Considering a clam...

footbag

Active Member
I just returned from helping my brother move into Texas Tech in Lubbock, TX. Well they had one of the nicest LFS's I've ever seen. With the exception of the 40g with over 20 stressed looking tangs, they had the most professional setup I've ever seen.
They had a Clam lagoon with a bunch of 1-2" baby maximas. I had considered bringing one back with me on the plane, but thought it was too much of a risk. I was right, our plane was delayed and I ended up getting home a day and a half later then planned.
The question... If I get a baby maxima, do I have to remove it from the tank to feed it? Won't it attatch to the rock? Do they ship well?
I will be putting it in a 7g minibow w/70w mh and 32w actinics. Also, would posting the name of the LFS be agains the board policy? It would be worth it for others to see it.
 

footbag

Active Member
Also, this place had about 30 RBTA's for $35 ea. If he picks it up with an anemone crab, you get the crab for free. Same with SPS.
 

viper_930

Active Member
For small clams like <1.5" it is recommended to bowl feed them. Take them out of the tank and put them in a bowl with tank water. Then add phytoplankton until the water has a green tint. Wait about 30 mins and place the clam back in the tank once the water has cleared up of the phyto.
 

marvida

Member
In the case of a 7 gallon, you could probably just feed the tank. I prefer the water bottle method. That's when you find a bottle of water the right size, cut the bottom off & put it over your baby clam while feeding. Put the phyto in through the top & leave it there until the water clears. A bigger problem than feeding is keeping a 7 gallon tank stable enough for one of those little guys. They are very sensitive to water quality and fluctuations in temp, SG, etc.
 

bot587

Member
I would not recommend a mxim for your tank if it is only 7g... In fact i wouldn't recommend it for my 29! Maxims need a lot of room so that the water quality can stay fairly stable!
 

viper_930

Active Member

Originally posted by Bot587
Maxims need a lot of room so that the water quality can stay fairly stable!

That would be true for all tridacna clams. If an experienced reefer is confident enough to try it, it is very possible that it live and thrive.
 

footbag

Active Member
My 7g is hooked up to a 15g refugium and an extra 3 or so in the sump. It is going to be an sps and zoanthid tank. I know that the main difficulty would be to keep the water stable, and the tank does take up a good amount of my time; but so far it seems to be doing well. It has been set up for about nine months, and has been stocked for about 2 of them. I have auto evap top-off, and the temp is maintained at 80.3-81.7. I am expecting most of my difficulties to come in maintaining Cal and Alk. More so as the SPS grows.
One advantage I've noticed to this tank is that water changes are simple. In the worst case scenario I can do a 50% water change in 5 minutes.
My only problem with feeding the clam in the tank would be a fear that I'm introducing too many nutrients.
 

nm reef

Active Member
I believe I know the place you visited...its my favorite place to do business. I've seen that LFS progress from very small to its current size. Great folks too.
I'd be very cautious about attempting a clam in such a small display. If it were to adjust and do well it would quickly out grow your display. I suppose it could be done...but only for a relatively short time. I purchased a 3" blue maxima from the same store a few months ago and it has nearly doubled in size. Mine is in a 100 display so there is plenty of room for growth but in yours I'd think within a year you'd need to provide a larger display.
Did you check out the ORA raised SPS frags while you were there. The last time I visited they had just placed 30 or so real nice medium sized frags in the large display in the back.
 

footbag

Active Member
Yes NM, they did have a lot of nice medium SPS colonies. And in the clam lagoon they had some smaller frags. I saw the ORA sticker and I was drooling. The employees did know a lot, and were very helpful. Too bad I'm over 1000 miles from home. I ended up going there 3 times in the 5 days I was in Lubbock, but was only able to take home some DT's. My brother lives walking distance from the place though, so I'll be back. Glad someone got to appreciate this place, though!
Back to the Clam...
Would placing a 1" clam in there with the option of moving it to my 90 be a bad idea? Feel free to tell me if I'm fishing for the answer I wan't to hear.
 

marvida

Member
I haven't had very good luck with the tiny ones. Maybe a 2"-3"? With your set up IMO you have satisfied the stability factor, and since you have a place to move it after it outgrows the tank, I think you should go for it. As far as feeding in the tank I don't think phyto will cause much of a problem as the water bottle will contain most of it until the clam takes it in. If you can get it to attach to a shell or small rock then bowl feeding is still a good method, as you have already mentioned.
 
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