I love spot feeding my corals and watching as they eat. I've recently got my first clam, an ORA Derasa. And I was wondering if there were any good foods for clams.
Thanks guys.
Thanks guys.
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there is no need to feed Tridacna clams, it provides them nothing. their primary method of carbon supply is from their symbiodinium. it is a common myth, for some unknown reason, that they need fed. this is not supported by any of the current scientific literature.
However, it is important to note that no matter how much a tridacnid eats, it still needs bright light and apparently cannot make up for a lack of light with more feeding. Tridacnids are never found in dim/dark waters, regardless of the availability of planktonic/particulate foods, and I tried feeding a couple of them copious amounts of phytoplankton in a low-light aquarium with no luck, either. They eventually had to be removed to save them.
When it comes to absorbing nutrients, tridacnids can take them directly from seawater via the use of a specialized tissue that covers their surfaces (Fankboner 1971, Goreau et al. 1973, Wilkerson & Trench 1986, Fitt et al. 1993, Belda & Yellowlees 1995, Hawkins & Klumpp 1995, and Ambariyanto & Hoegh-Guldberg 1999).
Thus, any notion that their sole means of acquiring nitrogen, phosphorus, etc. is through filter-feeding is incorrect, as nitrogen and phosphorus are primarily taken directly from the surrounding seawater in forms other than plankton or detrital particles.
We conclude that autotrophy is the major source of carbon to this clam, potentially capable of satisfying all respiratory requirements of the host.
Although recent research into ecological and physiological background of different stages of the life cycle of clams made commercial aquaculture possible, there is still a high mortality with early stages. While juveniles rely on both heterotrophic and
autotrophic feeding, adult clams depend more on available light.
Results show that light intensity and spectra have a significant effect on survival and length or weight increase. Nutrient concentrations only seem to play a role when clams are kept in optimum light conditions. In this case fertilization with NH4+ and PO43- is more effective than feeding with algae.
there is quite a substantial amount of evidence that it is a neutral if anything, and will provide no benefit to the clam up to and beyond the point that the other needs of it have been met. the vast majority of the nutrients the clam takes in are directly through adsorption, not filter feeding.
Don't get me wrong, not arguing, I am pretty interesting in giant clam research so just trying to get more info.
I agree 100% that they don't need to be fed in proper conditions, and they utilize dissolved nutrients more effectively, but in those articles you linked they didn't say the clam does not benefit from filter feeding after the light requirements have been met. Just that it isn't required, which I why I stated that there is no evidence that filter feeding does not benefit the clam. Not based off any paper, but I personally feel that feeding could help in times of stress such as after shipping or in acclimation before the clam is comfortable fully extending the mantle.
Results show that light intensity and spectra have a significant effect on survival and length or weight increase. Nutrient concentrations only seem to play a role when clams are kept in optimum light conditions. In this case fertilization with NH4 + and PO4 3- is more effective than feeding with algae.
if you have a fish in the tank your clam is fed.... they "eat" ammonia, nitrates the rest comes from light