Keeping Clams

[rwynn]

Anyone have a guestimate/experience with clams and their difficulty levels?

 

[SeaBee]

I've had a clam for about two months now, he seems ok even under my pc lights, not a real expensive blue one, he's light brown colored, I forget the name, begins with a D. No problems as of yet and fun to look at.

 

[Smitty]

You have a Deresa clam, which is one of the easier clams to care for, but they grow huge and suck up a lot of calcium. In general, most clams need very high lighting...and some of them prefer to be on the sand vs being on the rocks. You just have to research the particular one you have.

 

[vallesom]

I bought a very pretty one, small, lasted like two weeks , and my diabolical emerald crab ate it, i was so mad, i wanted to flush the crab down the toilet, :pissedof:

 

[rwynn]

lol, would 150w MH be enough in a 40g?

 

[dcantucson]

I have one that has grown quite large that I have had 2 1/2 years and one I've had around 6 months. I have had two or three in between these which have died. So I have mixed reviews because of my mixed luck.

 

[dcantucson]

lol, would 150w MH be enough in a 40g?

You probably be okay. You're a little on the low end for your lighting. It also depends on the type of clam you want.

 

[Smitty]

Yep, I would think so. Do you have a particular clam you're looking at getting?

 

[rwynn]

You probably be okay. You're a little on the low end for your lighting. It also depends on the type of clam you want.

It also has 2 14w T5s if that changes anything.

I'm thinking about hanging two of these after a while if things aren't kicking like I want.

 

[dcantucson]

That should be enough then.

 

[XxKnuckleheadxX]

ive had my clam for a year now. no problems with him. at all. i have a crocea.

 

[rwynn]

That gives me some confidence I can do it in a few months once I've got the tank established and just "growing" for the most part....do these guys breed in captivity?

 

[mng777777]

It all comes down to providing them the right conditions for success. You must make sure that there are no predators in the tank. IE, worms, crabs, shrimp ETC... They need specific and stable water conditions. It is usually recommended that you have your tank up and running for at least 6 months. As stated before, some prefer to be on the rock, some on the sand. You need to decide what type you want and then research it. They do breed in captivity. They spew a large cloud that will make your whole tank cloudy. I have only heard of them spawning in large habitats.

 

[XxKnuckleheadxX]

ive got crabs and shrimps in my tank with my clam. they have not even looked at it.

 

[mng777777]

ive got crabs and shrimps in my tank with my clam. they have not even looked at it.

Specifically the larger emeralds and CBS, among others, will make a nice meal out of your new prize clam without a second thought.

 

[Hiker4twenty]

ive had my clam for a year now. no problems with him. at all. i have a crocea.

Knuckle,

I just got a Crocea. Where do you have your placed? Sand or rocks?

 

[mng777777]

Crocea's are a rock dwelling clam in the wild and will usually do better if they can attach to a piece of LR. Find a nice flat piece to put them on and then you can set that on the sand if you prefer to keep them near the bottom or glue it to your aquascaping if not. That way you are keeping the option open to moving it if you need to, whereas if you let it attach to your aquascaping and decide later that you need to move it, you will be stuck breaking up your LR to do it.

 

[XxKnuckleheadxX]

i kept mine down in the sand bed. i didnt wanna have mine on the rock because once it sticks its gonna be hard to move it if you ever need to. if you can move it at all..

 

[mng777777]

i kept mine down in the sand bed. i didnt wanna have mine on the rock because once it sticks its gonna be hard to move it if you ever need to. if you can move it at all..

Exactly my point, just let them attach to rock rubble. LR would be a mistake.