Any clams in a Nano?

Deuce24 · 09-22-2004, 10:04 PM

Hi all,
Are there any clams (especially the bright, flashy colored ones) that can be kept in a Nano? Mine is 12g, and I have 24 watts of light. I know most require a TON of light, but I am just curious if there are any out there that don't require as much light. Please advise, thanks!

rwdandald · 09-23-2004, 09:49 AM

I would say no to the "bright flashy color ones" if you are refferring to Maxima. I am not at all familiar with nano's but 24 watts seems awful weak even if the clam was a few inches from the light (you could probably do some research on your light/bulbs to find out par/lumen at certain depths to make a better determination). There is also a problem that many of these clams get very large - the lower light clam like a squamosa will get to over 12" which could prove very problematic with a nano longterm.

Jeremiah · 09-23-2004, 11:01 AM

I would say no way to a clam in that nano..

1) Most clams need very strong lighting, and even the ones that don't are surely going to require more then 24 watts. I would say if you have a NanoCube with stock lighting I would stick to zoo's and shrooms. Maybe some other softies that don't grow to fast for that small of a tank.

2) Clams also require very good water parameters and that may be an issue with such a small tank.

HTH,
Jeremiah

Deuce24 · 09-24-2004, 01:37 AM

Thanks for the replies guys, I guess even with fast growing softies I can frag most of them and trade them in for credit at a LFS, but I forgot to consider the size that most clams reach!

Thanks!

reiple · 09-24-2004, 06:25 AM

maybe a very small squamosa. but yest all these clams grow very very big.

Deuce24 · 09-25-2004, 02:35 AM

Yeah, not a bad idea actually. The more I think about it, the more I think I can house larger growing species in my tank. I mean, the tank might be 12g, but with 12lb of live rock, thats only 8g of actual water. So 24 watts of 50/50 light in 8g is at least giving me a respectable 3watt/g. Am I wrong in this thinking?

I will more than likely have at least a 40g Hex salt tank within the next 2 years, if not sooner, so I was thinking I would buy a 1" Tiny Blue Tang, and raise him in my Nano Cube till he needed to be moved to a larger tank. So maybe I could also buy a larger growing clam species that could survive with 3watt/g?

Any suggestions with this new thinking? I'd buy small, like less than 2", and move it once it grew too large. What do you all think?!

biomekanic · 09-27-2004, 02:25 PM

So 24 watts of 50/50 light in 8g is at least giving me a respectable 3watt/g. Am I wrong in this thinking?

Briefly, yes. Watts/gallon is good for freshwater planted tanks, but not so good for reef tanks. It's the intensity of the light that's more important.
Keeping a small clam requires that you feed it - take it out of the tank, put it in a bowl, add some phytoplankton, put it back, etc. Until the clam hits around 4" in length (depending on species) in which case it's symbiotic algae take over as the primary food source. IMO, you'd need something like a 150w MH for any of the shallow water clams (such as crocea), or a couple more of those PCs for a squamosa.

As for the tang... that small, they're hard to care for, even a 40g hex is really to small for a fish such as that. IMO, my tang in my 75 is cramped.

reiple · 09-30-2004, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deuce24

....
I will more than likely have at least a 40g Hex salt tank within the next 2 years, if not sooner, so I was thinking I would buy a 1" Tiny Blue Tang, and raise him in my Nano Cube till he needed to be moved to a larger tank. So maybe I could also buy a larger growing clam species that could survive with 3watt/g?

Any suggestions with this new thinking? I'd buy small, like less than 2", and move it once it grew too large. What do you all think?!

You mean Blue Hippo Tang? They might be small then but they eat a lot, grow big and want a large open swim space

so why not?

Actually I have a 5" Hippo Tang in a 60 gallon now. Lots of loose LR caves where it darts and hides in as well as open space for swimming end to end. I know it's cramp so when I move to my next tank in about 6 months to a year I will get it a bigger tank!

Sue Truett · 10-27-2004, 07:09 PM

There are no clam species that we keep that can survive much less thrive under 24 watts of light. Even the sand bed dwellers have got to have lighting and it is certainly the intensity of the lighting that these clams live on. The smaller the reef system the quicker the water swings can be and any no matter how small of water swings you have will stress a clam out.

Clams have got to have a very stable environment to thrive in.

jdbassin · 10-27-2004, 08:27 PM

Hippopus probably would survive but it get's too big also, I would never attempt to do it. I don't like the idea of a reef animal just "Surviving" and not thriving because I just had to have one.

jd

Casey · 10-31-2004, 06:31 AM

I would say no dont try any in that setup.

reiple · 11-01-2004, 10:28 AM

do you think I should transfer the hippo now? I still need 3 months at the very least (time for my condo to be done). thanks.

i am targetting 75 gallons shallow (48x20x18 - frontxsidexheight). will this do? thanks in advance.

(sorry if this is the wrong thread.....)