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Let’s talk clams

Picked up a clam from my buddy over 6” looks as healthy as can be and just picked up another from ocean gallery. Both in my frag tank waiting to be put into my upgraded tank. I’ve been testing the tank and calcium has been a steady 430.
 

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The smaller one that is more blue i had for a day now. And it still looks a little closed up. Ocean gallery had it in the sand. I have it on the glass. If anyone has any suggestions. Let me know. Also send pics of your clam/clams
 

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diana a

Staff member
NJRC Member
Moderator
They are very nice. I have never had one....it's on my list of things I would like
 
Clam is also on my list... ALMOST bought one at ACC this weekend, but controlled myself as I had bad luck with keeping one previously that my goby buried over and over
 
I love clams but have been apprehensive in getting one. Based on anecdotal reports that my tank should be a little more seasoned. So if anybody has more experience to share that would be great Yours look beautiful. I wish you the best of luck. Perhaps it’s staying a little closed simply because it hasn’t settled in yet. If there anything like corals. I have found it common in my tank that things seem take from a few days to a week or two before they truly settle in and show off the beauty
 

Mark_C

Staff member
Officer Emeritus
NJRC Member
Moderator
Based on anecdotal reports that my tank should be a little more seasoned.

Those anecdotal reports always make me wonder for their basis, and I feel its more down to husbandry than tank conditions.
Example - when I set up the 105g, I did not wait the required year for water conditions to stabilize or for the tank to 'age' before adding nems. I added 3 within 2 months, but I keep my water clean, maintain water changes, and occasionally dose minerals. All 3 are flourishing and happy as clams. Of course there are exceptions like waiting on pod population to stabilize for a mandarin, but I've wondered if the 'tank stabilization wait' is just, as you said, purely anecdotal and based on opinion.

Mark, what age was your tank when you added the first clam?
 

eholceker

NJRC Member
They look like they are in good shape. Clams that size should have new shell growth margins so check for that. Based on size I assuming those are wild caught maximas. Would try to get them on a rock and as high as possible.
 
Those anecdotal reports always make me wonder for their basis, and I feel its more down to husbandry than tank conditions.
Example - when I set up the 105g, I did not wait the required year for water conditions to stabilize or for the tank to 'age' before adding nems. I added 3 within 2 months, but I keep my water clean, maintain water changes, and occasionally dose minerals. All 3 are flourishing and happy as clams. Of course there are exceptions like waiting on pod population to stabilize for a mandarin, but I've wondered if the 'tank stabilization wait' is just, as you said, purely anecdotal and based on opinion.

Mark, what age was your tank when you added the first clam?
It’s in my frag tank about a month old.
 
I have one clam at this point about a foot in size, a derasa, which I have had for 10 plus years. I had a maxima for about 7 until it suddenly died a couple of years ago.
I don't think you need to have had the tank a long time but stable is very important. I like to feed freeze-dried phytoplankton or live if you have it.

Getting clams over 3 inches is a first good step they are much more likely to survive.
Maxima clams are better on a hard perch like rock, or they make some little clam hammocks.
They have byssal threads that attach to rock, derasa clams are more likely to be in the sand naturally so you don't need it.
There is a larger chance with maxima clams to have problems on the sand, because the hole that their threads come out of is larger, and it is more likely to allow predators or disease in.
 
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