Help..buying first clam

wetone

wetone

Member
OK...its time to add my first tridacna clam to my tank. The water params are all fine, I have a tank full of LPS and SPS, calcium is always above 450. I have 2 250w MH and 2 110w VHO actinics.
My questions are: What to look for in LFS for a good buy? color? actions? feeding, etc? Which species is hardiest? Where to put in tank, on sand or on a rock? In a crevice or flat spot? Whats up with the "foot". Acclimation process?
Any info is appreciated
 
treble

treble

Member
Well when your looking at a clam, make sure its alert and closes up when it hears somethin on the glass. Buy clams that are not brown, or turning brown, thats the algae that feeds them coming out cause it cant get light inside. Always get a clam with a foot, if theres is pulled loose in the wild when collected, it will slowly die. The Dresa Clam is the hardiest. Put the clam on the rock, sometimes bristle worms will crawl into the clam through the foot and kill it, watch out for its health depleting, and if it does, look for bristle worms. Place the clam on a flat spot, and it will dig into the rock using acid created by its foot, and closing every so often to drill farther in. Dresa clams get about 16" and grow pretty fast, place him near the bottom of your tank, since they are usually found in low light places, they are usually brown, so if you find a brown dresa its common. Good luck my friend, feedings of once daily phyto plankton should be done.
 
wetone

wetone

Member
Tank is 70G, it is 24" deep. When you say put a rock under him, do you mean a small piece of flat rubble to attach to or any big rock as long as there is something under the shell where the foot will attach ??
 
taku

taku

Member
wetone: my tank depth and lighting are practically identical to yours (2 250w MHs @5500K and 110W of actinic + 24" depth). I ended up building a sandy shelf in the tank specifically to place clams on. I was told that with my lighting, the maximas should go on that sandy shelf and the deresa's should go in the LSB, within a 1 foot radius, below the MH's.
I have yet to add the clams and test this all out but hope that helps :p
 
nm reef

nm reef

Active Member
Best of luck with your obviously well considered addition!!!
There is a ton of outstanding advise already from everybody else. Its the same advise I've followed in preparing for the addition of a 3"-4" derasa for my system.
Nothing more to really add....best of luck with yours...
Personally I think this thread needs to be in the archieve...for future clam addition searchs!!
 
fishymissy

fishymissy

Member
Do not be surprised if the clam moves itself to another location. My maxima moved from the rocks I placed him on, to the sandbed, and he angled himself with the current until he was happy. You should also know that shrimp and crabs can sometimes pick at a clam causing it stress. One theory is that when a new clam is placed in the tank, it is stressed from moving, and it produces excess mucus which is attractive to shrimp and crabs, causing them to go after the clam. Because I have 2 camelback shrimp in the tank, what I did was to remove them for a couple of days so the clam could get settled. When I put them back in, they (the shrimp) completely ignored the clam. I am still watching the shrimp very carefully though!! ;)
 
toptank

toptank

New Member
Buy the book, Giant Clams by Daniel Knop. Good reading. I have some links on my site that you might enjoy reading.
Keep you ca. up and more intense lighting the better for your clam.
I don't think I saw anything in regards to acclimating your clam. Acclimate it to your water and slowly introduce to your lighting. More so if you got it from a LFS and it was under PC. I noticed you have 250s. Clams are filter feeders. I like to feed my tank DT's or BioLiquidLfe Planton.
Enjoy your clams. I jsut loves these guys. I have SEVERAL :)
Barry
 
fishymissy

fishymissy

Member
Okay now......Barry (aka Toptank) has more than several, he has lots of them, and probably the BEST looking clams I have ever seen!
Your secret is out Barry!!!
I have seen his clam pics, read his replies (over at --) and this is one guy who really knows his stuff!!!
Glad you're here Barry!! :D Where's Jim?!
:D
 
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