Want to get a Clam, Need Advice!

[BlazinNano]

I want to get a clam. The LFS I always go to have a couple nice ones. They have had them for a couple weeks now and look healthy. Right now they are mid-way up a 55 gallon with t-5s. I have a 28 gallon EcoSytem Mini with 150w MH. Do I place the clam on the sand bed or higher up in my tank? Also is it better for a clam to be in the sand or on a rock? I have heard that in the sand bristle worms will climb in to the bottom of it and eat it from the inside out. I am not sure if I have any bristle worms. I use to but since I put a arrow crab in the tank I have not seen any. Don't know if arrow crabs eat them but I have not seen any lately. Back to the clam questions. I have also heard that you need to "burb" the clam when you get it my rolling it over a couple times in the tank to get any air inside it out. Is this true? Thanks for the help. Hopefully I can pick the clam up Sat or Sun.

 

[reefpeeper]

u can put it in the sand bed without a problem. i have 2 of them in my 50breeder. they are under 2 175w mh. never heard of burping it or problem with bristle worms.

 

[johnanddawn]

depends on the species some need rock to attach to others do not. you can always bury a flat rock if you want it on the bottom though

 

[Azurel]

I want to get a clam. The LFS I always go to have a couple nice ones. They have had them for a couple weeks now and look healthy. Right now they are mid-way up a 55 gallon with t-5s. I have a 28 gallon EcoSytem Mini with 150w MH. Do I place the clam on the sand bed or higher up in my tank? Also is it better for a clam to be in the sand or on a rock? I have heard that in the sand bristle worms will climb in to the bottom of it and eat it from the inside out. I am not sure if I have any bristle worms. I use to but since I put a arrow crab in the tank I have not seen any. Don't know if arrow crabs eat them but I have not seen any lately. Back to the clam questions. I have also heard that you need to "burb" the clam when you get it my rolling it over a couple times in the tank to get any air inside it out. Is this true? Thanks for the help. Hopefully I can pick the clam up Sat or Sun.

No sure on the arrow crab.....But you should be fine with that set up on the lighting all clams can be on the bottom if the lighting is at a high enough par at what ever section in the tank you want them. The best thing to do is to have any Maxima an Crocea attach to a rock about half the size or bigger then the clam this way you can move them around if you need to. Maximas and Croceas will be better suited high in the tank so they get the maximum amount of light possiable. Squamosa will be fine on the bottom but can be placed in the rock work as well if you want them to Derasa and gigus are best suited on the sand due to their full size they grow too. The last three species are less light hungrey then the first two. If you place the lower light species on the bottom the best thing to do is place them on a rock buried in the sand toget them to attach as well because from what I have read and personal communication of others is that they will blow sand out from under them and possiably attach to the bottom glass which will be a pita if you have to move them......All in all you should be fine, I just don't know about the arrow crab...

 

[Sikryd]

No sure on the arrow crab.....But you should be fine with that set up on the lighting all clams can be on the bottom if the lighting is at a high enough par at what ever section in the tank you want them. The best thing to do is to have any Maxima an Crocea attach to a rock about half the size or bigger then the clam this way you can move them around if you need to. Maximas and Croceas will be better suited high in the tank so they get the maximum amount of light possiable. Squamosa will be fine on the bottom but can be placed in the rock work as well if you want them to Derasa and gigus are best suited on the sand due to their full size they grow too. The last three species are less light hungrey then the first two. If you place the lower light species on the bottom the best thing to do is place them on a rock buried in the sand toget them to attach as well because from what I have read and personal communication of others is that they will blow sand out from under them and possiably attach to the bottom glass which will be a pita if you have to move them......All in all you should be fine, I just don't know about the arrow crab...

+1

I "burp" my clams as well, just to make sure they don't get an air pocket in them which I have heard can cause issues. Just safe practice I guess.

Clams are pretty easy to keep, as well as hardy, as long as you get them bigger than 3in. Smaller than that should be reserved for people who have more experience with them. (Just my personal opinion)

Check for pyrammid snails upon first purchasing them is also a good practice. I personally QT all mine since I don't want a problem with the new one to take out my other ones too.

Fatheree has a good article on reefkeeping.com about clam husbandry

 

[Azurel]

+1 on Sikryd's post......It covers everything I didn't say.

 

[DaveA]

I just don't know about the arrow crab...

I'm wondering what you mean by this, viz. (1) you don't know if an arrow crab is needed to keep out bristle worms which might be harmful to clams or (2) you don't know if an arrow crab might be harmful to clams?

 

[Azurel]

I'm wondering what you mean by this, viz. (1) you don't know if an arrow crab is needed to keep out bristle worms which might be harmful to clams or (2) you don't know if an arrow crab might be harmful to clams?

I dont know if the arrow crab will beharmful to the clams......I know they eat bristleworms for sure...