Clam?

[Gill]

So I am getting a 250 watt HQI soon. It will be the first time that I will have enough light for a clam (clap) I am however not the best reefer. I usually stay away from corals that are "hard to keep" and instead focus on fish and bullet proof corals. So my question is how hardy is a clam? I know they have a reputation for being hard to keep, but with sufficient light and calcium will they tolerate nitrates? if so how much in ppm. I don't plan on just buying one and seeing what happens as I find that approach reprehensible. On the order of difficulty/hardiness do they come before or after acro? Thanks in advance for any incite.

[andy]

My clams lived through events that killed SPS and LPS corals. IME they're very tolerant of changes in Ca and Alk, and even fish-only (<100ppm) levels of nitrates. I know they have a reputation of being hard to keep, but that hasn't been my experience... hell, my Crocea spawned in the tank and my tank is never pristine. Keep the tank clean and the temperature relatively stable (less than +/-4 degrees day to night IMO) and you should be fine.

[Gill]

Thank you Andy. From what I was reading I was getting the same interpretation. It seems (from what I read) that proper light is the key. What kind of halides did you use?

[madmike]

I have found that the key to clams is in their size. If you get the really small ones, like under 3-4 inches, they are still using phytoplankton to feed off of, which is something our tanks usually lack. When they get larger, they rely solely on light and water chemistry and IMO become very easy to keep, and are tolerable and *may* even prefer slightly "dirtier" water with higher nitrate than the typical sps tank.

[Gill]

I have found that the key to clams is in their size. If you get the really small ones' date=' like under 3-4 inches, they are still using phytoplankton to feed off of, which is something our tanks usually lack. When they get larger, they rely solely on light and water chemistry and IMO become very easy to keep, and are tolerable and *may* even prefer slightly "dirtier" water with higher nitrate than the typical sps tank.[/quote']

 

So this may be a problem for me because I was totally looking at the quarter sized guys. Have you fed cyclo ezee as a substitute? Would they have to be feed every day, twice a week? Maybe I should just try to get a larger one?

[CA2OR]

Andy nailed it. A good person also to talk to would be either Reefit or Frank....Frank had or still has....I think had...a huge clam....and I think it went to Reefit although I am probably mistaken. Either way Frank would have some good pointers and info as well as Reefit....or Garrett....he is always good for info too.

 

so....recap....points of interest are Andy, Garrett, Reefit, Frank, and of course Grassi....that dude is like an encyclopedia....well between the 2 of them they are encylopedia's....gotta remember Grassi is a combo platter there.

[andy]

madmike is 100% right re: size. You're much better off with a larger clam. Clams don't eat cyclopeeze -- phytoplankton only, and IME feeding phytoplankton is a one-way trip to cyano-ville. Just not worth it.

[CA2OR]

and that is why Andy is on my list of referrals for you.

[Gill]

bummer I had a good lead on little clams at a great price oh well. I guess I am looking for a 4" one now. Has any one had a problem with whelks (sand snails) eating there clams. I read a thread a while back and it horrified me because I have some of these snails in my sand bed some were.