Clam Question

[Guest]

I came home today and one of my clams was all the way open. I touched him and he didn't close. This means he's dead, right?

 

[RogerMcAllen]

Yes, remove him immediately before he starts to smell and makes a mess of the water.

 

[QTOFFER]

I'm afraid so - sorry.
You're lucky you found it open. I've read that sometimes, a FW clam will remain closed, although it is dead. The unfortunate aquarist has no idea until the ammonia spike is noticed.

Any idea why it died?

 

[krap101]

maybe it wasnt getting enough food? something was nipping it? its really hard to tell with clams

 

[Guest]

maybe it wasnt getting enough food? something was nipping it? its really hard to tell with clams

Yeah, it could have been either of those things. Its not the water quality, and everything else seems healthy, so its probably that he starved.

 

[greenmaji]

Were you feeding them some type of plankton?

 

[krap101]

i put some shrimp tabs in (wardleys) and they break down to really small if nothing eats all of it. them i let my clams filter it out

 

[Guest]

i put some shrimp tabs in (wardleys) and they break down to really small if nothing eats all of it. them i let my clams filter it out

Me too, I think I feed plenty of food, so if my clams can't get enough I can't really do anything because I don't want to overfeed. They have lasted for about two months now, and I still have 5 left, so maybe it was just a fluke. I hope so, they are pretty cool.

 

[krap101]

thats good. but maybe this was a weaker one and its showing their not getting enough food? id leave a cup of fishwater by the window and get some green water and let them have it..

btw do you have a uv clarifier? if you do you might try taking it off so you can get some algae in your water.. because i dont think clams can eat flakes and stuff

 

[greenmaji]

I think Kent Marine sells food for inverts..

 

[krap101]

that could get expensive . i thinknits like 8$ a bottle

 

[greenmaji]

Yea but Tony is a UV fanatic..JK.. and I somehow think that the green water, wich is a very good idea, would have much of a chance in his tank.. nither would the Kent Marine stuff..LOL..
I think that having some of it around in case the green water is not growing or hasnt grown yet might be a good idea as well..
Plan B if you will..

 

[krap101]

green water grows pretty well in a gallon jar or so by a window. you dont need to do much with it. thats how i try and culture my daphnia.

 

[greenmaji]

I have shade on the south side of my house.. moss grows in my front yard.. green water just isnt going to be easy for me..LOL
I would have to set up a tank and force green water to happen..yuck!..
Hopefully Tony doesnt have this problem..
and Im thinking it takes at least a week to get greenwater from the window no?

 

[krap101]

takes me 2-3 days maybe. if i tried :/ once you start ots pretty easy

 

[Guest]

If you guys really think the UV is the problem I could move the clams to my 12g nanocube. Maybe if one more dies I'll do that. Green is right, I love my UV way too much to ever take it off the 55g

 

[krap101]

well.. it will help your clams if you try to get some green water. personally i have failed in getting it in my tank, so i try to put some in my tank every now and then