Best type of clam for Copperband Butterfly?

BigJohnny · Dec 21, 2017

I want to offer some to my CB but don't know what kind to buy. Everyone freezes them first to kill bacteria right? Do you then thaw them and put them in the tank?

eatbreakfast · Dec 21, 2017

I just drop it in frozen, but if the cbb is being picky you can thaw it first.

BigJohnny · Dec 21, 2017

eatbreakfast said:
I just drop it in frozen, but if the cbb is being picky you can thaw it first.

Thanks bud, what type of clam? I don't eat shellfish. I think I saw someone mention little neck as well as "chowder clams". Do they open once frozen or do I have to pop em open? I really have zero experience with clams

eatbreakfast · Dec 21, 2017

Any clams will work. I shuck them alive, but you could freeze then thaw, they will be easier ti open.

Maritimer · Dec 21, 2017

I've been using "littleneck" clams and mussels, interchangeably. Names like "Cherrystone", "Littleneck" and "Chowder" refer to the same animal at different sizes. If you've got a smaller tank, and the copperband will have the clam almost all to himself, try cherrystones, as they're the smaller ones. Littlenecks are a bit larger, my reef-gang can make 'em go away in an hour or three, so they're about right for me. If I had a 500 gallon FOWLR filled with big tangs and angels, I'd want a chowder-clam or quahog - they're the biggest, and everybody would get a chance to grab a bellyful.

Mussels are on the smaller side.

~Bruce, still a bit amazed that the fish will hammer the littlenecks all day long, but leave the maxima unmolested

BigJohnny · Dec 21, 2017

Maritimer said:
I've been using "littleneck" clams and mussels, interchangeably. Names like "Cherrystone", "Littleneck" and "Chowder" refer to the same animal at different sizes. If you've got a smaller tank, and the copperband will have the clam almost all to himself, try cherrystones, as they're the smaller ones. Littlenecks are a bit larger, my reef-gang can make 'em go away in an hour or three, so they're about right for me. If I had a 500 gallon FOWLR filled with big tangs and angels, I'd want a chowder-clam or quahog - they're the biggest, and everybody would get a chance to grab a bellyful.

Mussels are on the smaller side.

~Bruce, still a bit amazed that the fish will hammer the littlenecks all day long, but leave the maxima unmolested

Thanks bud, just what I needed.

LobsterOfJustice · Dec 22, 2017

I feed whatever they’re selling live at the grocery store, couple types of clans as well as mussels make it into the rotation. The clams will stay alive for over a week in water in the fridge (I have the luxury of a garage fridge/freezer just for fish food...) and those I give one good smack with a hammer before dropping in. Otherwise, just freeze them so they are easier to open - that’s what I do with the mussels. They’re kinda stinky (I can’t believe these are supposed to be people food...) so I give them a rinse before dropping them in.

BigJohnny · Dec 22, 2017

OK so I did a little more research. Just in case others are curious:

The species we are primarily interested in is Mercenaria mercenaria, also known as quahog, round clam, or hard-shell clam.

They are named and sold by size, from smallest to largest:

Countnecks
Littlenecks
Topnecks
Cherrystones
Chowder Clams or just Quahog

My whole foods had littlenecks and cherrystones which were about 2x the size of the littlenecks. I got 1lb of littlenecks for $3.99 which was about 14 1-2"ers.

BigJohnny · Dec 23, 2017

Update, my copperband and matted filefish in qt absolutely dominated one of the littlenecks. Definitely a great treat. The second it hit the water they were all about it.

Triggreef · Dec 23, 2017

I do freeze them because in paranoid about parasites. I cut them open after they are frozen and they cut pretty easy. Once cut in half I use a good pocket knife to slice them into thin strips, that makes it easy for them to eat. Toss that mess into a cup to thaw. Poor out the gross water it creates and feed the chunks.

Qutubhashmi · Apr 22, 2019

Can someone please tell me how to thaw clam before to CBB. I feed clam to my CBB and it caused ichh in the whole tank. Now it is gond. I believe the clam caused it. My question is how to thaw clam using what kind of water to avoid harmful germs.

eatbreakfast · Apr 22, 2019

Qutubhashmi said:
Can someone please tell me how to thaw clam before to CBB. I feed clam to my CBB and it caused ichh in the whole tank. Now it is gond. I believe the clam caused it. My question is how to thaw clam using what kind of water to avoid harmful germs.

If the clam was frozen then it was not the cause of the ich.

OrionN · Apr 22, 2019

Drop a frozen clam into the tank, as the clam thaw out, it start to crack open and the CBB get first crack at it because of his beak. Once the clam open more, the rest of the fish move in and finish up the clam.
I agree with TJ that the clam was not the cause of the Ich outbreak. Also freezing will kill parasites, most likely but will not kill any/most bacterial. The bacterial just become dormant as the temperature drop.

Qutubhashmi · Apr 23, 2019

OrionN said:
Drop a frozen clam into the tank, as the clam thaw out, it start to crack open and the CBB get first crack at it because of his beak. Once the clam open more, the rest of the fish move in and finish up the clam.
I agree with TJ that the clam was not the cause of the Ich outbreak. Also freezing will kill parasites, most likely but will not kill any/most bacterial. The bacterial just become dormant as the temperature drop.

Thanks alot sir for the useful advice

Biff0rz · Oct 20, 2020

Do you find that feeding them a clam makes them not want to eat mysis? I have one eating mysis and don't want to mess that up

SDK · Oct 20, 2020

I can only speak for my CBB, but once he starts taking something he is like a piranha every time I subsequently feed it.

Mine eats clams, and it in no way affected his enthusiasm for mysis or anything else...

Biff0rz · Oct 21, 2020

So I'm a little worried / frustrated. I noticed that my cbb is taking the mysis in his mouth but spits it back out. He'll do this every feeding and he'll take it in / spit out about 3x for every piece of food he touches. I thought it was the mysis so I went and got some fresh clams yesterday. Froze them and then today cut some super thin pieces and into small chunks. He went for them immediately and did the same thing. He keeps spitting the food back out. Not sure what to do.. Or is this normal??