Few Clam Questions from a Clam Newbie?

[c9miles]

I just bought my first clam yesterday! It's a baby Maxima that's already attached to live rock. I have it high in my tank on the rocks and I have DT's to feed him. As for my questions.....

He doesn't open up all the way yet. It looks like his mantle is small and that's as far as he can go. Will he continue to open farther as he becomes acclimated to my tank, or will it need to grow more before the mantle gets large enough to open?

What is the best way to feed it? Should I just squirt the food into the water column, or would it be better to pull it out, put him in some tupperware with tank water, and let him sit in the food for a little bit?

How fast can I expect him to grow, provided the tank conditions and calcium levels are appropriate?

Also, if you have any other clam care tips that you want to throw out there, feel free. As I said, I'm new to this, so I'm still learning.

Thanks in advance. I am excited to see him open up and show his bright colors!

Chad

[rutz81]

-What type of lighting do you have?
-As far as feeding, i think you can just target feed phyto directly at it. Keep in mind, you only have to target feed while it's small, once it gets bigger it can feed right from the water column.
-I wouldn't pull the clam out of the water.

[c9miles]

I am running a 175 watt metal halide over a 20 long tank, with 20g sump. My tank has been up and running a little less than a year.

[mg]

Originally Posted by rutz81

-What type of lighting do you have?
-As far as feeding, i think you can just target feed phyto directly at it. Keep in mind, you only have to target feed while it's small, once it gets bigger it can feed right from the water column.
-I wouldn't pull the clam out of the water.

I believe it is better to bowl feed if it is needed. You won't pollute your tank with a lot of phyto. It is best to place the clam on a small rock or shell to attach to so that you can move it if needed. Tough to bowl feed if he is attached to a 20# rock.

To bowl feed, use a container large enough to submerse the clam and rock it is attached to. Add enogh phyto to tint the water green. Allow the clam to stay there for 15-30 minutes. Return the clam to the tank.

As clams get bigger it is not the amount of filter feeding that eliminates the need for target feeding. The mantle grows and as it gets larger can produce more energy through photosynthesis. The clams strategy shifts from filter feeding to photosynthesis as it gets larger.

[Geoff]

how long is the clam?

when it gets to about 3" in length it will then switch over to completely photosynthetic food gathering.

mine would grow about an inch a year, but mine have all been above 3"in length. do not know if they grow faster when smaller.

G~

[c9miles]

It's very small. Only about 1.5 to 2 inches.

[VWD]

I have alway gotten larger clams also and have never target fed them , just strong lighting, I will feed the tank from time to time and I guess they can feed then also.

[mg]

I would definately bowl feed a maxima that size. It may survive fine without it, but it will help.

[c9miles]

Thanks for the info. I did my first bowl feeding last night. It pumped its shell open and closed every few minutes, and shot a little jet of water up each time. It seems to be doing well. Thanks again.

Chad

[mg]

Good luck. Funny you mention the stream of water thing, it can get quite powerful as they get bigger. When I was transfering my tank a few months ago I had a derasa that was on the sand in my 75 gallon. It was about 8" in length. I had drained the water in the tank down about 6" from the top of the clam and both of my cats were laying on the back of the couch that was right next to the tank as they often do. The clam decided to shut very quickly and shot a siphon of water up out of the tank and over about 3-4 feet where the cats were and covered them in saltwater. One of the funniest things I have ever seen!

Here is the guilty one.