just wondering if clams have to be kept on a sandbed or generally recommended. I see some people have set them on rock work but obviously tehy grow and i use minimalist style for rock work. I am also fond of glassbed instead of sand beds so having a clam just sit there instead and fall to it's side will look weird. any suggestions?
Clams
- Thread starter evoIX_Reefer
- Start date
- Location
- Ridgewood NY
I think they prefer to sit on the sandbed, but if you dont have one, on the rocks should be fine. Now if your rockwork doesnt go with a clam, just dont get one.
- Location
- Rego Park, Queens
Supposedly, derasa's, gigas, and squamosa prefer the sand bed. Crocea's and maxima's prefer the rocks. However, every time I'd try a maxima or crocea on the rocks, it would hop off during the night. Only once did I ever have a clam (maxima) actually attach itself to a rock, and it was situated low in the tank. So now, all clams go on the sand bed, regardless of species.
actually, normally do my research prior to asking and didn't but this is what reefcentral experience has been. basically any clam should be fine on barebottoms but they do suggest using a nice flat piece of liverock for it to attach. if going straight barebottom would recommend crocea or maxima
so with a good amount of experience posted, i feel better about getting a clam but will look for a good nice size shelf rock to place it on.
so with a good amount of experience posted, i feel better about getting a clam but will look for a good nice size shelf rock to place it on.
michael Jack
Advanced Reefer
- Location
- Long island
clams with feet ha ha ha
- Location
- NY
The Derasa, Maxima & Crocea (not sure about Gigas & Squammi) secrete a protein from the foot (bysal muscles) that bore into rock over time. Now lets get some sand in that tank and make it look like a reef in the ocean, not a glass box. 
If I recall correctly it was said by Johnny Cochran, "If the glove don't fit, you must acquit".
If I recall correctly it was said by Johnny Cochran, "If the glove don't fit, you must acquit".
- Location
- Rego Park, Queens
Maxima and crocea's secrete the byssus...that's the fibrous protein that anchors it to rock. (Same as what you find on mussels..where its called the "beard".) Derasa's secrete a smaller, weaker one. So maxima's and crocea's are the ones that are supposed to prefer the rock work, as that is where they would be found in nature. Crocea's secrete an acid that helps them bore into the rock itself. However, a tank isn't nature, and as I've said, in my experience (can't speak for anyone else) at least crocea's seem perfectly happy sitting in the sand bed. If you are going to go bare bottom, definitely put the clam on top of something. If it attaches to the bottom itself, it will be very difficult to move it, if you ever need to. That byssus holds tight and can easily tear the tissues if the clam is moved, and that's it for the clam.
see mike feet lol
I just wanted to jump in real quick and say that any of the tradicna or hippopus species will do just fine up on the rocks or in the sand. Lighting and water flow are more important then what they are sitting on. All of the species also have byssal glands and will lay down byssal threads to attach themselves however the larger species as they grow stop doing this because their mass is enough to hold them in place.
Also dont fall for the "this clam is a sand clam and this one isn't" The majority of all clams will be found up on the reef in the wild. Their larva is planktonic at first and doesnt have much choice where it settles. The larva will settle on both the reef and sand but remember sand is dynamic and will shift and be blown around so a small and even medium sized clam will not do very well on the sand after the first storm comes through. In sheltered lagoons where the sand dosent move much you will find clams on the sand but most are right on the reef.
I have no idea who first started saying this one likes sand ect.. but its just not true and keeps getting repeated.
Also dont fall for the "this clam is a sand clam and this one isn't" The majority of all clams will be found up on the reef in the wild. Their larva is planktonic at first and doesnt have much choice where it settles. The larva will settle on both the reef and sand but remember sand is dynamic and will shift and be blown around so a small and even medium sized clam will not do very well on the sand after the first storm comes through. In sheltered lagoons where the sand dosent move much you will find clams on the sand but most are right on the reef.
I have no idea who first started saying this one likes sand ect.. but its just not true and keeps getting repeated.
- Location
- NY
:grouphug: lol
Sand is absolutely a personal preference.....like bulb temperature.
R
- Location
- Baiting Hollow Long Island NY
In Tahiti they are very common all over the place but they live mostly attached to a rock. Most of them come from very shallow water and if they were on the sand they would find themselves washed up on the beach during the many typhoons.
Walking around there, you have to be careful that you don't step on them in 3' of water.
Walking around there, you have to be careful that you don't step on them in 3' of water.
Sand, rock, or barebottom. They don't care.
If you sand the foot just goes through the sand attaches to the glass bottom anyway.
I have a squamosa in the sand, attached to the bottom. It did fine when I had barebottom tank.
I have a crocea up on the rocks and it seems to like it up there.
If you sand the foot just goes through the sand attaches to the glass bottom anyway.
I have a squamosa in the sand, attached to the bottom. It did fine when I had barebottom tank.
I have a crocea up on the rocks and it seems to like it up there.
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