Clams, how do you keep them alive?

mithrax

mithrax

Member
I just received my 3 clams from another source (SWF does not carry clams...but I suggested they should). My question is how do you keep them Happy( :) ). I had clams before but the died after a few weeks. The only one I had that lasted long was a derasa. I love these creatures especially when with fully expanded mantles. I have VHO's do I need to get MH? Water parameters are OK. Anyone who has some success please help! BTW I just bought a 5-in neon blue mantled crocea and two 4-inch blue-rimmed derasas. Where do they like to be placed in the tank? High or in the sand? :confused:
 
adrian

adrian

Active Member
Not to be a jerk mithrax, but if you already have the clams then its a little late to research their care. They need excellent water quality, intense lighting and high Ca levels. They also appreciated supplemental feedings since they come from nutrient rich water. All this varies with species. T.derasa is the easiest of course, squamosa would be second, maxima third and crocea is the hardest. They all have different requirements. Metal Halides work best for all but some do ok under VHO, derasa. Daniel knop has an excellent book on clams and there is a good overveiw in the reef aquarium V.1. Good luck
 
mithrax

mithrax

Member
Beg to disgree as to the lateness. I was just soliciting More infos. from people who have logher experience with them. Thanks for your input, though. ;)
 
gnelson

gnelson

Member
Place them on rock work, not on the sand. Bacteria can attack them on the bottom. They attach to the rock work, and do not like to be moved, so pick a spot that you like, and works well.
Graham
 
burnnspy

burnnspy

Active Member
I will be surprised if the Crocea live a long life under VHO, it will prolly starve to death because they usually require MH lighting. The deresa should be fine in VHO lights and are normally founs on sand bottoms, Croceas live in the rocks.
BurnNSpy
 
sunfish

sunfish

New Member
If you like placing them in the sand a great trick is to take a small piece of tile and let it attach itself to that and then bury the tile in the sand. The key is giving their foot something to attach to.
Sunfish
 
C

coralbeauty

Guest
I have clams in my reef and I run VHO lighting. In fact I ran 4.8 watts per gallon of NO and I kept two dersa alive (and one growing) for almost a year. When I switched to VHO I moved both of them. One did not survive the move and died within a few days. (How strange! It lived well for months under NO, but died within days of the VHO switch???) I think it was the stress of moving.
I also have a very small captive cultured maxima. I have only had it since the switch a few weeks ago, so it is still too soon to tell. It expands nicely and looks great. I do have it at the top of the tank on a nice rock indentation. (It is an experiment) I also keep the dersa on the rock but much lower in the tank. I have about 7.6 watts per gallon of light.
I feed DTs every other day, and keep water in top quality and as stable as possible. I run a continous infusion of Kalkwasser water to replace all evaporation. I keep my CA at 450 and my keep my alkalinity up as well.
This is my history with clams so far.
Connie
 
ken00

ken00

New Member
I am a clam lover as well. First i have tried all light sources and in my opinion m.h. is the best way to go for long term survivability.I have also found you will have better luck if you buy a farm raised clam. No matter what lighting you choose you can never duplicate the sun. Water quality is a must to keep them happy. Everyone has their own opinions on keeping clams, but i will give the info that has worked for me. The calcium is kept between 450 and 500 ppm. Kalswasser is dosed at night to keep the ph from varying to much. Alkilinity is kept between 5.0 and 5.75 (the clams are kept with acros is the reason for the higher than normal alk) Phosphates and nitrates are unreadable. Even if there was a trace of nitrates the clams will eat them. I use combi san as directed for trace element replacement. Iodine and stronium are added as well.
In my opinion bristle worms are a problem. I was always told the reason you see the worms after the clam has died is they attack a weak and already dying animal. I don't believe that. If you take a flashlight and look at your tank at night more than likely you will see them. The reason i disagree with the above comment is because many a times i have looked (and removed) bristle worms crawling on the mantle looking for a way in. Certain boring snails no bigger than 2mm can be the cause of death. I keep a neon dottyback and a six line wrasse in the tank at all times to help control the snails and worms.
As sun said give them something flat to attach their foot to as soon as possible if they are not placed on a rock. The clam will spend alot of energy looking to attach itself if just in the sand and the clam can become weak and now very vulnerable. If you do place them on a rock make sure it is very flat. Do not place them in a hole or a crevice where they cannot fully extend their mantle. Do not place them in strong direct current..if the mantle is blowing in the current the calm may become too stressed and die. Arrow crabs and banded shrimp will eat clams as well.
Place the crocea closer to the light than the max. Gradually bring the clam up in the tank though. Do not take a clam that has been in the dark while being shipped to you and put him right under the lights. Once again stress is a big killer in clams. So start lower in the tank and slowly acclimate them too the light.
That's about all i can think of right now, so i hope this will be of some help to you. My best advice is to read and read. There is alot of info and opinions on keeping clams so i hope you find the right combination that will work for you.
Best of luck...Ken
 
mithrax

mithrax

Member
Thank you guys for your valuable inputs. My derasas are opening beautifully but the crocea is not fully extended. I can't wait for my halogens to arrive. BTW, I ordered 10K because I read 6500K is too hot. Is that right? Anyway, as you said, I will slowly acclimate them to their new light. Again, Thanks. :)
 
burnnspy

burnnspy

Active Member
I had a Crocea and a Deresa clam, and they both died. I few days later I found the cause, a found a Pseudoceros Pardalis 2" flatworm on the gravel. They are believed to prey upon clams and corals, I got rid of it but it was too late :(
BurnNSpy
 
mithrax

mithrax

Member
OMG, sorry about your loss :( I am very vigilant when it come to my clams. Just this afternoon I caught the chocolate chip starfish "red handed" smothering one of the derasa. He was actually on top of the clam and the poor clam could not close, like it was paralysed or something. Anyway, I'm glad I caught it early. Now the clam seemed to have recovered, the starfish, he was exiled...don't ask me where. :D
 
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