Clam in a pico

[TheUnfocusedOne]

My big point was just trying to show that a clam eating up 80 ppm of Ca in a tank of your size is crazy. I'm not attacking you too, incase I seem to be coming off that way. Clam certainly do eat up Ca, I just disagree that they have as large of an impact as many people believe. Colorimetric measurements are bootleg imo, your eyes are prone to all sorts of variation.

[1reefluvr2]

Ahhhhh

[FlCandy]

My big point was just trying to show that a clam eating up 80 ppm of Ca in a tank of your size is crazy. I'm not attacking you too, incase I seem to be coming off that way. Clam certainly do eat up Ca, I just disagree that they have as large of an impact as many people believe. Colorimetric measurements are bootleg imo, your eyes are prone to all sorts of variation.

 

 

I do understand, and I still maintain that my situation did show a clam sucking the Ca up. The only variable was the clam so therefore through process of elimation the only thing that could have been doing that would have been the clam as I had no other signs of percip., and the corals never changed.

 

Each tank is a individual and so are the animals we put in there, each person's experience is different and again that was mine, that was the only point I wanted to make, was that the Squammi I added DID suck the Ca out like that. That's the only point I had as I am more then OCD with the tank and checking the levels.

[ClaytonG]

I have 3 ~1.5 maximas in my ADA 60-f (10 gallons total volume) that have been in there for just over two months. I'm not claiming success at all, but I will say that I haven't seen them gape at night or during the day. I've noticed constant new growth on all of their shells. One is growing significantly slower than the others but it's been hopping around the tank much more than the others as well. I don't currently do any dosing besides aquavitro Fuel on Wednesday (no Ca or Alk) and changing out the water in the canister filter on Sundays (~1.5 gal).

 

If you have the proper lighting and you prevent your tank from having huge fluctuations, then I think it can be managed. Minor fluctuations should not be much of an issue though since many of these creatures live in tidal zones which can be very hostile.

 

You will need to take into consideration the type of clam as well, since they all have different lighting requirements.

 

Also read if you haven't http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/153218-a-faq-on-clams/ and make sure to take in consideration the size that many of these can grow to. Just make sure to have an exit strategy beforehand.

[Mr. Microscope]

Just be careful during water changes. Unlike corals, it's risky to expose a clam to air. If any bubbles get caught up in the mantel, it will harm it. If you encounter this possibility, delicately pick it up (so it doesn't close all the way), and slowly invert it so that any bubbles that are caught can escape.

[Parker0824]

Clams are biofilters that suck up nitrates.. I had 5ppm give or take.

 

And now I'm at 0ppm they are biofilters my LFS put his nice ones in an non-cycled Red Sea 180g and they opened fine and practically sucked up his ammonia helping the bacteria and cycling faster.

 

I believe very high nitrates isn't good but if its below 40ppm even a clam will survive. I know ppl with 400g systems and literally amazing SPS and colonies locally that trump many tanks and his nitrates were 40ppm than he got like 6 Maximas and a bio-pellet reactor now it's at 3ppm-4ppm I think he said in his recent thread

 

Just be careful during water changes. Unlike corals, it's risky to expose a clam to air. If any bubbles get caught up in the mantel, it will harm it. If you encounter this possibility, delicately pick it up (so it doesn't close all the way), and slowly invert it so that any bubbles that are caught can escape.

Thankfully I did know this before hand, and have done this both times before adding my clams.

 

I also for my next clam want to get an old clam shell close to the same size if I get another crocea. I guess they love it.

 

I heard this from a guy who has been breeding them for close to 10yrs and reefing for more.

 

Sounds like an awesome idea IMO

[Bubba30]

Thankfully I did know this before hand, and have done this both times before adding my clams.

I also for my next clam want to get an old clam shell close to the same size if I get another crocea. I guess they love it.

I heard this from a guy who has been breeding them for close to 10yrs and reefing for more.

Sounds like an awesome idea IMO

 

I just got a crocea... what do you do with an old clam shell? I am curious and didn't follow...

[Parker0824]

I just got a crocea... what do you do with an old clam shell? I am curious and didn't follow...

Put them inside it, it has to be fairly similar in size a little bigger I assume would be better so it has room to grow, but even the old clam shell should be able to open enough for them to open. Since they are a "rock clam" they like to be wedged. I put one of mine in a old sps colony that's now LR and it instantly planted and began opening up.

 

Also tho I have read as well that it doesn't matter where they are placed once they are passed an 1" but I do not know if that is true, nor why comfort instinct would change.

 

Any more questions just ask, hope I answered it well enough.

[ClaytonG]

Put them inside it, it has to be fairly similar in size a little bigger I assume would be better so it has room to grow, but even the old clam shell should be able to open enough for them to open. Since they are a "rock clam" they like to be wedged. I put one of mine in a old sps colony that's now LR and it instantly planted and began opening up.

 

Also tho I have read as well that it doesn't matter where they are placed once they are passed an 1" but I do not know if that is true, nor why comfort instinct would change.

 

Any more questions just ask, hope I answered it well enough.

 

That is a good idea. Especially for people having a hopping clam problem. Usually with the smaller clams its not the lack of light or food that kills them but the constant waste of energy from moving around. I made a "cradle" out of liverocks and wedged my jumpy maxima in it to keep it in the same spot, but that would probably work just as well if not better at holding them in place.

[Parker0824]

 

That is a good idea. Especially for people having a hopping clam problem. Usually with the smaller clams its not the lack of light or food that kills them but the constant waste of energy from moving around. I made a "cradle" out of liverocks and wedged my jumpy maxima in it to keep it in the same spot, but that would probably work just as well if not better at holding them in place.

Yeah, the guy I learned this trick from knows a lot about clams. Breeds them and what not so I know he knows more than me, lol.

 

I look to him for almost all my clam questions, but if he takes a bit to respond I end up asking the forums.

 

One thing I regret on putting my crocea in a sps colony rock is I feel it can't open all but 4/5 fully. But it does open up definitely far enough. Just hope with time it's not a problem, but I do know that their byssal tissue contains acid which they release when wedged to tight or if they want to get in a better fitting spot. He's happy as of now so when the problem arrives ill deal with it then.

 

I'm looking to put 5-7 clams in my next build which is a rimless 15g

[ClaytonG]

Yeah, the guy I learned this trick from knows a lot about clams. Breeds them and what not so I know he knows more than me, lol.

 

I look to him for almost all my clam questions, but if he takes a bit to respond I end up asking the forums.

 

One thing I regret on putting my crocea in a sps colony rock is I feel it can't open all but 4/5 fully. But it does open up definitely far enough. Just hope with time it's not a problem, but I do know that their byssal tissue contains acid which they release when wedged to tight or if they want to get in a better fitting spot. He's happy as of now so when the problem arrives ill deal with it then.

 

I'm looking to put 5-7 clams in my next build which is a rimless 15g

 

Nice. You might want to also look for ZephNYC. He's one of the clam go to guys on here. I've learned a lot just by tagging along to his threads. They do produce an acid as well. Thats how many of them are able to "burrow" into rocks with time.

[1reefluvr2]

God I want to try a clam in my 6 gallon. The other day I was told that a 2 inch clam never makes it. Is it true?

[ClaytonG]

God I want to try a clam in my 6 gallon. The other day I was told that a 2 inch clam never makes it. Is it true?

 

No. I have one that started out with me (under or around an inch) 3 months ago and it's the healthiest clam in my tank. Also if you decide to give it a shot don't dose at first, just do weekly water changes to replace the calcium/alk. Once you've had the clam for a few month you can gauge if what your doing is enough. Don't try to feed the clam either, they do not need to be fed phytoplankton because they are smaller. It's a myth that's been long circulating and needs to be reevaluated.So feed the tank, not the clam. Many aquarists are shooting for a sterile tank with 0 ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates. That however is not what a clam needs and will starve in an environment that lacks nitrates. The smaller clams are also more likely to move around quite a bit and if this happens they can waste valuable energy and die.

[Mr. Microscope]

Interesting idea with the clam shell. Perhaps for maximas and the like. I think derasas need a sand bed.

 

BTW, someone who breeds clams? He must have a huge facility!

[Veng]

 

 

I do understand, and I still maintain that my situation did show a clam sucking the Ca up. The only variable was the clam so therefore through process of elimation the only thing that could have been doing that would have been the clam as I had no other signs of percip., and the corals never changed.

 

Each tank is a individual and so are the animals we put in there, each person's experience is different and again that was mine, that was the only point I wanted to make, was that the Squammi I added DID suck the Ca out like that. That's the only point I had as I am more then OCD with the tank and checking the levels.

Congrats then, your clam will gain 50 lbs then.

[Parker0824]

God I want to try a clam in my 6 gallon. The other day I was told that a 2 inch clam never makes it. Is it true?

 

This is false, I have (2) crocea in my 3.5 pico and they are loving life. Until I dropped a small rock on one today (so he's pissed)

 

But they will be fine just keep calcium, and alkalinity on check. Cleaner water helps a lot.

[TheUnfocusedOne]

Interesting idea with the clam shell. Perhaps for maximas and the like. I think derasas need a sand bed.

 

BTW, someone who breeds clams? He must have a huge facility!

 

ORA does it. There was a picture of their 'tank' somewhere, but I can't find it. It was basically a pool, very cool.