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Cultivated Reef

Let Me See Your Clams


mystersyster

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Hey, I am new to aquariums in general and this week I visited a saltwater store for the first time! When I was pointing my hand at some corals in a shallow tank, one thing suddenly closed very rapidly and I was like wtf is that?! They told me it was a clam and it was blue and very small, maybe 3cm and a whopping 60 euro's! They told me to start simple and not with something like this thingy, but thanks to them I came across this forum and your good looking clams haha. So, thanks for that! Hopefully more pictures will follow in this forumB)

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On 1/12/2018 at 10:58 PM, CrazyEyes said:

I know nobody has posted in awhile but, here's my baby maxima, it's been in the tank for almost 4 weeks, seems to be doing really well.  imageproxy.jpg

Looks like a very healthy clam. Hope it keeps doing well. 

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PEA pick and a WYSIWYG... they were doing well until the move.  I'm waiting for them to get more.  These were the best deal on clams hands down.  They were all 4-6." The small clam on the right was from LA and it cost just as much. This was under natural sunlight in this shot.  

20130518_080834.jpg

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50 minutes ago, OMGSIIK said:

PEA pick and a WYSIWYG... they were doing well until the move.  I'm waiting for them to get more.  These were the best deal on clams hands down.  They were all 4-6." The small clam on the right was from LA and it cost just as much. This was under natural sunlight in this shot.  

20130518_080834.jpg

Those are so dreamy!!

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On 2/6/2018 at 7:52 PM, Deano said:

Since I have a photo already uploaded from another post that has may clam.. Here is mine. You can go back through my 20 long build you will find this clam when it was only 1.5 inches. Pictures of this Clam purchased in 2010

Clam shell is now over 9 Inches long.

IMG_20180107_151945.jpg

Whattt! That’s crazy it grew that much! I didn’t think they grow that fast, must be very very happy.

 

whats the deal with feeding small clams under 2”? Is it true, and do most people continue to feed them even after they’re larger?

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7 hours ago, JoeR said:

Whattt! That’s crazy it grew that much! I didn’t think they grow that fast, must be very very happy.

 

whats the deal with feeding small clams under 2”? Is it true, and do most people continue to feed them even after they’re larger?

Happy as a Clam can get!

 

7 years in my care. My research has found reference to as much as 3 inches in growth per year. 

 

To direct feed or not to feed? I have never directly fed this clam from day one. There are many different opinions on this subject. I think the biggest issue with small clams, under 2", is simply the stress due to shipping and acclimating to a new system, not so much feeding them young. JMO!

 

My position is no direct feeding required. With adquite lighting the clam will get what it needs naturally from the system. 

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16 hours ago, mystersyster said:

? I love the polka dots! 

Thank you, It's a beautiful creature for sure. I would love to get a Striped Blue rim Derasa. I recently purchased  a striped one form LA unfortunately is did not survive the shipping.

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3 minutes ago, Deano said:

Thank you, It's a beautiful creature for sure. I would love to get a Striped Blue rim Derasa. I recently purchased  a striped one form LA unfortunately is did not survive the shipping.

I've heard LA clams don't ship well for a lot of people. I try and find a very healthy looking one at the fish store even if you're paying a 10-15% premium. There is no price on peace of mind. 

 

I've discussed this with a lot of people. I have yet to find, or have someone provide me with a peer reviewed scientific study of tridacna clams which show they need to be fed. The reefs are inherently cleaner than our closed ecosystems. They evolved to use photosynthesis for 99.99% (roughly) of their energy. Plenty of direct light and low to medium flow is all they need. I've never fed my squamosa which was less than 3 inches when I got him. He's put on about and inch. Any actual food requirements they need, they'll get from ammonia, nitrate, phosphate, and any particles in your aquarium! 

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3 minutes ago, mystersyster said:

I've heard LA clams don't ship well for a lot of people. I try and find a very healthy looking one at the fish store even if you're paying a 10-15% premium. There is no price on peace of mind. 

 

I've discussed this with a lot of people. I have yet to find, or have someone provide me with a peer reviewed scientific study of tridacna clams which show they need to be fed. The reefs are inherently cleaner than our closed ecosystems. They evolved to use photosynthesis for 99.99% (roughly) of their energy. Plenty of direct light and low to medium flow is all they need. I've never fed my squamosa which was less than 3 inches when I got him. He's put on about and inch. Any actual food requirements they need, they'll get from ammonia, nitrate, phosphate, and any particles in your aquarium! 

After ordering my Striped Blue rim from LA and losing it in shipping I did do some research and found the same consensus that LA clams do not ship well. I have never seen a Striped Blue line from a LFS so I tried LA. I can say LA is excellent with their Arrive Alive Policy. That said is is a shame to see such a beautiful creature die.

 

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3 hours ago, Deano said:

Happy as a Clam can get!

 

7 years in my care. My research has found reference to as much as 3 inches in growth per year. 

 

To direct feed or not to feed? I have never directly fed this clam from day one. There are many different opinions on this subject. I think the biggest issue with small clams, under 2", is simply the stress due to shipping and acclimating to a new system, not so much feeding them young. JMO!

 

My position is no direct feeding required. With adquite lighting the clam will get what it needs naturally from the system. 

This is what I’ve been thinking. I’m taking Micro Bio right now, actually a very interesting and applicable class for reefers btw, and they had a short bit in the textbook on tridacnae clams. After reading it I don’t see how people even came to the conclusion small clams must be fed. Does it help? Probably, maybe. Is it necessary? I don’t see how it could be.

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Baby maxima. Been in the tank for 3 weeks now. Sorry for the potato quality photo. I know the tank is still a little fresh for the guy but for 35 bucks had to try, it's about 2.5 in.

20180209_142200.jpg

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1 hour ago, CrazyEyes said:

I've got the clam in an empty space in the rock, should I be concerned about moving it as it grows?

As long as the clam has enough room to fully expand it will be okay. Crocea clams actually bore their holes in rocks so it wouldn't be as much of a concern for them. 

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1 hour ago, CrazyEyes said:

I didn't even think about it, I tried to move it another spot but its already attached itself to the rock, so I'm not sure what to do. 

Leave it alone. Does it have plenty of space right. Now?

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16 hours ago, JoeR said:

This is what I’ve been thinking. I’m taking Micro Bio right now, actually a very interesting and applicable class for reefers btw, and they had a short bit in the textbook on tridacnae clams. After reading it I don’t see how people even came to the conclusion small clams must be fed. Does it help? Probably, maybe. Is it necessary? I don’t see how it could be.

LA has this in their clam bio's. I am not saying I know more than LA about keeping clams, to each his own. It's JMO no feeding required. "Tridacna clams are also filter feeders and constantly filter the water for small particulates. Derasa Clams larger than 2" do not require supplemental feedings, but smaller T. derasa that are less than 2" should be fed a phytoplankton or greenwater supplement several times per week if maintained in a nutrient poor reef aquarium.I think this last part should be a key take away. A nutrient poor reef aquarium. I think the unknown question is, how do you determine your system has all the required nutrients present to support a clam?

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