Purchasing Very Small Clams

[JothamTheSlayer]

Does anyone know if there is anywhere to purchase rather small maxima or crocea clams between 1-2"?

im plannin on putting one in a small tank and selling it once it gets larger

[a4twenty]

the smaller clams ( especially maxima's ) are much harder to have success with and don't ship to well. what size tank are you thinking of??

[OrionN]

the problem here is that with smaller tanks, keeping the temperature stable with bright light that Crocea or Maxima requiredis very difficult wihtout chiller. The light will really heat up the small tank. You can get ORA maxima or Crocea that are 1.5 inches easy enough but they should not go into tiny tanks. The other three species of clams require much less light but also grow at a much faster rate if you are able to keep them healthy

[JothamTheSlayer]

going LED
temp shouldnt problems so much of a problem

[OrionN]

Liveaquaria.com Diver den have some 1.5 inches Maxima right now

[scaryperson27]

Is this your first time trying LED lighting? Are you sure you want to try a small clam?

[MM WI]

Go ahead and try your clam if this is something you want to do. If you succeed you can share your experience and if not you may learn a thing or two for the next time around. The worst that can happen is a failed attempt, as long as you do your best it really is not a big deal at all despite popular opinion.

Many people bowl feed the small clams to help them get off to a good start. I have skipped this step with success but believe it would be helpful.

- Mark

[JothamTheSlayer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15497781#post15497781 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by scaryperson27
Is this your first time trying LED lighting? Are you sure you want to try a small clam?

if i were to try it i would get some serious help from a member on a difference forum

i am confident in my DIY skills, and wouldnt consider buying a clam without testing it first on some sps and other high light corals

[scaryperson27]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15504576#post15504576 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JothamTheSlayer
if i were to try it i would get some serious help from a member on a difference forum

i am confident in my DIY skills, and wouldnt consider buying a clam without testing it first on some sps and other high light corals


Cool! Just don't live up to your RC name.

[scaryperson27]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15504092#post15504092 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MM WI
Go ahead and try your clam if this is something you want to do. If you succeed you can share your experience and if not you may learn a thing or two for the next time around. The worst that can happen is a failed attempt, as long as you do your best it really is not a big deal at all despite popular opinion.

Many people bowl feed the small clams to help them get off to a good start. I have skipped this step with success but believe it would be helpful.

- Mark

What's Bowl feeding? I just bought a clam and would be interested in a link or some kind of info on this.

[MM WI]

Removing the animal from the tank and placing it in a bowl of aquarium water which is then saturated with food. Live phyto in this case. Maybe an hour.

I use this to jump start corals that require a lot of food, like tubaestrea (sun corals) or acan lords, that are stressed from shipping and need a meal or two to get them feeding normally. Have not done it with clams but it is a common practice.

- mark

[scaryperson27]

That's a great idea. I can't believe I've never heard of that.

[docsky]

i have read alot where this can also kill the clam kinda like overload. FWIW i stated with 2 maxima clams less than 1" no feeding and they are about 2" in less than a year.

Clams and feeding is a big debate just look around a little and you will see!

[phil519]

i've got a maxima now for 10 months on LED lighting. Make sure you set the clam on a smooth object that is moveable so you can best determine where to place it. Mine is on the lower part of my 24" high tank.

As for feeding I agree with docsky. Big or small clams - doesn't matter - they are inherently able to live off photosynthesis.

[MM WI]

A couple of things need to be corrected here.

As others have said, the small clams will not need to be feed unless you run a very sterile tank as some people on RC do - Over skimmed, with ozone, etc..

Your clam can NOT live off of symbiotic photosythesis alone. There are nutrients they get from filter feeding that they need. Most reef tanks have enough phyto and other nutrients in their water to maintain a clam or clams.

Feeding your clam can not hurt it unless you do something wrong. Old decayed phyto full of anerobes for example would not be a good thing to bathe your clam in. Properly done regardless of what type of tank you maintain a feed clam will grow quicker and will be hardier. I chose not to feed because of the effort reward equation. My clams grow and survive fine without it. I am reasonably sure they would however grow faster if I feed them.

If someone loses a clam after feeding, this does not mean feeding killed the clam. If they feed the clam nasty decayed food again the proper conclusion is not that feeding is bad. Lastly, the fact that debate on the subject exists is not relevant unless someone presents a reasonable argument or properly controlled data.

- mark

[OrionN]

I totally agree with Mark. If done correctly and feeding good food (right size and not spoiled) cannot hurt the clam. If you feed spoiled, pathogen ladden food, it can kill a clam. It can also get hypoxic quickly in a small container with bacterial ladden water with nutrient in it. It is likely that clam get kill in this condition.
I don't feed my tiny clam either and they are doing well. However, if corectly done, feeding cannot hurt the clam.

[phil519]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15530450#post15530450 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MM WI
Your clam can NOT live off of symbiotic photosythesis alone. There are nutrients they get from filter feeding that they need.
- mark

I will agree to disagree. :)

I think by practice we're all doing the same thing here - we've got fish /fauna in our reef tanks that more than enough provide pariculate matter that we do not dose/feed clams.

However - i'll disagree with both prior posters on the photosynthesis point.

Here's my info: Klumpp & Lucas in 1994 did a study and state quote "All species and sizes of clam in this study obtain sufficient carbon solely from phototropic sources..." There's more to it but better go borrow the Giant Clams in the Sea book (page 49) by Fatheree yourself. In the same book he cites a 1981 study by Fitt & Trench who raised squamosa clams from sperm/egg with NO particulate foods for 10 months. They did not just survive- they grew in size rapidly.

The issue with feeding a clam has nothing to do with the clam. Most folks posting on here are basically asking if they should rush out and buy a clam, but also the bottles of stuff on shelves that are "filter feeding food". I say - don't do it! Your clam doesn't need it.

Anyways - bottom line whether or not you believe the photosynthesis study - point is there's no need to buy something extra for the clam. Heck if I could have it my way I'd have 20 clams to help de-nitrate my tank.

[zombiereef]

feeding clams is a waste of time and you are needlessly exposing it to a risk that could kill it. if you have enough light, it will live and grow. this argument will never go away. too many advocates for both sides.

[JothamTheSlayer]

i dont spot feed my maxima in my 12g and its more than doubled in size since i first got it

[a4twenty]

i'm jumping in kinda late but this info can be of use to you guys....

don't bowl feed your clams, it's stressful to remove the clam for feeding and placing the clam in a high concentration of phyto can actually clog their gills and affect respiration.

if you want to feed you clam phytoplankton, add a little to the tank on a regular basis. it's much less stressful and better for the clam.


HTH

[MM WI]

:)

The point a few of you are missing is that your clams filter feed naturally in your tanks. The clams you quote in the study would have died with no debate if all they got was light. This is a biololgical certainty.

You are right; all shelf foods would be useless to harmful. They eat live phyto which you would have to grow or buy from one of the few sources that produce a reputable product. I believe I stated clearly phyto feeding?

A small clam in particular in heavily skimmed tank with ozone and all of the toys often recommended in this forum would have trouble with out some supplement. They do better in a tank with some level of nitrate, and a tank that is not overskimmed. I suspect they eat some small amount of z. plankton also despite the dominate belief to the contrary

Bowl feeding a small clam live fresh phyto will only benefit it. There is no down side to this when done properly. Feeding your whole tank phyto is another option but is not as effective. You use a small amount of phyto when bowl feeding as the container is so small. Common sense with an adequate understanding of the process are all that is necessary. It is a usefull tool for clams and corals.

I should add that we are all mostly in agreement here, the points we are debating are subtle. In the average tank feeding is not necessary even for a small clam. A newer tank or a heavily sterilized tank, it may be necessary.


- Mark

[gonofreak]

my tank tends to run 80 to 82 degrees. Is this too warm for a maxima clam?

[moliken]

abso! fatherree recommends even higher, no higher than30 dg celcius nearly 86, but that's not good for the rest of the tank