Clam limit?

[Europhyllia]

What do you think is the limit on how many clams can happily coexist in a tank? I feel like I already dose quite a bit of calcium/kalk/etc. to keep up with all of the 'scutes and tubes building' the clams and coco worms are up to.
Is there ever a point where the clams would deplete each others resources?

The Reefs2u clams are beckoning me but I don't want to turn into a clam hoarder... :red_smile:

[epicfish]

As long as you can provide all necessary elements required for growth, you can add another clam. ;) Well, that, and provide them with necessary light if they're large enough to be photosynthetic or enough food if they're smaller.

In my previous 40 gallon shallow tank, I had 9 clams and supplemented Ca/alk with 2part and then eventually a nano calcium reactor.

[Europhyllia]

Epicfish you are such an enabler!
I have 3 clams and an oyster in a 125g tank...

[jroescher]

Maybe hobogato:Ace will chime in.

WARNING! If you don't already want a tank full of clams, this will cure that:
http://www.maast.org/forums/showthread.php?t=34318&highlight=clam

[RayAllen]

Karin there is no limit. Besides the tank Ace had ive seen other clam only tanks on RC. As long as you can provide the care they need there are no worries.

[epicfish]

Epicfish you are such an enabler!
I have 3 clams and an oyster in a 125g tank...

I thought being an enabler was a good thing! :D

[saabtech]

go get another. you deserve it!
and if you dont get it I WILL!

[hobogato]

thanks for posting that link john, i really miss that table/tank

like others have said, calcium is your main issue as they will really start sucking it up when the get a little bigger. ask scuba_steveo how hard it is to keep up with the calcium demands of a big clam, he used to have a huge one in a past tank.

[carlinsa]

i had 13 in a 125 an just did regular water changes and they did great

[ShAgMaN]

Karin, I was looking at getting a marbeled or nardoa starfish this weekend but one of the guys at the fish store said they may eat clams and sponge. I noticed in a pic of your tank you have a marbeled star, no problems?

[fishypets]

Karin,

Get as many as you like (or can afford) but I'd stay away from the larger clams. Keep to the maximas, croceas and maybe a derasa. Gigas get way too big for a 125 and will suck up the calcium.

Just make sure you are inspecting each and every clam closely for pyramid snails. I was careless and wiped out about a 2K clam collection because of it.

[Europhyllia]

Terry my seastar is a Fromia. I read the same thing about the sponges (although I never read Fromia ate clams). I saw a Fromia in Ace's tank and asked him about them eating sponges and he said his doesn't bother them so I took the plunge.

Fishypets, I wouldn't have even considered gigas. lol. Maximas are what I'm after.
I'll see what scuba has to say. I think I am pretty good about water changes. My salt mix mixes to 450 calc and it still depletes faster than I replace it with 8% weekly water changes.

Ace, where's your clam table now?

Thanks for the input guys. I bet the one I saw Sunday is already sold so I probably don't get one right away but it's nice to know I can if I want to...

[hobogato]

steve's clam was a gigas - it almost touched front to back in his 215 brick!

my clam tank was sold along with the rest of my large reef last june. i dont know where it ended up bc it was at B&B for a while and then someone bought it.

[ErikH]

Giau has two BIG clams. I think he only doses kalk

[wesheltonj]

Clams Direct has great clams. I am looking for a Crocea to replace the one that died. Three is my limit. I have a Maxima and Derasa. The clam next to my name is the Derasa that I bought form Clams Direct. Group order, maybe?

[Europhyllia]

Since I already have 3 clams I am getting really picky about new additions (color) so for right now I am in love with Reefs2us clam selection and its fantastic colors.

[hobogato]

i know what you mean, there are several there right now that i can picture in my tank :at_wits_end:

[Europhyllia]

...seriously bring a spit rag if you go to Reefs2u. I don't want any of you drooling on MY clam.

I wish I had just bought that one on Sunday when I dropped in -argh. Was in a hurry to get to AD though...

[CoryDude]

Agree with everyone else, just make sure you allow room for them a few years down the road. The maximas have always been my favorite and seem to stay a manageable size. Deresas can get very large. Mine reached 13" in length after about 8 years and took up a lot of room in my 90.

[scuba_steveo]

I am no expert...I only had one clam ever. But it really was the prettiest one I ever saw. Everyone has already answered your question. Add as many as you want and keep your calcium high. I have never done anything by the book and I really don’t test my water too much. I stick by a few rules of my own, not ones that I have read but ones that have always worked for me. 1. Regular water changes. And I do more % volume then others. I do about +/-50%. And regular to me does not mean often. About every 3 months. Rule #2, skim as much as I can. Again, this is just my rule because I have always had a bunch of fish. I have two loves, fish and sps. They don’t exactly go hand and hand. So I have needed to over skim. Rule#3, Add as much freaking calcium as possible. Let me stress this rule by telling you what I did in my old tank. Calcium Reactor, Kalk Reactor, and B-Ionic X2 daily. By doing this my corals grew well and my Clam really out grew my tank. I called my clam my calcium extractor. Below are pics of it when I had it for 1 year and then 2 years later. When I sold the tank it did almost touch the front and back of my 215, that’s 2 feet! Get a gigas. You can alway give it to Sea World when it gets too big.

[Europhyllia]

wow. That's a clam! I feel like even my little clams suck the calc right out of the water with their constant scute building. That's so awesome that you provided your clam with such great care!

[Europhyllia]

oh and of course I did get clam #3...