Clams in 32.5 gallon?

[Kapachuka3]

Random question: i already have a pretty full tank with several types or coral, are there any types of clams or oysters i could put in the tank maybe? They look really cool in the sea and i was wondering if there were mini versions of them. Also what do they eat and are they photosynthetic.
Inhabitants so far:
Snails
Urchin
Clownfish
Pj cardinal
Goby
Sea cucumber

 

[Gumbies R Us]

@OrionN

 

[Steve and his Animals]

The giant clams are all photosynthetic, although they tend to need a lot of light and very stable parameters/reef chemistry. I had a Tridacna crocea in a 5 gallon reef for 2 years and lost it when they tank crashed. Probably the hardiest clam and nicely it's also one of, if not the, smallest giant clam. They're usually found about 6-inches across in nature.

 

[Kapachuka3]

The giant clams are all photosynthetic, although they tend to need a lot of light and very stable parameters/reef chemistry. I had a Tridacna crocea in a 5 gallon reef for 2 years and lost it when they tank crashed. Probably the hardiest clam and nicely it's also one of, if not the, smallest giant clam. They're usually found about 6-inches across in nature.

Thanks for info, would one of those be ok in my tank with its inhabitants, i have a pencil urchin that used to eat my coral until i trained it.

 

[Kapachuka3]

Thanks for info, would one of those be ok in my tank with its inhabitants, i have a pencil urchin that used to eat my coral until i trained it.

32.5 gallon btw.

 

[JoJosReef]

I would say yes, but please report if your pencil urchin actually starts chowing on a living clam--that would be important anecdotal evidence.

If you have enough loght (like Acro+ levels), I'd go with a crocea sitting up on the rocks. You could get a sand bed squamosa as well if you're hitting 250 par or so down there (or make it a cradle higher up).

 

[Kapachuka3]

I would say yes, but please report if your pencil urchin actually starts chowing on a living clam--that would be important anecdotal evidence.

If you have enough loght (like Acro+ levels), I'd go with a crocea sitting up on the rocks. You could get a sand bed squamosa as well if you're hitting 250 par or so down there (or make it a cradle higher up).

Ok gotcha, ngl i dont know what PAR is, would an aquasky 600mm be enough, my corals are doing phenomenal under it.

 

[code4]

Crocea. Need an established tank. They like light also. Currently under a Refi. Have had mine about 3 years. Maybe more. Mine sits on the sand bed. I am afraid he will fall. I set him, Chowder, in an old shell.

 

[Kapachuka3]

Crocea. Need an established tank. They like light also. Currently under a Refi. Have had mine about 3 years. Maybe more

My tank is veey established, going close to ten years

 

[Biokabe]

Ok gotcha, ngl i dont know what PAR is, would an aquasky 600mm be enough, my corals are doing phenomenal under it.

What types of corals do you keep?

 

[Kapachuka3]

What types of corals do you keep?

Softies only, my leather coral has grown huge since i got it, a small frag of gsp and xenia

 

[JoJosReef]

Ok gotcha, ngl i dont know what PAR is, would an aquasky 600mm be enough, my corals are doing phenomenal under it.

Is that this light?

If so, very unlikely. You're aiming for closer to 60-100 watts of light energy for that footprint to have a clam.

 

[Kapachuka3]

Is that this light?

If so, very unlikely. You're aiming for closer to 60-100 watts of light energy for that footprint to have a clam.

I believe rhat is, so i will most likely wait until i can afford a different tank, thanks for the info.

 

[JoJosReef]

I believe rhat is, so i will most likely wait until i can afford a different tank, thanks for the info.

There are some pretty decent budget 60+ watt lights that will light up a 32g tank (e.g., Nicrew Gen 2s, Noopsyche K7s). But not sure how your softies will appreciate being blasted by that much light. They can usually acclimate to higher intensity if you start low and ramp up slowly.

I have a squamosa on top of a large clam shell cemented to the top of my rocks in my 25g peninsula. Eventually it will go further down when it reaches a large size, but for now it is getting high light on the top of the rocks while my lower light corals are doing OK on the sand bed.

Course, the problem with having your clam so high in the tank is that you don't get its best colors from a side-view. You really need to view them from above. This is what my clam looks like when taking the lid off and looking down on it:

 

[code4]

I have these LPS in a 40 breeder next to my crocea clam. It is possible. Refi lights

 

[code4]

The first wouldn't post of my Chowder.

 

[code4]

The trachy has been in the tank for around 6 years. I don't know what the par is exactly.

 

[DSC reef]

If you're going to keep tridacna just know all do get pretty big but can be rehomed. I never advise this practice but its gonna happen either way. Crocea need the most love, high light and a stable tank. I've grown many different clams over decades and my favorites are squamosa but they get huge. Good thing is it takes a while. Any clam you choose just remember they love light, flow and stability. Theyre natural filters feeders even filtering urine from fish. Heres a picture of my squamosa I had to show ypu how big they get, mine still had a lot of growing to do. All my clams were grown under halides but hi intensity/quality led will do the job just fine. Also, the intensity is determined by depth which is why lower quality led work on small shallow tanks.

 

[code4]

I chose the crocea because it doesn't get huge. I am glad I didn't know it needed the most "love" back then .