grocery store cleaner clam question

corally

corally

Active Member
I bought some long neck clams today in an attempt to bring my nitrates down. I put them in a bowl of tank water first to make sure thay all spit. They haven't buried themselves yet and are sitting on the sand with their shells hanging open just a little. Is this what they are supposed to do?
 
corally

corally

Active Member
Good question. But I followed the directions I found on this site. I know some of them are still alive because their "feet" are coming out, they just haven't buried themselves.
 
fishtanknewbie

fishtanknewbie

Member
What store did you get them from I am looking to get some my self! I can't find any around here or just not looking hard enogh!
 
corally

corally

Active Member
Do you have the grocery store giant eagle? They have them for .50 a piece, I think that is kind of high but it is the only place I can find them in the central ohio area. I tried walmart, kroger and meijer.
 
colorteck

colorteck

Member
I bought about 12 and almost all died except one. Even the ones in the sump died. Boy those things smell bad when they die.
 
volunteerg

volunteerg

Member
I have 12 in my 75 gallon...they took about 24-36 hours to bury themselves.
Every so often you'll see the sand bed burp. They've been in the tank for almost a month. My nitrates finally came down after adding them, so I'm a fan.
I placed most all of them towards the front of the tank just in case they do die off and I need to remove them.
For 34 cents each, you can't beat it!
 
robpsca

robpsca

Member
how do you know when they spit or burp? have six of them in a bowl of tank water saw the water move couple of times is that it?
 
corally

corally

Active Member
um..you will see a little bit of water come out of their shell--it's kind of hard to see though if you aren't sitting there staring the whole time.

When you put them in your tank, the "good" ones will most likely bury themselves (most of them do, anyway). If any of them open up they are dead, if you have hermits or shrimp in your clean up crew they take care of them, or when in doubt, you can smell them. You will know if they are dead then! lol
Hope that helps, out of the ten I put in my tank eight are still alive.
 
merredeth

merredeth

Active Member
Hey! I never thought about buying the clams at the store.
Where do you find the acclimation for them? I hit the button on the left and it is for fish acclimation.
Can anyone post the proper procedures for the clam acclimation?
Thanks,
Denise M.
 
corally

corally

Active Member
Originally Posted by Merredeth
Hey! I never thought about buying the clams at the store.
Where do you find the acclimation for them? I hit the button on the left and it is for fish acclimation.
Can anyone post the proper procedures for the clam acclimation?
Thanks,
Denise M.


I found the acclimation procedure in a previous thread. When you get them put them in a bowl of your tank water and within 5-10 minutes they should "burp". Then just drop them in your tank! Out of the ten I got, they all "burped", and 2 died the next day in my tank but the rest are still alive.
 
corally

corally

Active Member
Originally Posted by Bronco300
cleaner clams...from the grocery store? explain where you get these crazy things please

you get them at the seafood counter. I don't know if you have giant eagle in Indiana (I'm in ohio) but that is the only place I could them here. Look for long necked clams, they will probably be in a mesh bag on ice.
 
corally

corally

Active Member
Originally Posted by Bronco300
i have never heard of this giant eagle...i'll se what i can find, or i'll just come visit


giant eagle is a grocery store, but I'm sure you can call around and find them somewhere. Or just come on over! :joy:
 
jmick

jmick

Active Member
It’s my understanding these clams come from colder waters (like Puget Sound) and are not suitable for reef tanks. They may live for a little while but will die and will most likely do more harm then good.
 
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