Clam lovers beware!

One of our LFS's just got a shipment of REALLY nice ultra croatia clams, they are very blue!  LIke the one in the picture, and you can't beat the price.

 

Also I have noticed that Clams don't do so well if you are having algae problems.

I think algae and bacteria must be the number killer of clams (ok a side from people, I agree they are super yummy!)

What have you done to keep the bad stuff away from your clams?

1.  Don't add clams until tank is fully cycled.

2.  Don't let stuff die  (ha ha ha ha)

3.  Place clams under sufficient lighting.  (the bigger they get the more light they need)

4.  Once the clam has set its foot leave it alone (the less stress the better!)

My old one is on the left the new one is on the right.

 

Edited by Kull

Aquatica in Orem

$35 - $45

And these aren't tiny tiny ones either, they are the 2 - 4 inchers!

Nope, never had one die, but I did have a red flame die on me agian, I'm replacing him with another clam.

 

Wow you can not beat that price. Well you can but not
if they are as good as you say.

I know there huge I saw a picture of one with a scuba   
diver next to it and it was like 3 feet long

Also the wto guys that I told about this went and saw them and they both bought one.

These normally sell for $75.00!  They are truely colorful clams.

I'm home now, but I'll be back up that way tomorrow.

Kull, You said they are "super yummy!" Thats funny because when I bought my clam I was looking at and had to run to skippers for some chowder
Seriously
Anyway thats an excellant deal. One day I will have to check out aquatica. After christmas let me know when you are going to go.

I would like to add to Kull's list.

5. Feed as much phyto as you can grow or can afford to buy.

I have clams that are building shell much faster than any I have ever seen in a home aquarium. I feed a lot more phyto than anyone I've ever known, with the exception of the two past owners/manufacturers of Velvet Green. Since I use kalkwasser only for some top-off, but have no Calcium Reactor, I attribute the shell building to the exceptional clam health resulting from phyto feeding.

And I don't believe the common opinion that large clams need less phyto but more light. I have Squamosa, Crocea and Derasa clams and even a large Spiny Oyster. They all thrive with more than the average hobbyist amounts of phyto and light.

Y'all are invited to call and visit to see my bivalve collection, including my () "clam graveyard".

For me, it's my own experience and things I've heard over the years. Years ago, I read Giant Clams by Daniel Knop, which we once had in the WMAS Library.
<----- over there. It perked my interest.

Edited by Mark Peterson

Here's a brief synopsis of Daniel Knop's view regarding feeding, species by species.  http://www.reefs.org/library/article/d_knop2.html 

ssilcox wrote: I have heard the opposite. The smaller they are, the less photosynthetic algae they have to survive on, hence the need for more plankton.

I know that many people disagree with me on this one.  Including Theil and others.  I cannot site a reference for my above statement. 

I could be wrong.

Here are my personal observations.

When clams come in small (<3-4"), the only way I have good success with them is by putting them in very high lighting (halides).  If the lighting is intense they will live.  If it is not most of them will die.  Feeding the smaller clams does not help IME.

When I bring in larger clams 4-5"+ I can put them in a tank with VHO's and plankton and they do great (although the intense light doesn't hurt).  In fact most of them will eat up the plankton almost as fast as I give it to them.  The smaller clams only seem to intake a small amount of phyto (if any).