Tridacna Clams

[kOZality]

Hey MASC,

I've been reading up on taking care of a Tridacna clam. I thought I had a good handle on it until I read some conflicting information about the different species. I'll tell you what I'm trying to achieve and what I think understand. Any more information or clarification is greatly appreciated.

First of all I have a nano, it's a 12g Nanocube - I imagine several people will think it doesn't make sense to add a Tridacna clam into such a small system but I want to make it work.

I'm looking to add a clam in the lower portion of my tank on the sand bed. I understand the foot of the clam needs to anchor to rock or something more solid so I would bury the rock just beneath the surface of the sand.

I'm running LEDs on my tank with a potential of 3.5 Watts per gallon but they are running at 60%. The distance from lights to sand is ~10"

From my understanding I believe the Derasa might be the best option: less intense light needed, sand bed, more tolerant to shifts in parameters, and generally less expensive due to the aforementioned reasons.

Does this make sense? Should I avoid clams altogether? Is there another species that would be suitable (ex. crocea)?

Thanks in advance!

P.S. - Please PM if you have one for sale.

 

[jahmic]

I'd have a few concerns with a derasa in a tank that size.

Are you currently dosing? Clams utilize a significant amount of calcium to maintain their growth...you're going to need to consider dosing in a 12 gallon tank.

What else is in your tank now? Small clams (under 2") generally need to be target fed phytoplankton to survive...and honestly in a tank that size I'd probably feed even beyond 2" since the amount of food available for it to filter out of the water column is likely minimal. If you have any nutrient issues now...which can be common in smaller tanks with limited filtration...target feeding the clam will only exacerbate any nutrient control problems.

"Watts per gallon" isn't really the most accurate measure of whether you have sufficient light...especially with running LEDs. You should consider the spectrum and quality of the fixture over the # of watts available...then perhaps PAR after spectrum, but even that's a bit "muddy" as a measurement when using LEDs.

I'm not saying it can't be done...but you should probably consider all of the above and plan ahead if you want to keep it healthy.

 

[Skrappy]

Dersa clams get big, and as Jahmic said, clams use a LOT of calcium.

 

[Munch]

I'd personally use this as an excuse to upgrade tanks

 

[tomtom2245]

While this is not a plug to get one, the common info about having to target feed clams 2" and under is not entirely true. Yes they do get a portion of their food through filter feeding but most people forget about the symbiotic algae in their mantle. Proportionately, the smaller clams get a larger amount of their nutrition through photosynthesis. But to echo what every else is saying, you will need to dose calcium like crazy!

 

[jda123]

Clams get all the food that they need from the light. All will grow fast, get over 6" and use up a lot of calcium. Derasa is the best choice if you are unsure of the lighting, but you will need to move it to a bigger home after a while.

 

[kOZality]

Hey peeps,

Thanks for all of the insight. One thing mentioned that is most helpful is that of dosing for calcium. Certainly makes sense, especially at the growth rates I've read about for these giant clams. I like my AIO setup even though it has it's limitations. I haven't gone with the ATO route for my tank and I think I would probably have to in order to automate the dosing on such a small tank.

Much appreciated!

Any suggestions for a different type of biodiversity other than tridacna clams that I could add to a mature nano tank?

I'd personally use this as an excuse to upgrade tanks

Too true! I have a long list of livestock I would like to keep in a larger setup, looks like I'm adding giant clam to that list