Some Excellent Reading

[MiNdErAsR]

A couple of articles from the good Doctor. :D

Food in Bits and Pieces (http://www.dtplankton.com/articles/foodbitspieces.html)
Phytoplankton, A Necessity for Clams (http://www.dtplankton.com/articles/necessity.html)
Filter-Feeding food, Featherdusters, and Phytoplankton (http://www.dtplankton.com/articles/filterfood.html)
Feeding Begets Food, 1 (http://www.dtplankton.com/articles/sandbeds.html)
Feeding Begets Food, 2 (http://www.dtplankton.com/articles/refugiums.html)

Enjoy!

Special thanks to DT's Plankton Farm (http://www.dtplankton.com/) and Dr. Ron Shimek for these great articles.

[Gary Majchrzak]

Hmmmm.... good link.I've NEVER purchased ANY phytoplankton for feeding ANYTHING.I grow it on the aquarium glass and magnet scrape it off.Been doin' that for over 8 years.I'll take that first statement back-I did buy some nanochloropsus for my rotifer cultures,once.Not to change the subject matter,BUT, MiNdErAsR -how is your clam and copperband doing?

[MiNdErAsR]

Gary,
All clams are doing great. The copperband butterfly ignores them. Unfortunately I haven't had much luck weening him off freshly smashed littleneck clams.

On a side note, I have observed my pair of Gobiodon okinawae violently chase off the cbb if it gets too close to any acropora colony in which they dwell. Kind of funny to see considering how small they are compared to the CBB. :)

[chewie]

NICE!!!:thumbsup: Thank you Dr. Ron, and thank you Jim!!! I wonder if Kent has ever read this!!!

[mr294]

excellent articles. thanks! :D

[toptank]

Jim, thanks for sharing. :)

Barry

[toptank]

Yes that was very good reading. :)

Thanks

Barry

[Nishant3789]

so gary, ure saying that you can feed filterfeeders with whatever algea you scrape off the glass of your aquarium?
nishant

[AQUAkid]

That was excellent reading.

Thanks a lot.

[Gary Majchrzak]

Nishant: I am indeed saying that I feed filter feeders with those algae scrapings. To what extent they succeed in substituting for real phyto- I don't know. I'd like to find out the answer someday.

[MiNdErAsR]

I would think that scrapings from the glass would be too large in particle size. But I could be wrong. :)

[Gary Majchrzak]

Jim, I'm not referring to the big chunks {"scrapings"} so much as the algal "fuzz" removed with the magnet.This "fuzz" may indeed be much larger than phytoplankton,but I'm wondering if much of my phyto-feeders are utilizing it...?
I believe they are, but I have no proof.

[MiNdErAsR]

Broken links fixed.

[JoJoIndianapolis]

Thanks Jim!

I grew a little bit more as a hobbyest...

Great reading!

[Gary Majchrzak]

The information provided in the above links convinced me to try dosing a phytoplankton supplement. I am happy to report seeing great results in my reef aquarium- especially with my large Tridacna squamosa and numerous filter feeding organisms. Thanks again for the information Ron and Jim!

[Fliger]

And Gary, you switching based on reading these articles has convinced me to start dosing. Thanks. :D

[THE GIMP]

I gotta chime in too! Great reading. Thanks! My 2 maxis thank you.

[newkie]

Some interesting reading from Reef Invertabrates by Anthony Calfo and Bob Fenner

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/BookMatters/WWM/NMA-RI/NMA-RI_Tridacnids-demo.pdf

[Periette]

Hi, all. Caught this thread and was wondering your recommended phyto? DT's? That's what I was using but was concerned about overfeeding. Any comments on frequency, etc.?

Thanks!

[dragon_slayer]

Originally posted by Periette
Hi, all. Caught this thread and was wondering your recommended phyto? DT's? That's what I was using but was concerned about overfeeding. Any comments on frequency, etc.?

Thanks!

I feed my tank daily with ESV spray dried phytoplankton, I have two 3" derasa and two 2" gold maximas and all are growing nicely.

I like the spray dried over the live as it seams to be less pollutant on a tank IME.

kc

[MiNdErAsR]

Originally posted by dragon_slayer
I feed my tank daily with ESV spray dried phytoplankton
Actually you might want to rethink this. A couple of MACNA's ago (2001?) Rob Toonen did a presentation concerning the various planktonic foods (iirc DT's, Cryo-pastes, Golden Pearls, Spray Dried Phytoplankton, and Black Powder...there may have been others as well) available to the hobby. As it turned out ESV SDPP tends to clump up into a particle size which is too large for the animals (I forget which) involved in testing. This was the case even if a high speed blender was used.

Clams require a very specific particle size of phytoplankton, otherwise their gills could become clogged. This can be fatal to the clam. The articles on this very subject, linked at the top of this thread, are definitely worth the read.

Live phytoplankton (such as DT's) should not be a cause for concern as a source for pollution. What doesn't get eaten will survive until it does get eaten, or be removed via skimming. I'd be more concerned with uneaten freeze-dried foods polluting the tank.

IMO, IME

[Rod Buehler]

Originally posted by dragon_slayer


I like the spray dried over the live as it seams to be less pollutant on a tank IME.

kc

I cant imaging anything that is live being more "pollutant" than anything that is dead. wether it be fish, coral or phytoplankton.

[a.p.17]

great reading and very helpful. thanks

[wombat2]

This link is to an article by Rob Toonen where he talks about the differences in the various phytoplankton supplements available:
http://www.reefs.org/library/talklog/r_toonen_102500.html
Basically, DTs are best :D

[gcvt]

The only link I can get to work is the "Suspension Feeding" one :(
Anyone else having trouble with them?

[Casino]

Yeah, me too.

[tigerwolf]

I just tried (several times) to access these links, and got messages that the link was broken again?

[thetedinator]

Yep. Links are bad.:(

DT's changed their site and are using framesets. That may be why some links went bad. Anyway, go to DT's Website (http://www.dtplankton.com) and look for the link called "Articles".

Ted

[crimson156]

u need to fix those links only 1 of them works

[jersey]

Same here. :(

[MiNdErAsR]

Sorry people. Links repaired.

[Mdwannabe]

Links worked for me, and they are great reading. Setting up my first BIG tank (175 gallon), anyone know of a good DIY refugium site? After reading several link articles I decided to go with one, but DIY is the only way I can afford one.

[tiny tentacle]

This information helps a lot thanks

[StephenEvans]

Let me give u a great link...
http://animal-world.com/encyclo/reef/clams/tridacna.htm

i think it is awesome..

[bawsom]

Very good read thanks for the info

[Reefer0916]

super articles!

[`sweet]

pls could someone repair the links ? i went to go back and re read the articles and couldnt :(

[Steven Pro]

Here are a couple of more articles:

Identifying the Tridacnid Clams by James Fatherree (http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-07/jf/feature/index.htm)

A Brief Guide to the Selection and Placement of Tridacnid Clams by Barry Neigut (http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/cav1i3/Clam_care/Clam_care.htm)

And, slightly off topic,

Flame Scallops by Rob Toonen (http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/july2002/toonen.htm)

and

Green-Lipped Mussels by Rob Toonen (http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/may2003/invert.htm)

[Steven Pro]

Here are all the old Aquarium Frontiers Life on the Half Shell articles,
http://www.aquariumfrontiers.net/On_The_Half_Shell.html

[Drewpy]

These articles got me growing phyto... I have had a half a dozen successful batches in a row and it's been a easy as opening a spigot;)

One gallon batches simple enough for beginners... So i'll share for those with clams...

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=594796&highlight=growing+phyto

[E.Smith]

very good articles,
Thanks

[keswick]

The main links are down again.

Help D.T.!!!

[Fred_J]

Minderaser.... I can't get any of the origional links to work.
Please hrlp

Fred

[glyle41]

This is great info everytime I come on this site I learn so much Thnx

[Bojan]

Excellent articles. Thanks!

[Snarkys]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=475849#post475849 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MiNdErAsR
A couple of articles from the good Doctor. :D

Food in Bits and Pieces (http://www.dtplankton.com/phytoplankton/articles/foodbitspieces.html)
Phytoplankton, A Necessity for Clams (http://www.dtplankton.com/phytoplankton/articles/necessity.html)
Filter-Feeding food, Featherdusters, and Phytoplankton (http://www.dtplankton.com/phytoplankton/articles/filterfood.html)
Feeding Begets Food, 1 (http://www.dtplankton.com/phytoplankton/articles/sandbeds.html)
Feeding Begets Food, 2 (http://www.dtplankton.com/phytoplankton/articles/refugiums.html)

Enjoy!

Special thanks to DT's Plankton Farm (http://www.dtplankton.com/) and Dr. Ron Shimek for these great articles.


i would be more impressed with these articles if they wernt blatant advertising for DT's products.

[srbball22]

great articles.

[GreshamH]

Guess it's time to update this list:


"Giant Clams in the Sea and the Aquarium"

By James Fatherree

http://www.liquid-medium.com/

IMO it's the new clam bible :D

[Gary Majchrzak]

looks like a must have! :)

[GreshamH]

It definitly is. Great writing style, easy to read, and major pictures to boot. Props to James for the excellent book he self published :D

[piscivorous]

So with all of that said.....who here feeds their larger clams? What and how and how often do you feed them?

[Kalkbreath]

Im reprinting this from another thread because I think it will reach a larger audience here.....
I'll offer my two scutes on this to feed or not to feed debate.
I talk with three major Tridacna clam farmers often .
None of them feed their farm clams with any form of supplemental plankton.
They all do however, when they want to get them to grow faster ...feed with nitrogen/ammonia fertilizer pellets.
But they understand that they are actually feeding the tiny zooxanthella inside the clams , more so then the clams themselves.
They also don't suggest hobbyists feed clams in their aquarium anything other then ammonia in the form of fish waste.
There are many studies comparing clam growth with and without fish in the system. Fishless systems always yield slower growth.
It's the constant supply of ammonia feeding the zooxanthella which is important.
I have studied clams for a few years now; under the microscope, one can clearly witness the zooxanthella inside a clam's blood stream and stomach along with amoebsites which farm the zooxanthella, a little bacteria and not much else.....
But oddly enough , I have never found plankton?[neither zoo plankton or phytoplankton] EVEN after days of target feeding.
It seems that when fed, clams do filter out plankton from the water and it can be found concentrated on their gills. But with filter feeders, they filter every thing in the water, so the plankton gets stuck to their gills just like every thing else in the aquarium water.
[ Just like filter floss would stain out indiscriminately ]
Just because the clam filters the water , does not mean the clam is eating the plankton.
In order to be eaten , the clam must ingest the plankton.
Ingesting food is carried out when the clams gills allow only certain substances to pass through their membranes. Kinda like a reverse osmosis filter.
Most of what a tridacna clam filters with its gills is ultimately pooped out or coughed up before it ever gets into the clams digestive system.
Clams dont even let non motile zooxanthella past their gills.
Preferring zooxanthella with tails. It is thought that its the swimming action of the zoos tails that triggers the opening of the gates so to speak and into its stomach.
Some feel that yes, clams do seem to have the appropriate mouth parts to feed and therefor nature would not of designed them with such mouth parts for feeding if they did not intend to make use these feeding abilities.....
BUT! One could ague that the sole use for this feeding ability is to take in Zooxanthella .
Afterall, without his ability to feed on Zooxanthella , baby clams would die . Baby clams are not born with zooxanthella inside their body.
Giant clams may simply use this feeding ability as a way to inoculate themselves with zooxanthella.
As humans, we have several uder utilized organs, such as our tonsils, appendix and for many of us , our "better judgement"

Furthermore, There are reports of clams choking on too much plankton paste and it clogging their gills and clams dying from too much of a good thing in over fed, low pH,nutrient rich aquariums.from overfeeding. Contrary to a misconception, clams dont like high Nitrate levels.
I at times wonder if the bad rap small calms get for being difficult to raise, comes more from hobbyists killing small clams by over feeding the tank resulting in high nitrates,a lowered pH, and otherwise less then ideal tank conditions. ........then these young clams would do if just treated like any other coral or anemone, with proper water conditions and a well cycled tank?

[critterkeeper]

Also copied from the other post:

Kalkbreath wrote:

"I have studied clams for a few years now; under the microscope, one can clearly witness the zooxanthella inside a clam's blood stream... I have never found plankton?[neither zoo plankton or phytoplankton] EVEN after days of target feeding... Ingesting food is carried out when the clams gills allow only certain substances to pass through their membranes. "

Zoox aren't found in the bloodstream, they are kept in a specialized system of tubes called the zooxanthellal tubular system. And the gills don't let things "pass through their membranes". Particulates are sorted and passed to the labial palps, then injested by the mouth, which leads to the stomach. Also, numerous studies have found phyto in their stomachs, as well as some other things, including zooplankton.

Really, this entire subject is covered in great detail in my book, but I can throw this in too. I was successfully keeping clams in 1993 - before there was any such thing as phyto in a bottle. DT's hadn't even been "invented" yet - it came out in 1996. I'd never even heard of trying to feed them anything - and they didn't die. I started a maintenance business in 1996 and had numerous clams in my own and customers tanks - and never used phyto in any of them, until I started using live sand beds in a few tanks in maybe 1999. Never noticed any change in growth/survival of clams. That's how I knew DT's/Shimek's article was wrong before I ever looked at any of the references. Yes, it is complete BS.

[Kalkbreath]

. [/B][/QUOTE] <a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9434681#post9434681 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by critterkeeper
Also copied from the other post:



Zoox aren't found in the bloodstream, they are kept in a specialized system of tubes called the zooxanthellal tubular system. And the gills don't let things "pass through their membranes". Particulates are sorted and passed to the labial palps, then ingested by the mouth, which leads to the stomach. Also, numerous studies have found phyto in their stomachs, as well as some other things, including zooplankton.

. That's what they say , but I'm not so sure " they" understand what's really happening.
What do "they" say about how only SYMBIOTIC DINOFLAGELLATES (ZOOXANTHELLAE) are allowed to pass into the zooxanthellal tubular.
Whats to prevent other taken in algae from taking up residence inside the tubular system and out competing the zooxanthella?
For instance; how does a clam distinguish a regular dinoflagella from the a SYMBIOTIC DINOFLAGELLATES (ZOOXANTHELLAE) variety?
Only allowing this one species of Dino to enter the tubular vessels?
Most agree that the clam benefits off the byproducts {sugars} from the zooxanthella and this "fuel" is responsible for most of the clams respiration.
But what mechanism feeds the Zooxanthella? Various studies have shown that no chlorophyll decomposition products are found in any freshly prepared zooxanthellae preparations. So it seems that the zooxanthella dont directly fed on other Algae. This would surely seem to suggest that the clams' stomach is not directly responsible for feeding the zooxanthella .
It seem more likely that the clam is filtering anything it can out of the water and extracting ammonia to feed its zooxanthella.
When I walk out into the spring air during pollen season , I inadvertently take in a sizable amount of plant spores with my respiration. Could it be that a clam simply can t help but filter in plankton while it breaths. Even though it has no end use for the Plankton.
I think more complete examination of this complex feeding cycle needs to be conducted.

[critterkeeper]

Read:

Mansour, K. 1946a. Communication between the dorsal edge of the mantle and the stomach in Tridacna. Nature (London) 157:844.

Norton, J.H., M.A. Shepherd, H.M. Long, and W.K. Fitt. 1992. The zooxanthellal tubular system in the giant clam. Biological Bulletin 183:503-506.

Norton J.H. and G. Jones. 1992. The Giant Clam: An Anatomical and Histological Atlas. ACIAR Monograph Series No. 14, Canberra. 142pp.

Fitt, W.K., G.A. Heslinga, and T.C. Watson. 1993. Utilization of dissolved inorganic nutrients in growth and mariculture of the tridacnid clam Tridacna derasa. Aquaculture 109:27-38.

Farmer, M.A., W.K. Fitt, and R.K. Trench. 2001. Morphology of the symbiosis between Corculum cardissa (Mollusca: Bivalvia) and Symbiodinium corculorum (Dinophyceae) Biological Bulletin 200:336-343.

Fatherree, J. W. 2006. Giant Clams in the Sea and the Aquarium. Liquid Medium. Tampa, FL. 227pp.

Fankboner, P.V. 1971b. Intracellular digestion of symbiotic zooxanthellae by host amoebocytes in giant clams (Bivalvia: Tridacnidae), with a note on the nutritional role of the hypertrophied siphonal epidermis. Biological Bulletin 141:222-234.

Then you'll understand... I think "they" know what they're talking about.

[Kalkbreath]

I seem to have missed where they answered my questions.
How does the clam choose which one celled algae to let in and which to not let in ?
How does the clam prevent other algae from co existing within the Mantle and tubular system?
How does a clam choose what it eats?
Does a clam actually have digestive juices, or does its stomach contents simply rot and give off ammonia to feed the zooxanthella?

[DaveBien]

I think I'll believe the experts......

[area]

how long would it take for a clam to die without phytoplankton.cause I think I just lost my clam.

[Snarkys]

IMHO a clam is more likely to be stressed and die from a lack of lighting or calcium and alkalinity than lack of capturable pray .

If you have these covered i might look at lack of pray as a source.

[rwbogard]

I do not dose phyto solely for clams, nor do I ever intend too. Studies show minimal benefits if any, as significance was lacking with results (growth - mantle, shell, etc.) in the range of standard deviation. Other genus of bivalves utilize filter feeding; however, the evolution of the extraordinary ability to photsynthesize allows the clam to survive in lower nutrient waters of the reef habitat, as compared to the estuary setting of filter feeding organisms. This is all just my opinion. The minimal amount of phyto I do dose is to provide food for microorganisms, which in turn generate more live food (via in-tank reproduction of pods, tubies, etc.).

[rwbogard]

Sorry about the grammar!

[rwbogard]

Also, your right on Snarky! That's been my experience as well.

[rwbogard]

Even though studies have not yet been conducted on the algal uptake selectivity of clams, it would make sense that some mechanism would exist. Other (Most) organisms that host symbiotic microbes tend to select for only those that are beneficial, as uptake of pathogenic would be detrimental. The Hawaiian bobtail squid (E. scolops, I believe?) possesses a "light organ" which houses symbiotic V. fischeri. The squid actually selects for this specific species of bacterium on the cellular level via specialized crypt cells, a series of selective host defenses, and communication factors for detection and localization of the bacterium to the light organ. Symbiotic plants with nodules that house nitrogen fixing bacteria also release communication factors into the surrounding soil, which guides the bacterium through uptake. The bacteria also possess a series of factors that are released in order to communicate with the plant. In both cases, squid and plant, there is a two-way communication avenue that each has evolved to form a symbiotic association. What proceeds after uptake is a restructuring of the host organism by the bacterium in order to create a "house" of sorts that allows the bacterium to proliferate. An interesting study would be to examine larval growth and development in photosynthetic clams after aseptic fertilization and exposure to individual species of algal symbionts and non-symbionts.

[Aqua_boy]

Great articles.........
Thanks.......