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"Supermarket" Cleaner Clams

G

gogol

So what's the bottom line guys ? Is is it worth the time and risking super market clams? Did anyone ever check if they could get the ammonia/nitrate levels lower ?

Please let me know, I would like to try an experiment in my DSB refugium.

I was also wondering if I should put 1 in the display, to lure out any whelks so that I can weed them out before I get some expensive clam.
 
redfishbluefish

redfishbluefish

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
My thoughts on keeping the clams out:

· They come from temperate waters while our tanks are tropical.
· Could be introducing foreigner creatures / bacteria / disease into the tank.
· They are filter feeders and the way we micron sock and super skim and filter our water, not the mention all the corals competing for the same little morsel, they are doomed to die.
· When they do die, there’s a bunch of nasties released into the water.

Unknowns:

· With the relative large size and their burrowing abilities, what are they doing to the anaerobic portion of your sand bed? I’ve got to believe they are going deep enough to disrupt this portion of the sand bed. Good or bad?
· What benefit do they offer? Since we overfilter, what do they do for our tanks? Certainly don’t remove any ammonia or nitrates…if anything they contribute.

Leave these little clams for those who like to chew on rubberbands soaked in fishwater….and still swallow them whole.
 
GregW

GregW

There's some good info on this RC thread about using littlenecks. I'm going to buy a couple this afternoon.
 
G

gogol

People have been valiantly trying this for sometime. There are some marine biology labs that use hordes of little neck clams for filtration. Here's an RC thread link that had gotten a lot of poeple interested.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=709dea5ad03040bf21335caaffb53881&threadid=508002&perpage=25&pagenumber=1

I am not going to pour an entire bunch, in the tank at the same go. I intend to follow the following steps:

1. test the water
2. Add two clams.
3. Observe if they live/die.

Repeat from step 1 if results are positive in terms of water paramaters, but levels are still not where I want them.

Here is an attempt to quell some of the doubts:


· They come from temperate waters while our tanks are tropical.
True, but drip acclimitasition seems to work, if you can prevent your tank from overheating to higher than 80-85F

· Could be introducing foreigner creatures / bacteria / disease into the tank.
True for pretty much anything you get. Dont really bother verifying the last replacement date of micron sock when I get something from a fellow reefer. However, this is a source of worry with the case in hand.

· They are filter feeders and the way we micron sock and super skim and filter our water, not the mention all
the corals competing for the same little morsel, they are doomed to die.

Spare a thought who those without a mind of metal :). This idea is appealing the same way macro algae refugiums are appealing to those wanting to bring down phosphate. You would remember I have a 20G and am on the lookout for a skimmer. However I am as always interested in finding natural methods of getting nasties out if it keeps the water column nutrient rich.

They seem to feed on nitrite/ammonia. So the real competition would be biological filter in our aquarium. Some people have been able to overstock and overfeed a little to keep the system in balance.


· When they do die, there’s a bunch of nasties released into the water.
And also a tasty morsel to be had for your crabs and fish. As a matter of fact, this perhaps is a good way of luring the vile whelks out before they jump your $50 Maxima.

Mind's made up. I am going to try this starting today. I can keep a weekly progress report here if there is sufficient interest.
 
Y

yuyiboy

I've seen people acclimating guppies to salt water, wouldn't this be easier that that? just doing it slowly to change temp and salinity?
Just curious.

Gene
 
G

gogol

Drip acclimitasation should take care of this, no?
I do see your point though. I read that they usually use freshwater ice to keep the clam tanks cool. But it is also a common practice to add salt to ice to increase it's freezing point. This way ice stays solid at above 0 degree and doesn't create a mess.

Questionable salinity no doubt.
 
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