Live Clams from Publix

BornHandy · Jan 13, 2020

I see these live clams in Publix all the time - White and 55 cents each. I've never thought of adding them to my tank, but I saw some in a LFS the other day listed as "cleaner clams". I got this picture from the Publix website, but this is the type of clam it was... I think I'm bowing out on these, but it made me wonder, is this a common invert for the reef tank?

Goodair · Jan 13, 2020

They might be good for feeding certain fish.

Shirak · Jan 13, 2020

cleaner clam.. huh. Look like dinner to me!

Terri Caton · Jan 14, 2020

Dinner for the fish.

ScottR · Jan 14, 2020

If you have shrimps, they’ll most likely pick at it and kill it.

Fishnut · Jan 14, 2020

Looks like the type we find under the sand here in New Jersey. I tried to keep them alive in a tank once, but they were soon dead. They bury their shells under the sand and have a spout that sticks up above. Now I freeze them, break the shell open and feed them to the tank.

Daniel@R2R · Jan 14, 2020

I've heard they don't live long in reef tanks

jda · Jan 16, 2020

They are filter feeders, will burrow into the substrate and do not live long unless your tank is a mess and there is a lot to filter out of the water. You can search on Little Neck Clams.

StatelineReefer · Jan 16, 2020

I used to use those as feeder clams for certain starfish. Quarantine them if you do the same. These aren't dredged up from the most pristine of conditions

BloopFish · Jan 16, 2020

Manilla clams can actually live in tropical waters like our reef tank and are often sold for consumption. The problem is that most places have them on ice and the temperature shock would probably kill them when you acclimate them. I hardly remember because it was years ago, but I do remember acclimating several of them (Manilla clams) from Costco and they lived for at least a couple weeks.