FreshWater Clams

FishCrazy1234 · 07-15-2005, 12:14 PM

I just wanted to know if anyone ever owned a FreshWater Clam because I thinking about getting some...

blixem · 07-15-2005, 12:17 PM

I currently have a dozen in one of my tanks. They are great for filtering green water, as well as turning the substrate if you use sand.

I have heard that when they spawn the little clams attach to fish gills and then drop off when they are old enough, supposedly it doesn't hurt the fish but can cause marking if they attach to the skin and not the gills? Either way I haven't had them spawn so wouldn't know.

ALFA WOLF · 07-15-2005, 12:26 PM

thats pretty cool how much woudl clams run.

Scuba Kid · 07-15-2005, 01:36 PM

i can get them free from lakes. i had 2 i got while on vacation to this lake in NH. they were great...i also gave a ton to my grandmother for her pond. they do a nice job with extra filtering.

shev · 07-15-2005, 01:57 PM

Clams are pretty cheap. check aquabid. I am going to get some too, they filter stuff like green water, debris, single celled organisms and other organic matter out of the water. you can feed them crushed up flake food, or even some frozen foods like brine shrimp. the parasitical larval stage is a myth. in fact Im pretty sure the larva arent even free swimming, they crawl around. I'm pretty sure any of the fw aquarium mini clams are Corbicula fluminea. clam larvae are brooded in the gills of a clam, not in the gills of a fish.

blixem · 07-15-2005, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shev

Clams are pretty cheap. check aquabid. I am going to get some too, they filter stuff like green water, debris, single celled organisms and other organic matter out of the water. you can feed them crushed up flake food, or even some frozen foods like brine shrimp. the parasitical larval stage is a myth. in fact Im pretty sure the larva arent even free swimming, they crawl around. I'm pretty sure any of the fw aquarium mini clams are Corbicula fluminea. clam larvae are brooded in the gills of a clam, not in the gills of a fish.

Would be a good reason why I haven't had a problem with them yet. =)

j55 · 07-15-2005, 02:55 PM

do they move around?

shev · 07-15-2005, 02:58 PM

Yes, they have a foot like snails do.

Quote:

Would be a good reason why I haven't had a problem with them yet. =)

haha. yeah.

FishCrazy1234 · 07-15-2005, 06:16 PM

I saw some FreshWater Clams at my LFS for around 2.49$ a clam.

FishCrazy1234 · 07-15-2005, 06:16 PM

I was wondering do the clams like special water condtions. And also do they get slong with almost any fish...

shev · 07-15-2005, 06:28 PM

Some fish like lungfish will eat them. I'm guessing some loaches may shuck them and eat the meat. starfish eat them, but I doubt you have to worry about them.

They prefer harder water, obviously for their shell. but they can live in an array of temperatures. very cold to very hot. and even slightly brackish water. They've become a problem here in the US because they are so able to out compete native clams, they were introduced from asia in the 1800's or something. maybe the 1700's. I think aquatic dynasty sells them on aquabid for pretty cheap. crayfishshop.com also does.

They like to burrow, so make sure there arent any dead ones int he substrate. you do have to feed these guys unless youve got a lot of infusoria or debris or green water. there is specific food for filterfeeders that comes in a bottle, but that may be for SW.

ALFA WOLF · 07-15-2005, 07:39 PM

thats very cool going to look at buying some.

**TheOldSalt** · 07-15-2005, 10:17 PM

The larval stage of the clam is called the Glochidia. It IS parasitic on fish, this is NOT a myth, and in the close confines of an aquarium fish WILL often die. Luckily, most clams will never spawn in an aquarium, because most keepers barely manage to keep them alive, let alone help them thrive.
As for Aquatic Dynasty on Aquabid, well, his reputation is not exactly sterling. Buyer beware.
Good call on the loaches, Shev. They are pretty good at killing and eating clams, but unlike the snails they also kill, clams can fight back by clamping down on the loach's snout. It's important to pay attention to their relative sizes.
All in all, clams are okay in aquaria. In fact, I've seen some systems which were primarily filtered by clam-power. The clams were concentrated in a separate refugiumlike chamber, and they did a bang-up job of keeping the water sparkling.

shev · 07-15-2005, 11:07 PM

Quote:

The larval stage of the clam is called the Glochidia. It IS parasitic on fish, this is NOT a myth, and in the close confines of an aquarium fish WILL often die. Luckily, most clams will never spawn in an aquarium, because most keepers barely manage to keep them alive, let alone help them thrive.
As for Aquatic Dynasty on Aquabid, well, his reputation is not exactly sterling. Buyer beware.
Good call on the loaches, Shev. They are pretty good at killing and eating clams, but unlike the snails they also kill, clams can fight back by clamping down on the loach's snout. It's important to pay attention to their relative sizes.
All in all, clams are okay in aquaria. In fact, I've seen some systems which were primarily filtered by clam-power. The clams were concentrated in a separate refugiumlike chamber, and they did a bang-up job of keeping the water sparkling.

really? oh I'm sorry bout that then. I read Corbicula fluminea were pediveligers. how could they be parasitic if theyre not free swimming to attach onto fish? or does that not have anything to do with being a parasite? I suggested aquatic_dynasty because I saw him on this site. well crayfish.com, aquadreams on AB is a good seller. Ive talked to him on another forum.

**TheOldSalt** · 07-15-2005, 11:30 PM

Pediveliger is only the final larval stage, with a foot ( pedi ). Before that they are freeswimming, and even the pedi's can swim if they try. Before growing their foot they are called simply veligers/glochidia. In clams they are called veligers while in mussels they are called glochidia, but they are essentially the same things. Both are parasitic on fish. In all fairness, mussels are a lot worse than clams. Clams you can maybe get away with, but mussels are a huge risk.

j55 · 07-16-2005, 03:59 AM

it would be good if you could get perls!
lol

ALFA WOLF · 07-16-2005, 12:29 PM

lol thiers a thought.

j55 · 07-16-2005, 05:41 PM

would it be possible?

ALFA WOLF · 07-16-2005, 06:55 PM

uhuhuhuh i dont know need to cheack that i dont think it is.

**fish_doc** · 07-16-2005, 07:15 PM

I like that you guys are developing a unknown Humor. No you need to learn to word it like this. - How many clams do clams run?

07-15-2005, 12:14 PM	#1
FishCrazy1234 Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Age: 15 Posts: 67	FreshWater Clams I just wanted to know if anyone ever owned a FreshWater Clam because I thinking about getting some...

07-15-2005, 12:26 PM	#3
ALFA WOLF Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 414	thats pretty cool how much woudl clams run. __________________ empty 10 gal.. any ideas lmao?

07-15-2005, 01:36 PM	#4
Scuba Kid Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: RI Age: 18 Posts: 4,225	i can get them free from lakes. i had 2 i got while on vacation to this lake in NH. they were great...i also gave a ton to my grandmother for her pond. they do a nice job with extra filtering. __________________ Current setups: 1800 gallon koi pond, 10 gallon planted, 150 gallon reef, other FOWLR tanks

07-15-2005, 07:39 PM	#12
ALFA WOLF Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 414	thats very cool going to look at buying some. __________________ empty 10 gal.. any ideas lmao?

07-16-2005, 12:29 PM	#17
ALFA WOLF Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 414	lol thiers a thought. __________________ empty 10 gal.. any ideas lmao?

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07-15-2005, 12:17 PM	#2
blixem Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Athens, GA Age: 33 Posts: 145	I currently have a dozen in one of my tanks. They are great for filtering green water, as well as turning the substrate if you use sand. I have heard that when they spawn the little clams attach to fish gills and then drop off when they are old enough, supposedly it doesn't hurt the fish but can cause marking if they attach to the skin and not the gills? Either way I haven't had them spawn so wouldn't know.

07-15-2005, 01:57 PM	#5
shev Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Montana Age: 20 Posts: 1,620	Clams are pretty cheap. check aquabid. I am going to get some too, they filter stuff like green water, debris, single celled organisms and other organic matter out of the water. you can feed them crushed up flake food, or even some frozen foods like brine shrimp. the parasitical larval stage is a myth. in fact Im pretty sure the larva arent even free swimming, they crawl around. I'm pretty sure any of the fw aquarium mini clams are Corbicula fluminea. clam larvae are brooded in the gills of a clam, not in the gills of a fish.

07-15-2005, 02:55 PM	#7
j55 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 233	do they move around?

07-15-2005, 06:16 PM	#9
FishCrazy1234 Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Age: 15 Posts: 67	I saw some FreshWater Clams at my LFS for around 2.49$ a clam.

07-15-2005, 06:28 PM	#11
shev Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Montana Age: 20 Posts: 1,620	Some fish like lungfish will eat them. I'm guessing some loaches may shuck them and eat the meat. starfish eat them, but I doubt you have to worry about them. They prefer harder water, obviously for their shell. but they can live in an array of temperatures. very cold to very hot. and even slightly brackish water. They've become a problem here in the US because they are so able to out compete native clams, they were introduced from asia in the 1800's or something. maybe the 1700's. I think aquatic dynasty sells them on aquabid for pretty cheap. crayfishshop.com also does. They like to burrow, so make sure there arent any dead ones int he substrate. you do have to feed these guys unless youve got a lot of infusoria or debris or green water. there is specific food for filterfeeders that comes in a bottle, but that may be for SW.

07-15-2005, 10:17 PM	#13
TheOldSalt Darth Ichthyos Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 4,534	The larval stage of the clam is called the Glochidia. It IS parasitic on fish, this is NOT a myth, and in the close confines of an aquarium fish WILL often die. Luckily, most clams will never spawn in an aquarium, because most keepers barely manage to keep them alive, let alone help them thrive. As for Aquatic Dynasty on Aquabid, well, his reputation is not exactly sterling. Buyer beware. Good call on the loaches, Shev. They are pretty good at killing and eating clams, but unlike the snails they also kill, clams can fight back by clamping down on the loach's snout. It's important to pay attention to their relative sizes. All in all, clams are okay in aquaria. In fact, I've seen some systems which were primarily filtered by clam-power. The clams were concentrated in a separate refugiumlike chamber, and they did a bang-up job of keeping the water sparkling.

07-15-2005, 11:30 PM	#15
TheOldSalt Darth Ichthyos Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 4,534	Pediveliger is only the final larval stage, with a foot ( pedi ). Before that they are freeswimming, and even the pedi's can swim if they try. Before growing their foot they are called simply veligers/glochidia. In clams they are called veligers while in mussels they are called glochidia, but they are essentially the same things. Both are parasitic on fish. In all fairness, mussels are a lot worse than clams. Clams you can maybe get away with, but mussels are a huge risk.

07-16-2005, 03:59 AM	#16
j55 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 233	it would be good if you could get perls! lol

07-16-2005, 05:41 PM	#18
j55 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 233	would it be possible?

07-16-2005, 06:55 PM	#19
ALFA WOLF Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 414	uhuhuhuh i dont know need to cheack that i dont think it is. __________________ empty 10 gal.. any ideas lmao?

07-16-2005, 07:15 PM	#20
fish_doc Advisor to Neptune (Mod) Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Northern Illinois Age: 40 Posts: 3,953 Blog Entries: 19	I like that you guys are developing a unknown Humor. No you need to learn to word it like this. - How many clams do clams run? __________________ Dave (fish_doc) A World of fish

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