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KathyC

Moderator
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Barnum Island
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As a basic rule of thumb, clams of that size don't require feeding at all. (smaller ones require feeding) As Closet mentions, they live off light..and whatever is circulating in the water column..like fish poop :) Not really much of a reason to add phyto as that green film you wipe off your glass every now & then..that is phyto (homegrown of course!)

Best to keep stable water parameters and your clam should remain as happy as a ...errr..clam ;)


What kind of lighting do you have Mario?
 

Mario

Junior Member
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As a basic rule of thumb, clams of that size don't require feeding at all. (smaller ones require feeding) As Closet mentions, they live off light..and whatever is circulating in the water column..like fish poop :) Not really much of a reason to add phyto as that green film you wipe off your glass every now & then..that is phyto (homegrown of course!)

Best to keep stable water parameters and your clam should remain as happy as a ...errr..clam ;)


What kind of lighting do you have Mario?

Hello Kathy...hey I used that line on here before too...(Happy as a Clam)

I lost several clams unfortunately over the last six months. It may have been temperature which was 83 Degrees or ALK. I only have three left now and they dont seem to look well...half extended.

trace phosphate, no nitrate, 1.024 salinity, refugium, I use 10ml of Part A and B on a 26 gallon tank a day. Alk is 3.5mg/dl and CA is 300mg/dl

Regards
Mario
 

KathyC

Moderator
Location
Barnum Island
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You Ca is too low for a tank with clams in it, as it is very important to them so they can thrive. :(

Still would like to know what type of lighting you have :)
 

Master Shake

captain of tying knots
Location
Lawrence
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phyto plankton, they are fister feeders. They are not photosynthetic before 3 inches so they need phyto, after 3 in, it is still good to keep up with the phyto.
 

Mario

Junior Member
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phyto plankton, they are fister feeders. They are not photosynthetic before 3 inches so they need phyto, after 3 in, it is still good to keep up with the phyto.

I remove the clams that are declining and put them in aseperate container and feed them the phyto. All they do is 'cough' up a few dark green pellets. They however seem to rejuvenate a little I must admit.
I am afraid I will be making a 'casket' for them in a few days.
 

Awibrandy

Old School Reefer
Location
Far Rockaway
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Mario, has the cal, and alk always been that low? Or is that something more reason?
As it has already been stated by a couple of peeps you need to raise the calcium and alk. The lighting is fine, and they do not need to be fed phyto. My clams seem to be happy, and I do not target feed them. I feed the tank Mysis, Rod's Food, Cyclopeeze, Frozen cube of Formula 1 & 2, and I add Selcon, VitaChem & Garlic Extreme.
 

bad coffee

Inept at life.
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James Fatheree says you don't really need to feed small clams. It doesn't hurt them to be fed, but their lives don't depend on it.

Clams accept the zooxanthallae very early in development, long before we get them in our tanks. Light is all they need to produce food.

My 4year old clams just up and died. One day they were fine, the next they were dead. The only thing I could trace is my CA level. My kalk reactor ran out, and I wasn't dosing. Other than that my tank was spot on.

Mario, I'd get your CA level up over 350 as a first step.

B
 

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