buried somewhere

thirdchaos · #24 03-17-2005, 05:48 PM

I saw this thread and went out and bought a few. They were pre-packaged and refridgerated. They sell them based on weight so i got 7 good sized clams for about $8. Only two of them spit last night so i just put them all in my tank and overnight they had all moved around the tank. Thanks for the tip!

matt

Francis · #25 03-17-2005, 08:37 PM

:scared: Oh my gosh! i just hope the guy who sells that clam i saw last month is still there! gotta run right now! tnx for the great tip!:happyfish

Francis · #26 03-17-2005, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bergamer
if you try it, you will know what I mean
all of a sudden the water will be nice and clean in your cup, then the next second you will see a squirt and the water will be nasty
then it is alright to put in your tank
as i said b4, my friend has had the same clams he bought at teh supermarket for years
mine have been in my tank for months
just eating away at nitrates- and if I recall the rule of thumb is 1 clam for every 5 gallons

So, i have to put a water in a cup & put all the clams. What kind of water should i use?:joy:

Francis · #27 03-17-2005, 08:48 PM

What will happen if clams are too many in a tank?

JacknJill · #28 03-17-2005, 08:59 PM

this is very interesting. in the cup, do you put them in freshwater or saltwater?

bergamer · #29 03-18-2005, 01:25 AM

i take a cup of tank water
and I just bought another 10 :( only 2 spit
and offcourse if they moved in your tank they are alive!!
but I always just make sure they spit- makes me feel better

and if you put too many, the good result is that you will have no nitrates, the bad result is that the little clams will starve to death- bc they eat nitrates-
I do not know if they eat plankton- I cant imagine that they don't
but from what I understand the rule is each cleaner clam for every 5 gallons of water in the tank

KimKissyFish · #30 03-18-2005, 07:22 AM

OK, OK

So, now that mine are MIA... will they move all around OR bury themselves and stay put?? Oh an dhow deep do they go? I took an object and pushed it into the sand to see if I could find them. I just cant. =( It is really aggrivating me..
Thanks, Kim

sammiefish · #31 03-18-2005, 08:20 AM

i am wondering what you mean by "they eat nitrates"...
do they metabolize nitrate or "eat" detritus that accumulates that will cause the formation of nitrate?

Also, any thoughts on using cleaner clams in a plenum DSB reef tank?

bergamer · #32 03-18-2005, 10:26 AM

the clams will just bury themselves and you wont see them again, which is good bc they are not that pretty. all you will see are are what appears to be 2 small shells sticking out oof the sand. But these small looking shells are actually intake and expulsion

"i am wondering what you mean by "they eat nitrates"...
do they metabolize nitrate or "eat" detritus that accumulates that will cause the formation of nitrate?"
- I am actually not sure, but it is my understanding that they actually metabilize nitrates, as they are filter feeders.

Francis · #33 03-18-2005, 08:22 PM

Now, that's an information!!!:cheer:

iamcrazy · #34 03-21-2005, 07:01 PM

does anyone know the name in food terms?? ...i just bought some little necks and i dont really wanan drop a potentially delicious dinner in my tank

MN1467 · #35 03-23-2005, 11:18 AM

Just to let everybody know I went out and bought some little necks last night they all spit and now are in my tank two of them already buried themselves in the sand bed really cool

KDFrosty · #36 03-23-2005, 11:55 AM

Almost everyone here is from a location on a coast somewhere. What about a landlocked guy like myself? If I go to the butcher at my local grocery, and buy clams that are on ice, they might spit?!

sammiefish · #37 03-23-2005, 12:01 PM

so... what the heck do these things do... did someone say after they are buried in the sand they stick up a siphon and an outlet and just filter the water? Can you see the siphon..?

MN1467 · #38 03-23-2005, 01:14 PM

Yes the two that buried themselves are sticking out a siphon out of the sand really cool looking I will try and post a pic tonight. And the clams that I bought were on ICE.

ninjamini · #39 03-23-2005, 08:46 PM

What about when these things meet there death? Is anyone concirned that they will just rot lost in the sand and cause a big amonium spike?

Schadiest1 · #40 03-23-2005, 09:09 PM

these clams will siphon water all day and when they spit, they are getting rid of waste. when they siphon the water, they collect nitrates and use them for food. if you are even in doubt that your clam is alive, just pick it up and lightly try to pry it open, if it is locked shut, still alive and good to go! if they bury themselves in the sand, it's only because they want to, it's really cool how they do it too. Thanks for the tip on the supermarket clams.... i hope swf.com doesn't get too mad!

RUBBERDUCK · #41 03-23-2005, 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Schadiest1
these clams will siphon water all day and when they spit, they are getting rid of waste. when they siphon the water, they collect nitrates and use them for food. if you are even in doubt that your clam is alive, just pick it up and lightly try to pry it open, if it is locked shut, still alive and good to go! if they bury themselves in the sand, it's only because they want to, it's really cool how they do it too. Thanks for the tip on the supermarket clams.... i hope swf.com doesn't get too mad!

good idea also, :yes:

Schadiest1 · #42 03-26-2005, 09:56 AM

i got a couple of those clams from the supermarket, and put them in a cup of my tank water and they spit... but one of them looks like his insides are hanging out, and when i pick him up, he goes back inside the shell and locks up. so i know he's alive, but why would his insides come out, my original clam never did this, and neither does the other one i bought. any ideas?

MN1467 · #43 03-26-2005, 10:40 PM

I saw that too I thought there was something wrong so I watched the clam and saw that is how they dig in the sand bed so it is totally normal

By the way all six that I have are now buried in the sand and siphons sticking out usually only at night

Schadiest1 · #44 03-26-2005, 10:52 PM

i noticed that too after i posted that reply. its quite cool how they work. i thought his insides were spilling out at first and thought he might be dead... but picked him up and he locked up (i would hate to get my fingers in there when they lock their shell). but their good to go! Cost me $0.84 for 2 of them at my local supermarket! what a deal!!!!!:happy:

bjgwilliam · #45 03-27-2005, 01:13 AM

:eek: Man, I gotta try this. I am heading for California in the morning. I am going to try and find some at the fish market there. I'll put them in ice and bring them home. I'll let you know how it goes.:happy:

Tampaguy · #46 03-27-2005, 08:32 PM

This may have been the coolest bit of information I have ever seen on this board!!! I got a pair of CCs from SWF.com a little while ago and had wanted more, but didn't want to pay the price -- for under 10 bucks I filled my refugium!!! they've all dug into the sand in under 24 hours. Incredible.

spicey · #47 03-28-2005, 04:54 AM

im sure they dont actually eat nitrates persay, but all the phyto, diatoms, cyano i saw in one of those pics, etc........and stuff that grows as a result of the nitrates. even though the tank is clear theres probably tons of little stuff growin in there. :) .......JW, but i thought those clams were collected in like the north east? idk. what about oysters and mussels and stuff, anyone try anything like that? o and how could they really be lowering nitrates if there eating them, but they still have to go to the bathroom

that means more nitrate........................................... ..................idk people idk

noninja · #48 03-28-2005, 02:10 PM

Hi all:

Great thread. Just bought a bag of >30 littlenecks at Costco for about 11 bucks. Wife's happy because she gets to eat many of them and I'm happy because the other group is going in the tank ! They are all expert spitters.

Thanks for the great advice.

sammiefish · #49 03-28-2005, 04:39 PM

I know a lot of these guys do come from the northeastern US coast... cold water atlantic... you know like cold water oysters... obviously these clams do fine in our tanks...

just curious.. how long do clams live....has anyone had any of these cleaner clams die in the tank... how do you know it died if its in the substrate... does it even cause a big deal or do the sandbed critters just do their cleanup?

bjgwilliam · #50 03-29-2005, 03:23 PM

:D Just got back from California, let you know how it goes:happy: