Little Neck Clams

[ReeferNets]

I remember seeing an article somewhere about some one doing this. So i picked up some farm raised live little necks and put two in my tank.

Both open up at night and extend their feeding tubes. Its looks nuts.

Supposedly they help with nutrient export.

I got mangroves and clams now.

 

[jimroth]

I think those are cold water animals, don't know how well they'll do long term. I wonder if you can get live warm water clams at the Chinese market...
Still, you can always make chowder if it doesn't work out (eeewwww --- tastes like coral!)

 

[ReeferNets]

I thought they were coldwater to till i read the extent of the area they live in. From Maine all the way to the keys.

So far so good they look good and have been extending their tubes.

 

[Hawkeye]

nice...but keep in mind Mercenaria mercenaria doesn't live in tropical temps 24/7 365 a year. So while it may live in your tank, they probably are on an accelerated metabolism/lifespan.

Off-topic...I've been to Maine in the heat of July and that water is COLD! It doesn't get warmer than 60 and people on the beach do not go into the water...LOL.

 

[ReeferNets]

Well i guess well see what happens.

Dont clams have a very long lifespan. If so 60 years cut in half is 30 lol.

One thing i know is that i will not be eating them.

 

[Jf2381]

I put some in my sump when I had my fowlr. They lived for a couple of weeks and then died. Not sure what was missing, if it was a diet thing s or the temp. just keep an eye on them becuase if they die they wil spoil your water.

Jose

 

[ReeferNets]

Im keeping my eye out

 

[Hawkeye]

Well i guess well see what happens.

Dont clams have a very long lifespan. If so 60 years cut in half is 30 lol.

LOL - yeah I was thinking that clams could (in ideal scenarios) live upwards of 200 years...what's a couple years shaved off?

But seriously - they are particle (or is it particular? =) ) filter feeders...there's no zooxanthellae so if you have clear water and just high nitrates - they aren't going to last. The idea here is to have them filter out the detritus before it breaks down into nitrates.

Good luck with them. I guess the argument against them is if anyone has an efficient skimmer - you're essentially taking "food" away from the clams.

 

[MikeNapoli]

That was me....


I had three of them. One died right away. The other two lived for a little more than 3 months. They bury themselves in the sand and you don't see them at all.

When they die they will surface somehow and be wide open. I had mine in a 55 and the snails and crabs ate the first one. The next two I took out because i didn't want them poluting the water.

Good luck with them. Hopefully they'll live longer in your setup.

 

[magic]

I put some in my sump when I had my fowlr. They lived for a couple of weeks and then died. Not sure what was missing, if it was a diet thing s or the temp. just keep an eye on them becuase if they die they wil spoil your water.

Jose

You put them in water instead of butter!

Bob

 

[Jf2381]

I put some in my sump when I had my fowlr. They lived for a couple of weeks and then died. Not sure what was missing, if it was a diet thing s or the temp. just keep an eye on them becuase if they die they wil spoil your water.

Jose

You put them in water instead of butter!

Bob

Bought them as food for my angel and wanted to see if they could live in our system.

 

[REEFLECTIONS]

I RESCUED ONE FROM BECOMING CLAMS CASINO AT CHRISTMAS DINNER, STILL ALIVE, HAS GROWN SOME, BUT SEEMS HAPPY..... I'LL LET YOU KNOW....

 

[ReeferNets]

One kicked the bucket a day later.

The other one is a beast. Every night he extend his tube and is filtering for me.

Since putting in the mangroves and the clams i def notice a little less nitrate but not significant.

 

[reeferwanabe]

I put 6 in my refugium several months ago 2 died the rest are doing great. like Mike said you dont see them much just the tube when they feed

 

[DaveK]

Part of the problem is that little neck clams purchased at the grocery store usually have been shipped on ice, and that's going to do some damage to them, especially since they can't breathe.

In addition, as pointed out by others, is that they are filter feeders, so they don't get a lot to eat in most reef systems, where we apply a lot of heavy skimming.

If you look at where these type of clams live, it's on mudflats and such. That water is almost always a little murky with all sorts of stuff clams love to eat.

 

[tangdude]

maybe you could try target feeding with some phyto or something along those lines.... they would probably do realy well in a mud fuge..