40g Clam tank suggestions.

427HISS · Feb 10, 2016

I'm wanting to set up a 40gallon, dedicated Clam tank . Please send me links here on R2R, other sites etc, for must need reading's, video's and members that are successful long term guru's of Clams.

Last year my wife and I bought 4 clams on line, added them to our established 55g tanks and 29g cube, and all died. So, were not going to buy any more until we know what the heck happened or at least assume what happened. All 4 lasted about 2 weeks. Bought them from Divers Den and PEA. We did get our money back from both company's. We had no issues from other corals or fish, just the clams. Forgot, we did have one die from a large bristle worm while on vacation !

We are not new comers to the hobby and had several clams back in the 90's that grew very well with no issues. We sold all corals, fish & the clams back in 2000. With we had a camera back then, they were Gorgeous !

We don't know what happened, so any thoughts and ideas are welcome !

We LOVE,....Clams, but do not want to kill anymore !!!

Regards,
Kevin & Patty

cameronh · Feb 10, 2016

I don't know anything about clams but here is a free bump! Hope somebody can help you, good luck!

427HISS · Feb 11, 2016

Thanks, I apprecite it !

Alucard · Feb 13, 2016

It can really depend on the type of clam, age and maturity of the aquarium. These two videos helped me out immensely on learning a lot about clams

bsagea · Feb 13, 2016

There are some great books out there - Giant Clams in the Sea and the Aquarium by James Fatherree - and
Giant Clams: A Comprehensive Guide to the Identification and Care of Tridacnid Clams by Daniel Knop.
Both provide substantial info. Make sure you test your water to find out what trace elements you might
be missing - strontium, magnesium, etc. Also if you run GFO, that can be stripping your water of needed
trace elements as well.
At one time, we had over 30 clams between our (2) tanks. Some we had over (4) years. No idea what
happened - I refer to it as the "clam plague" - but we eventually lost them all but (1). It was a blue
squamosa. That one met it's death when I accidentally knocked him off the rock and tore his foot off. He
died a few days later.
I currently have a 67 cube that is a "clam dominant" tank. It currently houses (4) clams right now.
I am taking my time adding them to make sure there's enough trace elements to sustain them.
bsa