Life span of clam....

[kareen]

Hi all!

Big favour... May I get to hear from all experience clam owners....

1) How long has the clam survives in your tank?

2) What species? ie Maxima, squamaso, crocea, Derasa, etc

3) Lastly and most importantly what are the things you have done that manage to keep them alive for so long.... ie feeding, lighting, placement, etc.

Thank you very much.

[RockyBoy]

My crocea has been around for 4 years now.... and still growing...

[Rogerttt]

4 years open 2ft or bigger?

[kareen]

My crocea has been around for 4 years now.... and still growing...

Able to share your tips?

[kelstorm]

Hi all!

Big favour... May I get to hear from all experience clam owners....

1) How long has the clam survives in your tank?

2) What species? ie Maxima, squamaso, crocea, Derasa, etc

3) Lastly and most importantly what are the things you have done that manage to keep them alive for so long.... ie feeding, lighting, placement, etc.

Thank you very much.

From ur list of livestock, i hv suspect on some of them being clam-safe

mainly ur reef lobsters and lemonpeel dwarf angel.

also, lobsters will prey on fishes.

[tang73]

4 years open 2ft or bigger?

Not very big 1 1/2 Ft only..

[kareen]

From ur list of livestock, i hv suspect on some of them being clam-safe

mainly ur reef lobsters and lemonpeel dwarf angel.

also, lobsters will prey on fishes.

Thank you for the tips.... yes, I do notice such as well after years of reef keeping....

However, the reason I post this thread is to know more about fact of clam survial in our captive enviroment... so far, I have never succeed in keeping it more than a year and at times the clam just suddenly die with no prior symtom.... I have read that it may be due to starvation in our captive enviorment and so hope to find experience clam reefers sharing their success story on how to keep them alive for years.

Kareen

[kelstorm]

supplement of phyto does help

[kareen]

supplement of phyto does help

Yes. This is one of the part that I'm interest to find out more.... Please do enlighten more as in how often, how much and for how long, etc. I hope to get as many responses from those who have succeed to say how they manage it. I'm sure many of us are able to satisfy the "often" and the "much" in short term but for the "long".... well, I do not know.... is it months, years or "it is a must like feeding fish"....

[kelstorm]

i hv been dosing phyto for both my fans and sea whip.. as in whether the clams does consume or not, only recently, upon reading fishtalk's article, that i start to dose a bit more on the regular basis.. perhaps like 3 times a wk

[RockyBoy]

Able to share your tips?

Mine surviving on MH lights. Didn't give any phytos either.

[kareen]

Mine surviving on MH lights. Didn't give any phytos either.

Is crocea the easiest clam to keep that can survive solely on MH? Hm...

1) Is your tank flood with food daily when you feed the fish?

2) What kind of salt mix you used for water change? Natural sea water?

3) Placement in the tank?

[kareen]

i hv been dosing phyto for both my fans and sea whip.. as in whether the clams does consume or not, only recently, upon reading fishtalk's article, that i start to dose a bit more on the regular basis.. perhaps like 3 times a wk

But the fact that it has survived so long in your tank do indicate something that many of us don't have.... BTW, is it a crocea?

[kelstorm]

i hv squamosa, crocea and maxima... all of them the mantle open big big.. i attribute it to the flow and unrestricted light access...

[honzo]

My maxima with me for 1 year plus. But RIP suddenly last month. Dont know why also la. CLam absorbs NO3 ! !

[kareen]

i hv squamosa, crocea and maxima... all of them the mantle open big big.. i attribute it to the flow and unrestricted light access...

Most of us will leave the clam in the brightest spot.... but still up lorry after some months. I believe it is your regime of dosing plankton that keep your clams and fans alive for so long. Maybe you can elaborate more on some of the dosing details such as the amount for your tank size, etc.

[RockyBoy]

I use coralife salt most of the time. My sps, clams, fishes are doing well. I never bother about my clams so much as I know they are doing well. There are lots of floating food or debris which the clams can pickup. I feed my fishes with Henry's food once every 2 days. Dose GP every 2 or 3 days. My water parameter Ca=430, kH=10, Mg=1400, PO4=0, NH3=0, pH=8.0, Sg=1.025....

[kareen]

I use coralife salt most of the time. My sps, clams, fishes are doing well. I never bother about my clams so much as I know they are doing well. There are lots of floating food or debris which the clams can pickup. I feed my fishes with Henry's food once every 2 days. Dose GP every 2 or 3 days. My water parameter Ca=430, kH=10, Mg=1400, PO4=0, NH3=0, pH=8.0, Sg=1.025.... 

What is GP? Plankton? And thanks for sharing.... but I guess not many of the reefers have success in keeping the clams for a long time that's why only you and kelstorm speak. Please correct me if I'm wrong or more to add on....

1) Water parameters good. Paid attention to Calcuim, KH and Mg level. Nitrate is at acceptable range.

2) MH lighting or equilvalent is a must

3) Dosing of plankton or equilvalent must be in continously routine to add as food for clams.

4) Retrain from moving the clam around too much.

Wonder what kind of plankton should be used.... Dried phytoplankton? Live will be very troublesome.....

BTW, is Aquaz's Classic Blend "Nannochloropsis" Phytoplankton still available? http://www.sgreefclub.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=26309

Did not see that listed in their product line anymore.... http://www.aquaz.org/pdt_main.htm

[kelstorm]

read that hving nitrate levels will help the clams to grow fast (of course, with addition of calcium).. try to avoid moving the clams ard helps too and adjust it only when it tilt over. Giving a little rock for it to attach to, helps to stablise the clam too.

i do notice that at times, bristleworms tends to group themselves under the clam.. such might cause some stress to the clams as well. i do lift my clams up to look for the worms from time to time (like once a month) to remove them.

i dosed with TLF Freezed Dried zooplankton, cyclopeeze, Kent Marine Phytoplankton, Frozen Phyto (cant recall the brand, same as Golden Pearls one). that should do for my fans and clams.

[RockyBoy]

Yup, GP = golden pearls. The clams require sufficient amt nitrogen from nitrates to build its shell. But main think is good flow and strong flow.

[kareen]

read that hving nitrate levels will help the clams to grow fast (of course, with addition of calcium).. try to avoid moving the clams ard helps too and adjust it only when it tilt over. Giving a little rock for it to attach to, helps to stablise the clam too.

i do notice that at times, bristleworms tends to group themselves under the clam.. such might cause some stress to the clams as well. i do lift my clams up to look for the worms from time to time (like once a month) to remove them.

i dosed with TLF Freezed Dried zooplankton, cyclopeeze, Kent Marine Phytoplankton, Frozen Phyto (cant recall the brand, same as Golden Pearls one). that should do for my fans and clams.

I didn't think of lifting the clams up for bristleworms inspection.... Thanks for the inputs.... Hope to see more contribution of tips regarding the keeping of clam....

[Creetin]

i am dosing some nanno myself to try out for my clams. anyway now with zoos, all can eat from the same plate...

[kareen]

I have an observation after dosing plankton heavily.... My clam seems to hate it... they show it by having their mantle and sith close.... Please enlighten on their behaviours....

[Creetin]

I have an observation after dosing plankton heavily.... My clam seems to hate it... they show it by having their mantle and sith close.... Please enlighten on their behaviours....

u using DT or?

maybe they dun need so much light tts y they close?

[kareen]

u using DT or?

maybe they dun need so much light tts y they close?

Let me re-phase it.... I start to flood my tank with little particules and I notice that the clams' reaction is more withdrawn compare when I don't.... Are yours as well or they open bigger?