When are you in the clear with small clams?

Frogspon · Feb 20, 2021

A lot of people tend to say that clams around 2 inches are quite difficult to care for.

Is there a time frame on when you would know that they have settled into your tank for the long run?

I.e. if they make it the first night, or the first month.. or can they just kick it at any point really?

Mastiffsrule · Feb 21, 2021

Hello, hope all is well,

Sorry I do not keep clams. Maybe someone tonight can help.

OrionN · Feb 21, 2021

Clams are easy to keep. You need to pay attention to chemistry, enough Ca and Alkalinity. Adequate light for the species, and clams need to be healthy to begin with and no parasitic snails on them. Needs for clams are well know and easy to maintain. If you can provide these for them, you should have no problem with keeping them.
As to when, and what observation will let you know that you are doing well with regarding to keeping clams? If you see white grow rings, and white scuttles on the clams, and if you can keep provide these same requirements, you should not have problem with keeping them long term.

The T. noae below was disturbed so that the mantel retracted to show the new growth on the shell, which is the evidence you need to tell that he is doing well.

xjiang7 · Feb 21, 2021

I don’t think size is quite the matter assuming you are getting healthy clams. A larger tank might be better for long term stability.

1guydude · Feb 21, 2021

Theres thought that the larger clams are more photosynthetic and the smaller ones are more filter feeder needed until big enoough. I dont know if this is true or not or have done any research sorry. I dont believe it to be true. Larger animal. Same needs. Just more.
D

hart24601 · Mar 4, 2021

I do think a lot of the rules for larger clams doing better is somewhat obsolete now. If getting a clam from a quality vendor like direct from biota or ORA I have not experienced higher mortality even with clams under 1"! That is provided nothing picks on them. I don't dose phyto or anything either. My latest small clam was 3/4" crocea from biota and aside from making sure there were no snails on it I have done nothing special for it just making sure it's in 350 PAR or so and it has done fantastic. In fact I would say the opposite is almost true now, large clams are trickier when 5" or larger (mostly maxima) as they are wild collected at that size and those can be tough to acclimate. I would take my chances with a 1" maxima of a wild 5" one any day, although the wilds are not impossible by any means.

PicassoClown04 · Mar 4, 2021

hart24601 said:
I do think a lot of the rules for larger clams doing better is somewhat obsolete now. If getting a clam from a quality vendor like direct from biota or ORA I have not experienced higher mortality even with clams under 1"! That is provided nothing picks on them. I don't dose phyto or anything either. My latest small clam was 3/4" crocea from biota and aside from making sure there were no snails on it I have done nothing special for it just making sure it's in 350 PAR or so and it has done fantastic. In fact I would say the opposite is almost true now, large clams are trickier when 5" or larger (mostly maxima) as they are wild collected at that size and those can be tough to acclimate. I would take my chances with a 1" maxima of a wild 5" one any day, although the wilds are not impossible by any means.

I totally agree with this, I got my maxima at 1” captive bred and I have never done anything special for it like phyto. Good lighting and water chemistry was all it needed, it’s almost 4” now!

Daniel@R2R · Mar 5, 2021

@PacificEastAquaculture would be a great voice to hear from!

hart24601 · Mar 5, 2021

Daniel@R2R said:
@PacificEastAquaculture would be a great voice to hear from!

I agree. Just got 4 clams from them in the past two weeks!

powderblue14 · Mar 5, 2021

Are angels and butterflies fish that will pick at clams?

DrMMI · Mar 5, 2021

powderblue14 said:
Are angels and butterflies fish that will pick at clams?

I have a coral beauty and flame angel that are model citizens when it comes to my coral. So I thought, heck, I'll probably be fine with a clam.... It didn't last 6 hours in my tank. That was one expensive snack for them.

batfish5 · Mar 6, 2021

hart24601 said:
I agree. Just got 4 clams from them in the past two weeks!

You posted that you bought 4 clams from them, do you mean Biota ?? Thank for reply.

hart24601 · Mar 6, 2021

Sorry referencing Dr Mac and PEA. Only bought one clam directly from biotia directly. But have got more from PEA and ORA Thant those 4.

ca1ore · Mar 6, 2021

powderblue14 said:
Are angels and butterflies fish that will pick at clams?

Of course .....

ca1ore · Mar 6, 2021

I think once your clam has settled in, is opening fully (but not gaping) and is not being irritated by flow or fish picking you’re good to go. Also keep an eye out for the white growth edge on the shell. I have found no white edge correlates highly with ‘woke up this morning and my prized clam is just an empty shell’.