Creating your own bivalve bliss: Are you interested in keeping clams?

[Peace River]

Creating your own bivalve bliss: Are you interested in keeping clams?

Clams seem to be one of those tank inhabitants that are amazing, but for someone else. I mean, they are easy to admire from a distance, but not necessarily in my tank. Some people gravitate to the unusual and like learning how to care for a wide variety of creatures, while people like to stick to fish and/or corals. You may find the thought of keeping clams mesmerizing or you may get a clam and be always waiting for something to go wrong. What about you? Are you interested in keeping clams? Please let us know about your perspective, your experience with clams, and if you have any clam-keeping tips to share!

Photo by @Andre_Takahashi; Reef of the Month January 2024


This QOTD is sponsored by: www.tidalgardens.com

“The goal of Tidal Gardens is to offer the highest quality corals to those seeking a piece of that world without destroying it. We hope to instill a deep appreciation for the natural reefs and help develop a self-sustaining hobby that no longer requires the collection of fish and corals.”

 

[esquare]

I think clams are cool but I have steered away from them in the past. I may not fully understand their needs but I've always thought they need higher PAR and to be on the sand. I am developing a mixed reef and only plan on a couple of lower light SPS with the rest being LPS. I recently got a PAR meter and was surprised at how low PAR the couple of LPS i have prefer so if I need higher par on the sandbed for a clam that wouldn't work for me. Also, I have been concerned with how big clams get although, there may be smaller varieties.

 

[randomfishdude]

I want one but I've never done reaserch... also they get quite expensive.

 

[Reefkeepers Archive]

What counts for this? I do have a few hitchhiker bivalves on my coral

 

[Troylee]

I’ve got one right now about 6 inches.

 

[Tired]

I assume this refers only to the fancy clams. I have a couple of turkey wing clams I got accidentally, but those aren't nearly so impressive.

 

[shakacuz]

currently have a maxima and a crocea. hoping to get a noae later once they become a bit more common to obtain..and perhaps a liiiiiitle cheaper!

 

[vetteguy53081]

 

[cdnco2004]

I don't have any fancy clams, just a couple that came as hitch hikers on other coral or live rock. But they will move around the tank keep their mouths open to filter feed.

 

[Haggisman14]

I had a maxima looooong time ago when I had my 50 gallon tank. It was so cool watching it interact with the tank, and it grew quite considerably sitting underneath my 250w HQI light too!

I would definitely get another one when I get a bigger tank one day!

Here she is from 2002...also had some star polyps on both sides!

 

[i cant think]

I’m currently the proud owner of 2 Tridacna clams, and have owned 4 in total - 3 Maxima/Crocea (I believe 2 have been Crocea but all were sold as Maxima) and 1 Deresa.

 

[Aeiyr]

I currently keep two maxima and a crocea in my 15 gallon nano

 

[drolmaeye]

100% on my list. Recently read James Fatheree's book on giant clams in aquariums, currently setting up a frag/growout tank, and will gladly get one or two clams their own, dedcated light just to spot their location if needed. Hoping one year from now I could switch my vote to "keeper."

 

[Tcook]

I have a maxima in my sump refugium with a few mushrooms and gorgs. May add a squamosa.

 

[Narideth]

I got two small crocea clams about 2-3 months ago and other than them fussing at me by swan diving off their perches for a few weeks until they settled in, they've been a blast. They add such color and movement to my tank during the day when the whites are on brightest.

It's wild how viewing from the front and from the top provide a completely different color spectrum.

(Ignore the blasto, my LPS have all been acclimated to reside under 300+ par)

 

[AtlantiCat]

Would love to have one, but I don't think a 40-gallon AIO cube(-ish) is really large enough to support one properly. If I put in a larger tank at any point, they will definitely be on the stocking list.

 

[Dburr1014]

I have a maxima.
It was first placed in about 250 par but after a couple years that par is now more like 325/300ish.
It is more on the upper 2/3 of the rock.

 

[The_Skrimp]

I’ve had this guy for maybe a little over a year now. He’s grown a good two extra inches of shell in that time and all I’ve really done for it is occasionally dose some phyto to the tank. Aside from that he’s getting about 250 par but couldn’t be happier.

 

[michealprater]

I have bare bottom, not certain, but I believed that means no clams for me.

 

[kevgib67]

Didn’t think I could sustain one but watched a video where squamosa s were thriving under 200 par. Rolled the dice on a 2” one but it only lasted about 4 weeks. I really love them and if I ever upgrade my tank and lights it will be partly to keep clams.