Tridacnid Work Shop

[WaterDogs]

spongebob, once you learn a few basic things about clams you be able to keep all of them.

 

[spongebob lover]

hmm i like that idea

 

[Barry N.]

There is never too many question. This link may also help you if you have never kept clams before.

http://wetwebmedia.com/ca/cav1i3/Clam_care/Clam_care.htm

PM is an ongoing topic but we always suggest quarantine everything before placing in main display tank so if there is a problem you can take care of it before hand.

 

[spongebob lover]

Thanks Barry, i'll start reading.

 

[Pauls]

now this is a workshop one can sink your teeth into (or you chowder spoon!) I have no experience with clams. Ive got questions though. Ive heard that small clams 1-2" don't do well. I also wonder what lighting requirements. PC. MH, or mix? How many watts per gallon?

 

[CarlaW]

I would not go by watts per gallon. You want to go by how much lite penetrates and how deep it gets. That is why most, and I say most, go with halides for clams.

 

[Barry N.]

Ive heard that small clams 1-2" don't do well

Let me put it this way. They are a little more challenging than the larger one say 2.5" and larger. With their mantle surface being smaller, they can not depend solely on zooxanthellae for their total energy. Clams that have brownish mantle require less lighting. A good rule of thumb, the more vibrent the color, the more intense lighting.

Less light requirement"

 

[Barry N.]

More intense lighting:

 

[spongebob lover]

uhhhh pretty clam !!!
Barry, now stop making me drool

 

[spongebob lover]

sorry if this is a stupid question, do clams move alot sort of like anemones ?
i was reading that some cleaner wrasses would pick on them, i have a six line, would he pick on a clam?

 

[Pauls]

Ok i think i understand the lighting part, and the size part. with pc's maybe higher up in the reef or do they need supstrate to sit in? How about the ratings we see, like super color, and ultra. What exactly do they mean?

 

[chris&barb]

my six line has never picked at the clams mantle(or any pyrams when i had them)

and Gabriela there are no stupid questions,ask away Barry loves to talk

 

[Maxx]

Barry, please tell me you have this little Crocea in QT and it hasnt been placed up for sale yet????? You'll kill me if you tell me this one is gone already...

Nick

 

[The Apprentice]

we always suggest quarantine

Hi Barry Thanks for starting this Thread And Thanks Mike fore asking Barry to do this I know It will take a lot of you time Barry, My question on we always suggest quarantine. How do you quarantine Clams If you don't have a Halide light for a quarantine Tank? I personally lost all my clams but a single Hippopus this spring From Pinched mantel I have been very reluctant to get anymore and except for the Hippopus I haven't had any clams for over 5 months. Is there any way to make sure a person doesn't go thought this again??
I have thought about getting like 5-6 clams from the same location all at once and never buy any or bring any more into the system how/ what would be the best way to approach this.. Thanks for you, Everyones input...Jeff

 

[Barry N.]

Ok i think i understand the lighting part, and the size part. with pc's maybe higher up in the reef or do they need supstrate to sit in? How about the ratings we see, like super color, and ultra. What exactly do they mean?

OK, now this is a work shop so don't get ahead of me :badgrin: I promise most or all with be covered as we go along.

hasnt been placed up for sale yet

Jeff, I promise we will answer your questions but later in the work shop.

 

[spongebob lover]

i'm sorry Barry, but i guess when it comes to clams we are all a little bit impatient if they weren't as pretty as they are then i think we would all not even be asking questions

 

[Barry N.]

i'm sorry Barry

No need to be sorry and we will try to answer all the question that we possible can in this work shop.

This coming week we will discuss selection.

 

[spongebob lover]

Yyuuuhhuu !!

 

[Barry N.]

Selection

Now that you’ve created the right environment, it’s time to choose that beautiful specimen for your aquarium. Let's take a look at some of the ways to be sure you are getting a healthy and attractive specimen.

When examining Tridacnids, make sure that the mantle extends well over the shell. Also, the clam should show a healthy response behavior to stimuli. This is done by placing your hand between the light source and the clam. This should cause the clam to close quickly and re-open after a few moments.
Clams generally appear more attractive when viewed from the top than they do when viewed from the front of the aquarium. Many times, the colors will brighten when you place them under more intense lighting, and could fade under inadequate lighting. Do keep this in mind when evaluating a prospective Tridacnid for purchase.

Check to see if there is any “bleaching” or white areas on the mantle. This normally appears between the incurrent and excurrent siphon. Sometimes, this bleaching will appear brown or “washed out” in color, but don’t mistake a gold color as bleaching. The gold clam pictured above is not bleached.

Inspect the clam around the mantle and “byssus” (foot) to make sure there are no Pyramidellid (“Pyram”) snails. These parasitic snails can do serious damage to the clam and must not be allowed into your aquarium. Make sure that you carefully examine the specimen for the presence of jelly-like sacks which house the eggs of these snails. Several dozen snails can hatch simultaneously. If Pyramidellids are discovered in your aquarium, there are a few fish that will help in controlling them, such as Coris formosa, Coris gaimard, and the popular Sixline Wrasse, Pseudocheilinus hexataenia. Manually removing these pests at night (when they are feeding) may also be necessary.

Look for “gaping,” a condition in which the animal’s shell is completely open, the mantle poorly extended, and the incurrent siphon appears to be stretched. In most cases, this is caused by some form of stress. This is often caused by shipping, and in most cases will cease after a few days. Having kept and shipped thousands of clams, I have noticed that Tridacna crocea displays this condition more commonly than other Tridacnids. However, Tridacna crocea seems to recover from the condition whereas it is cause for concern in Tridacna maxima.

Check the shell to make sure it is not broken, and that the mantle is not torn or ripped. Do not purchase an animal that displays any signs of damage.
Prior to purchasing your clam, ask if the specimen was collected in the wild or if it was cultured. Usually cultured clams are easier to keep and maintain. One of the potential problems with wild-collected clams is the collection process itself. Improper collection techniques can result in serious damage to the clam, particularly the byssal gland. Carefully inspect your prospective purchase to assure that the byssal tissue is not torn or hanging from the specimen. This damaged tissue can result in the development of a bacterial infection that caused the clam to die.

If at all possible, find out how long the clam has been in the dealer’s inventory. Ask your dealer if you can purchase it and leave it in his/her tank for a few days longer. This extra time will allow you to observe the clam and make sure that no infections or other maladies manifest themselves before you take the animal home.

 

[NaH2O]

Barry - you touched on size earlier in the thread with regards to environment and supplemental feedings. My question is based more on selection size. Are there better sizes to look for depending on species? For example: it is better to pick a larger sized crocea, or a smaller maxima, etc. I didn't know if (for example) a wild collected T. crocea, whether it would be better to pick out a smaller sized one or larger. Perhaps it doesn't matter.

Also, when selecting a specimen online, are there things we should be asking the vendor, since we are unable to see the clam in person?

BTW, I'll still select the prettiest ones first lolol.