Clams Anyone?

[OscarBeast]

Hello, I am thinking about buying a small clam for my tank. The problem is that they cost about the same price as they are to ship.

I can get 3 small clams in one order and not effect the price of shipping. I was wondering if anyone was interested in going in with me. It will make the shipping charge much more worth it.

On a site note, small clams are a little more delicate than larger ones. They require large amounts of plankton to survive. The good news is that the smaller ones aren't that light dependent.

After doing a lot of reading, I am going to keep one in my tank for a while until he gets too big. Then I will just sell him or give him away if I have to.

[OscarBeast]

OK, well I went ahead and ordered 3 clams.
I am getting in a 2.5" Squamosa, a 2"-3" Color Maxima, and a 2"-3" Gold Maxima.

I will only be keeping one. I will pick the one out that I want when they get here, but since the Squamosa get to be such monsters, I probably will not be keeping it and I will not keep one of the Maximas. I just wanted to offer them to you guys first. I will get them in on Thursday.

If nobody wants one, then I will resell two to my LFS

This is the price that they cost me including shipping and handling:

$38 Squamosa
$44 Maxima

[dummyterminal]

what will these critters look like?

[OscarBeast]

http://www.aquariumhelp.net/images/clamsdirect/goldmaxima.jpg
This is a gold maxima.
http://www.aquariumhelp.net/images/clamsdirect/colormaxima.jpg
This is a color maxima.
http://www.aquariumhelp.net/images/clamsdirect/squamosa.jpg
This is a squamosa.


These are some examples sent to me by Berry from Clams Direct, and may be pictures of the actual clams that I will be getting in, but I am not sure.

Check out http://www.clamsdirect.net for some more beautiful pictures, and the clam forum on http://www.reefcentral.com

[OscarBeast]

No takers huh?
More clam chowder for me then!
Just kidding!

[Don Davis]

I would love to have a gold max, but my tanks won't support one. :( Hopefully in another year or so.

Don

[OscarBeast]

I got the clams in this morning.

The gold maxima is beautiful, but very small. All of these clams will probably have to be removed for direct feeding if placed in a larger tank.

I had tested my system and I can dump 2 teaspoons of DTs in every day for a week without any algae bloom or my water parameters suffering at all. So far I am impressed.

I should be able to dump enough phyto in my tank to support my clams without removing for direct feeding. My leather has really enjoyed the last week of heavy dosing and has grown quite a bit and has much longer, more developed polyps on it now.

I should be able to only use a teaspoon in my 10 every other day and be fine though.

[OscarBeast]

Ok here is the news on the clams.

I ordered 3 clams and Barry gave me one for free. So I HAD 4 clams. Unfortunately the beautiful squamosa did not survive shipping. Upon inspection I think the clam had a damaged byssal gland.

I think the shock of shipping just finished him off. It acted odd even while still in the shipping package and then died after a few short hours of being in my tank. Barry gladly refunded the price of the Squamosa though. This guy was quite a pleasure to do business with. If I ever order clams again, it will be though him.

But anyway, the good news is that I still have 3 Maximas, one of which was given to me for free.

So, if someone would like a FREE little color and gold Maxima, please let me know before the meeting. All of the Maximas I got in are doing GREAT. They are also quite beautiful.

I will warn you though that he is really small. He is probably only around 1.25" or so and will probably require special feeding.

I think that because these guys are so small, that I am going to hang onto two instead of just one for a while, but I still need to get rid of one; the free one.

[Don Davis]

Go ahead and bring it to the meeting with you. I'll trade you a bunch of frags for it. :D Hopefully I can get rid of enough frags tonight to have room for new stuff. I target feed my corals already, so feeding a small clam shouldn't be too difficult.

Later,

Don

[snow2000]

Oscar,

How is it going?
Let me know if you still have any clams...

Thanks,
Mark

[OscarBeast]

I think that because these guys are so small, that I am going to hang onto two instead of just one for a while, but I still need to get rid of one; the free one.

Don did take the free one. :P
Well worth all the frags I got from him though (and he was still trying to shove more down my throat!). HEHE!

I *may* be coming into another clam soon. If so, I will need to get rid of the two I have now. But anyway you look at it, I have a small tank and they will outgrow it pretty fast, so I will have to get rid of them soon either way.

I should probably know if I am getting another clam by the next meeting, so as soon as I know I will tell you if you are still interested.

Right now I have a Color and a Gold Maxima.