Let’s talk about big mussels: Are you ready for giant clams in your tank?

Are you ready for giant clams in your tank?

  • I currently keep a giant clam in my aquarium

    Votes: 47 20.3%
  • I have kept giant clams in the past, but don’t have any now

    Votes: 37 16.0%
  • I am interested, but I haven’t kept giant clams yet

    Votes: 97 42.0%
  • I have no plans to keep giant clams

    Votes: 50 21.6%

  • Total voters
    231

Peace River

Thrive Master
View Badges
Joined
Apr 29, 2014
Messages
21,466
Reaction score
164,293
Location
USA
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
Let’s talk about big mussels: Are you ready for giant clams in your tank?

Clams come in all sizes, shapes, and colors, but there is a special section of clams referred to as giant clams. There are several species within the category of giant clams, and they are all members of the genus Tridacna. Giant clams are the largest living marine bivalve. Are you ready for one of these big mollusks in your tank? Let us know your thoughts about giant clams in the discussion below.

LA-giant-clams-for-beginners3.jpeg

Photo by @LiveAquaria

Do you want to explore the world of giant clams a little further? There is a great book by James Fatherree on giant clams entitled: Giant Clams in the Reef Aquarium: Biology, Identification, and Care. Additionally, you can check out the following R2R link about giant clams:
https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/giant-clams-for-beginners-beautiful-hardy-beneficial.726/
 

revhtree

Owner Administrator
View Badges
Joined
May 8, 2006
Messages
47,603
Reaction score
85,991
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
Looks like I jumped the gun yesterday talking about BIG clams! But I did find this giant clam on R2R!

image via @Troy V
P1140669_zpsa9ucovej.jpg
abiu
 

bradleym

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 26, 2011
Messages
877
Reaction score
1,046
Location
St. Louis, MO
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I once had a giant squamosa in my tank. It got so big I nearly had to break my overflow to get it out between there and the center brace. I have a smaller deresa now, but I will probably get another squamosa some day because I love the giant scutes it grows!
 

BaghdadBean

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 30, 2021
Messages
171
Reaction score
168
Location
Scio
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I love clams. Sadly, clams do not love power outages, but clams are very good at lovin’ during longer power outages, even with intermittent power generation. Lessons learned: clams spawning will and can nuke your tank if you don’t have IMMEDIATE major protein skimming & water changes. Also, protein skimming during clam spawns REQUIRES a bucket and an overflow line, because WOW, clam lovin’ gets intense.
 

Attachments

  • DE85533C-8518-4BEC-981A-79163D18F95F.jpeg
    DE85533C-8518-4BEC-981A-79163D18F95F.jpeg
    290.9 KB · Views: 223
  • EEE42182-7C25-4936-9289-F4429C765124.jpeg
    EEE42182-7C25-4936-9289-F4429C765124.jpeg
    197 KB · Views: 139
  • 5ECCC1F3-7366-457A-AA60-A1FDC5F9FB41.jpeg
    5ECCC1F3-7366-457A-AA60-A1FDC5F9FB41.jpeg
    239.3 KB · Views: 131
  • 0AF1DC47-EB4F-41A3-85B5-0FA3B957E8D6.jpeg
    0AF1DC47-EB4F-41A3-85B5-0FA3B957E8D6.jpeg
    157.4 KB · Views: 124
  • 751D5658-7866-44FA-8C92-96EFEB1D4B4C.jpeg
    751D5658-7866-44FA-8C92-96EFEB1D4B4C.jpeg
    259.3 KB · Views: 118

herozero

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 8, 2010
Messages
204
Reaction score
215
Location
Orange County, CA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I love clams. Sadly, clams do not love power outages, but clams are very good at lovin’ during longer power outages, even with intermittent power generation. Lessons learned: clams spawning will and can nuke your tank if you don’t have IMMEDIATE major protein skimming & water changes. Also, protein skimming during clam spawns REQUIRES a bucket and an overflow line, because WOW, clam lovin’ gets intense.
So, um, is there a thread with the naughty clam pics?
 

o2manyfish

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 19, 2012
Messages
1,440
Reaction score
3,162
Location
Encino, CA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Having had the opportunity to dive in clam fields in the wild -- those are not big clams. I'm a big fat SOB, and I have photos of my fat butt sitting inside deceased clams shells on the sea floor in less that 25' of water. I'm talking bath tub sized clam shells. They are amazing.

Of course I never came across a truly giant clam that was a spectacular colorful specimen. But their size is a beauty unto itself.

Dave
 

feelingfishy

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 4, 2021
Messages
158
Reaction score
103
Location
Jasper
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I would love to have a clam in my aquarium. I want to make the clam a centerpiece of sorts. I don’t know if it makes a difference, but filter feeders ( mostly pest ) are thriving in my tank. This makes me think a clam would be a welcome and thriving addition.
 

zaidalin79

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 15, 2020
Messages
86
Reaction score
26
Location
Clover SC
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have not had luck keeping them. I always find them being eaten by bristle worms and everyone tells me they don't attack them until they are dead - but either way I have not been able to keep one for longer than about a month.
 

Greybeard

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 10, 2017
Messages
3,231
Reaction score
8,668
Location
Buffalo, MO
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Many years ago, used to be a guy named Barry, ran an online shop called Clams Direct. Anyone remember him? Awesome quality, healthy, beautiful clams, several varieties Squamosa, Derasa, Maxima, Gigas...

Dearly wish there was someone offering similar livestock today.

They're farming Tradacna species all around the tropics these days... FOR FOOD!

Why, oh why, are we paying a hundred bucks for an inch long ORA clam grown in the Marshalls, when the locals are getting them cheap enough to plate them up with linguine!

Oh, and yeah, I've got a 4" Squamosa. Has about doubled in size over the last year.
 

Bruce Burnett

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 27, 2015
Messages
1,295
Reaction score
979
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
My Derasa, first one I had was very reactive to light and seemed to be growing, but died after a few months. So took another chance with this one. I almost doubled my ligh output. When i feed the tank it actively eats and has more than doubled it's size. It is sitting on a clam jammer. The problem is i think it was ocean grown, the shell appeared to have been heavily cleaned almost looking ground. It is the only thing added to tank in almost a year and now i have to get rid of aiptasia that showed up at base of shell and started spreading from there. Thought about a copper banded but they are not really safe. Peppermint shrimp work but not sure they will last with my flame hawkfish

20221121_171202.jpg
 
Last edited:

Miami Reef

Clam Fanatic
View Badges
Joined
Sep 8, 2017
Messages
11,165
Reaction score
20,734
Location
Miami Beach
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Why, oh why, are we paying a hundred bucks for an inch long ORA clam grown in the Marshalls, when the locals are getting them cheap enough to plate them up with linguine!
The reason we pay more for ours is that the ones in the aquarium trade are more colorful and have nicer patterns.
 

shakacuz

7500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 7, 2021
Messages
8,432
Reaction score
32,551
Location
Eastern PA
Rating - 100%
5   0   0
i have 2! a crocea and maxima. i would love to source a noae to complete my set of rock boring clams, otherwise i may try for a hippo, squamosa, or derasa for my sand bed.

C0936644-968A-45C3-A9BC-3BF10D3A8EE2.jpeg 1DF324C5-200E-4C01-B58E-AE7D954610F4.jpeg
 

Seamore2001

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 2, 2019
Messages
432
Reaction score
563
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I've a maxima and a derasa currently. I'm inclined to have more, but I want to be 100% certain about their health before buying. I'm a big fan of aquacultured clams and am thrilled that wild caught ones aren't a thing anymore.

Back in the early 2000s I had two maximas that were doing quite well over a long period. Flush with my success I sourced another one. Within days of putting the third maxima in the tank all three took a turn for the worse and I quickly lost all of them. I later learned that many on the market back then came with parasites and could rapidly wipe out a collection when placed in a tank.

I've eaten Tridacna while traveling in Asia. It tastes OK, but nothing special. I much prefer mantis shrimp! :)

I'm keeping my clams under MH + T5s at a depth of 18 inches and they seem happy and growing well with that. Keeping calcium up for them and the SPS is my current struggle.
 

Bruce Burnett

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 27, 2015
Messages
1,295
Reaction score
979
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Let’s talk about big mussels: Are you ready for giant clams in your tank?

Clams come in all sizes, shapes, and colors, but there is a special section of clams referred to as giant clams. There are several species within the category of giant clams, and they are all members of the genus Tridacna. Giant clams are the largest living marine bivalve. Are you ready for one of these big mollusks in your tank? Let us know your thoughts about giant clams in the discussion below.

LA-giant-clams-for-beginners3.jpeg

Photo by @LiveAquaria

Do you want to explore the world of giant clams a little further? There is a great book by James Fatherree on giant clams entitled: Giant Clams in the Reef Aquarium: Biology, Identification, and Care. Additionally, you can check out the following R2R link about giant clams:
https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/giant-clams-for-beginners-beautiful-hardy-beneficial.726/
Good book and he gives par numbers that most people don’t achieve.
 

TwinTurboSnail

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 25, 2022
Messages
33
Reaction score
59
Location
USA!
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Let’s talk about big mussels: Are you ready for giant clams in your tank?

Clams come in all sizes, shapes, and colors, but there is a special section of clams referred to as giant clams. There are several species within the category of giant clams, and they are all members of the genus Tridacna. Giant clams are the largest living marine bivalve. Are you ready for one of these big mollusks in your tank? Let us know your thoughts about giant clams in the discussion below.

LA-giant-clams-for-beginners3.jpeg

Photo by @LiveAquaria

Do you want to explore the world of giant clams a little further? There is a great book by James Fatherree on giant clams entitled: Giant Clams in the Reef Aquarium: Biology, Identification, and Care. Additionally, you can check out the following R2R link about giant clams:
https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/giant-clams-for-beginners-beautiful-hardy-beneficial.726/
They are so beautiful. As I have progressed to 6 months of Saltwater experience the invertebrates are what interest me the most about my tank. Could care less about the fish, because the fish worth owning (imho) need 200+ gallon tanks to even be happy. I def want to own a clam in the future.
 

MinnieMouse2

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 3, 2021
Messages
230
Reaction score
148
Location
North
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
My Derasa, first one I had was very reactive to light and seemed to be growing, but died after a few months. So took another chance with this one. I almost doubled my ligh output. When i feed the tank it actively eats and has more than doubled it's size. It is sitting on a clam jammer. The problem is i think it was ocean grown, the shell appeared to have been heavily cleaned almost looking ground. It is the only thing added to tank in almost a year and now i have to get rid of aiptasia that showed up at base of shell and started spreading from there. Thought about a copper banded but they are not really safe. Peppermint shrimp work but not sure they will last with my flame hawkfish

20221121_171202.jpg
All shrimp will attack your clams. Also watch out for blennies. I got a star blenny in with mine, so far it is ok but depends on fish personality. The cure for your Aptasia has to be Joe's Juice by hand.
 

herozero

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 8, 2010
Messages
204
Reaction score
215
Location
Orange County, CA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Maybe on Reef Central still? I might have pics somewhere on a backup hard drive, but I’m not sure. I was a little more concerned with handling it than photographing it.
I'm sure they were also glad that you respected their privacy.

On a serious note it's basically an organics overload in the system right? Would a coral spawning event in a tank crash it?
 

Mastering the art of locking and unlocking water pathways: What type of valves do you have on your aquarium plumbing?

  • Ball valves.

    Votes: 71 53.0%
  • Gate valves.

    Votes: 68 50.7%
  • Check valves.

    Votes: 34 25.4%
  • None.

    Votes: 30 22.4%
  • Other.

    Votes: 9 6.7%

New Posts

Back
Top