What type of Tradacnid is best for 1st time clam owner?

[SawCJack00]

I would like to purchase a clam. Is one type of Tradacnid hardier than others? My set up is a 125 with 2 175W 10,000K MH and 1 250W 6500K Iwasaki in the middle supplemented by 2 URI 160W VHO tubes. 920W total.

[herefishiefishie]

If your tank is less than a year old I would wait, but if it is at least a year old and your water quality is good, I would say that any clam really would do well in your setup. Knop seems to think that maximas are hardiest, and derasas are very hardy as well.

Don't forget to research clam placement and mineral needs.

HTH

[Agu]

scj,
Besides what HFF said, buy the clam based on actual pics or seeing it in person. I got a "deal" on mo clams because the one I wanted wasn't in stock. They sent two smaller ones !! One looked pretty good, and they sent the "ugly stepsister" to keep her company. Of course the "ugly" one is growing like a weed. Then I got a handpicked squamosa, and realized I got both "ugly stepsisters" in the first purchase. (mo vendors name withheld because I'm the guilty one :()

Imo and ime, it's worth it to pay up when buying clams because no matter how good their environment is, they're not going to get any better looking than the day you get them.

fwiw,
Agu

[OrionN]

You got plenty of light for clams. They really need good quality water and high Ca and Alkalinity. If your SPS are doing well, chances are your clams will do well too. You need to place the clams in low flow area of the tank.
I think Squamosa seem to be the easiest, IME. I killed a bundh of smaller clams befor I learn to really check for parasitic snails. THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT. If you don't keep your clams parasite free, then you and your clams are screw. With your light, It is best to keep your clams on the sand bed at least for the first month or so. I always clean my clams well before put him in the tank. Look really careful for parasitic snails in crack and crevices. I initially place the clams on the sand so that I can remove them for weekly check for parasitic snails for the first six weeks or so. If you continue to find parasitic snails, then you must continue to check for them until the clams are snail free. Without parasitic snails, clams are very hardy if you feed them, and if you provide plenty of light for them. I have not have a clam died on me for the last one year. Righ now I have 14 very beautiful clams in my reef tank. They all are growing very well at this time.
Good luck. Clams are such beautiful creatures.

[oohnoo]

When you check for these parasites do you do this with the naked eye or do you use a magnifier? Also do you take the clam out of the water to check it?

[MiNdErAsR]

In addition to the parasitic snails (Pyramidellidae), be sure to check for aiptasia anemones. They too like to hide within the scutes and won't become evident until the clam has been in place and undisturbed for a time. Another reason to place the clam in the sandbed. In my case I simply located the anemone, and covered it with superglue gel. The gel sets up quickly under water, effectively smothers the anemone, and is harmless to the clam (as long as you avoid the mantle, hinge, and byssal), and it's tank mates.

Should you choose a more light loving clam (T. maxima, T. crocea), I would also suggest placing the clam under your 250w halide.

HTH

[OrionN]

New clams get an area of the sand by itself, far from other clams. I got a 400 g tank so I can do this easy. I remove my new clams from the tank to a bowl of tank water under bright light to look for parasitic snails weekly at first for about 6 weeks or so. After that, I just leave the clams in the tank. At night, I occasionally shine a bright flashlight on the clam. The mantel will be drawn in due to the bright light and expose the edge of the shell. This is where the snails hangout at night. If I see any snail then that clam, and the clams near it, will get weekly inspection for several weeks. IME, the parasitic clams do not have a free-swimming larvae stage. I think they hatch directly from eggs. I think the infection of these snails spread from clams to clams by direct crawling distance for these snails.

[SawCJack00]

Thanks for all the info. if a clam has the parasitic snails, how do you remove them? Also how common are these snails? If I purchase locally by sight should I be able to see the snails if they are on the clam?

[OrionN]

These snails hide during the day and only come out at night. Most of the time, you won't be able to see them while the clams are in the display tank. When you handle the clam, especially if it is not attached to a rock, you should be able to see the parasitic snails. Just pick them off. Small snails and eggs mass are difficult to see, espeially in clams with lots of scutes like Squamosa, Maxima or Crocea. That is why you must examine your clam frequently for the first mont or two,IMO. I think these snails mature in about 20-30 days.
These snails are extremly common. If your LFS knows about clams and able to keep them thriving, they would remove these snails. I rarely see any LFS know enough to do this.