Got a clam question? We've got you covered right here.

[LED92586]

I have a 30 gal. Bio cube and found a critter in the water flow area before the filter. See pic. Does anyone recognize it?

 

[mta_morrow]

Well..........

Just picked up a 5” Deresa at my local petco.

$75, 30 day guarantee.

My local petco move a lot of salt water stuff, including clams. They just got this one in Thursday and it was fully open since it arrived

Dripping now along with 2 purple short spine urchins.

The clam is opening and closing during drip so I am taking that as a good thing

Will post pics of him open and in the tank tomorrow when the lights come on

 

[mta_morrow]

Another pic with a bit of color

I’m really anxious to see it tomorrow with some good lighting.

 

[DSC reef]

Nice! Don't drip for to long that's a great looking clam, happy for you.

 

[mta_morrow]

Nice! Don't drip for to long that's a great looking clam, happy for you.

It’s in the tank!

Dropped for an hour and a half. Salinity was at 1.019 and I am at 1.026.

We’ll see it in the morning.

 

[mta_morrow]

Here is how it’s looking now. Lights just turned on.

What do you think?

 

[DSC reef]

It looks nice! Clams make a reef tank IMO.

 

[mta_morrow]

It looks nice! Clams make a reef tank IMO.

Thanks DSC reef. This is my first, so I will have a lot of “new clam keeper” questions!

 

[DSC reef]

Thanks DSC reef. This is my first, so I will have a lot of “new clam keeper” questions!

Ask away my friend, it's my favorite reef animal by far.

 

[Dr. Reef]

Guys I have a dilemma.
I have bought several different kinds of clams. All from Liveaquaria. All over 2" to max 3".
Every one of them opens and does well. Shows colors and wide open then one day after one week I wake up and it's gone. All of them don't last past 7-10 days.
No sign of distress no sign or problems and from healthy looking for few day to dead overnight.
Tank parameters:

AI hydra hd x 6 on 8ft long tank
12pm startup, ramp 4 hr to max
From 4pm to 9pm max (20k)
9pm ramp down 4 hr.

Max PAR on sandbed 150-250.
Areas where clams were would be 180-220

Temp 79-80 stable
Sal 1.025-1.026
pH 8.0
Alk 7.5-8 dkh
Cal 440-450
Mag 1600
Nitrates 2-5 (sodium nitrate dosing)
Phos 0-0.03 (lanthanum chloride)

Cal reactor, sulfur denitrator, recir skimmer

 

[CNDReef]

I’ve heard that LA has gone downhill with the clams.

 

[DSC reef]

It could be a lot of things from protazoans to parasites, shipping, starvation from the place you bought the clam from. Unless I really trust the supplier, I always try to visually inspect a clam before purchase to look for pyramids, new shell growth, etc.

 

[LED92586]

I have a 30 gal. Bio cube and found a critter in the water flow area before the filter. See pic. Does anyone recognize it?

HELP? ANYONE? In case the picture isn't clear it's a shell of sorts with a tube coming up out of it. It is alive; when I touched it the tube was sucked back into the shell. I'm curious to find out what it is. I looked up coquina and that's not it... if anyone recognizes this creature please reply.

 

[Dr. Reef]

It could be a lot of things from protazoans to parasites, shipping, starvation from the place you bought the clam from. Unless I really trust the supplier, I always try to visually inspect a clam before purchase to look for pyramids, new shell growth, etc.

So I got this clam from LA divers den. Its a aquaculture biota lab derasa clam. It's almost 5". Been in tank for 3rd day today.
I floated it and drip acclimated it which I never did before.
Shell is extremely clean and can't even tell if there are grooves for growth like maxima clams do. No pests or algae or snail etc.
I placed it on sand bed where flow is low and led PAR is 260.
As of today all parameters are steady and stable like mentioned in earlier post.
Here is a pic.
Gapping is slightly more than normal?

 

[DSC reef]

That clam looks pretty happy. The incurrent siphon is open a little but I dont see any gaping. Looks like a healthy clam, just keep an eye out for new shell growth.

 

[Ksmmike]

Hello,
I bought a Maxima clam from ORA on Friday afternoon. It's now Monday morning and it has yet to open. It's in the sand bed of a 120 gallon. My water parameters are clean, barely
any phosphates or nitrates that register and salinity at 26. I was told to lower the salinity to 24 for better coral growth, but that's a separate issue. Should I rock the clam and try to burp it, or leave it alone for another day or so and see if it opens on its own? I have 2 radion 4 pro lights on the system, so there is plenty of light. Maybe move the clam higher and put it in the rocks?
Any thoughts are appreciate.

 

[TheSchwenkster]

Hello,
I bought a Maxima clam from ORA on Friday afternoon. It's now Monday morning and it has yet to open. It's in the sand bed of a 120 gallon. My water parameters are clean, barely
any phosphates or nitrates that register and salinity at 26. I was told to lower the salinity to 24 for better coral growth, but that's a separate issue. Should I rock the clam and try to burp it, or leave it alone for another day or so and see if it opens on its own? I have 2 radion 4 pro lights on the system, so there is plenty of light. Maybe move the clam higher and put it in the rocks?
Any thoughts are appreciate.

Pictures of placement and / or full tank shot?

 

[TVo]

Anyone ever successfully kept clams in bare bottom tanks? What did you let the clam attach to? I really like them but afraid to get one and have it not work out in my bare bottom tank.

 

[DSC reef]

Hello,
I bought a Maxima clam from ORA on Friday afternoon. It's now Monday morning and it has yet to open. It's in the sand bed of a 120 gallon. My water parameters are clean, barely
any phosphates or nitrates that register and salinity at 26. I was told to lower the salinity to 24 for better coral growth, but that's a separate issue. Should I rock the clam and try to burp it, or leave it alone for another day or so and see if it opens on its own? I have 2 radion 4 pro lights on the system, so there is plenty of light. Maybe move the clam higher and put it in the rocks?
Any thoughts are appreciate.

Without knowing the par I'd say being on the bottom of the 120 is to low. Maximas need a lot of light. You'd be surprised how little light you get on the sand bed.

 

[DSC reef]

Anyone ever successfully kept clams in bare bottom tanks? What did you let the clam attach to? I really like them but afraid to get one and have it not work out in my bare bottom tank.

I'd suggest a squamosa or a derasa around 4" or bigger. We kept clams for years on barebottom glass and never had issues. The smaller clams would even attach there abyssal threads directly to the glass. Here's a pic of our old squamosa on just glass.