That Little baby clam...how do I keep it safe???

[Aquaman_68]

Well here we go...a little series of pics to show a nice little vessel for baby clams to make the transition to your reef...First pic...the vessel!! Notice the shape of the bottle...nice shape for this application...I slice the bottle right below the label. (remove water first)

 

[Aquaman_68]

After Bottle is sliced drill a series of holes in the bottle. (to allow flow inside of it once it is placed in the tank)

 

[Aquaman_68]

Ah the frag disc!!! apply super glue gel to the base (center) of the plug. (about the size of a pencil eracer)

 

[Aquaman_68]

position the disc into the bottom section of the bottle like this! (keep on a flat surface & let stand for at least 15 mins so the glue can cure)

 

[Aquaman_68]

Heres a better pic

Now I have another use for my used up shuran media from my Ca reactor!! Place peices of crushed coral skeleton or Reef sand in the bottom section of the vessel to give it a little weight so it doesn't tip over once placed in tank!

 

[Aquaman_68]

Lets make a base for the clam to attach to.

Below is a cut up peice of shell that I will secure to another round frag disc. This will be the seat for the clam to attach it's foot to...(very important to reduce stress on the clam!!) If your using old clam shells (with flutes) make sure you clip the flutes off & try to make the bottom of the shell as smooth as possible...

 

[Aquaman_68]

this is what you should have once the shell is attached to the second frag disc.. (let it cure for at least 15 mins)

 

[Aquaman_68]

once cured you will have a seat in the bottom section of the vessel to rest the second frag disc with the attached shell on it for the clam to be placed on top of.. This will make a area that will be undisturbed so that the clam can attach itself with it's foot, quicker to the shell..

 

[Aquaman_68]

& the finished product

Here's a pic below of what it should look like when complete. When ready to submerge into the tank just take off the lid. (after clam has been put inside under the tank water & the top has been slipped over) until all air is removed & than put the cover back on & place in the area you plan to place the clam after the vessel is removed. Just make sure you find a key location the Clam will be happy at. (the less you move a newly acquired clam the better the survival rate) More pics to come in a couple hours...Clam is still taking a long bath!!

Thanks for looking...
B

 

[pvh]

Looks good. I'll probably do that once I get a clam. Thanks.

 

[afboundguy]

Nice write up...

 

[Aquaman_68]

& here the baby is chillin in his temp house!! I usually keep one in this vessel for about a week...(they usually attach by then)

B

 

[BrianMac]

Great idea Brian. I just picked up a pair of clams last night. I will have to do the same.

 

[afboundguy]

Looks like it's a sweet looking blue maxima... Man one of those would look good in our tank

 

[Aquaman_68]

close up..

 

[Miller]

Nice Clam! We have one that looks almost like that, just a little less black in the markings towards the center of the mantle.

IME all of our baby Maximas (4) have attached to the half shell within a day without all the added work of making a clam shelter.

 

[delta]

Cool idea, nice clam too

 

[JackTheReefer]

Great idea!

 

[jcallesano]

whats the purpose of that? Just to protect it from other fish in the tank ?


how small do baby clams come.


could I keep one ni my 12 g nano?

 

[Aquaman_68]

Looks good. I'll probably do that once I get a clam. Thanks.

NP Peter

Nice write up...

Thanks

Great idea Brian. I just picked up a pair of clams last night. I will have to do the same.

It's always a good practice to keep the clams sheltered when they are small so they can attach to a base with their foot quicker

Looks like it's a sweet looking blue maxima... Man one of those would look good in our tank

Thats what it is

Nice Clam! We have one that looks almost like that, just a little less black in the markings towards the center of the mantle.

IME all of our baby Maximas (4) have attached to the half shell within a day without all the added work of making a clam shelter.

Barry....If you know me you would know I dip everything that goes in my tank...(including clams) So basically..I dip them for a total of at least 7 hours before I introduce them into the tank....(interceptor 6 hours, Levamisole 5 hours, & tropic marin PCC for about 20 mins...Than I do a three time swap out of water in the dipping vessel to purge the meds from the clam) Pretty much the whole dipping process takes upwards of at least 7 hours. By the time I'm ready to put these clams in the tank they are stressed... (sometimes they slime a bit) That sliming is almost like bleeding under water when a shark is in the remote area... Critters take it as the clam is dying & sometimes will attack..(hermits, & shrimp may begin to pick at the clams) No good at all on the factor of trying to lower the stress level of these new tank mates...

Some people may think I'm crazy to dip a clam... (I also scrub their shells too!!) But I dip everything...Not going to take any chances...too many sps in my tank & too many pests out their waiting to get in a clean system!!

Cool idea, nice clam too

Thanks, Greg

Great idea!

I appreciate it

whats the purpose of that? Just to protect it from other fish in the tank ?


how small do baby clams come.


could I keep one ni my 12 g nano?

Thanks...look above...Fish..critters..IE: shrimp, crabs etc... The smallest I've seen them available for sale was the size of a silver dollar. Possibly...would depend on your filteration system, lighting & also your practices on keeping your params at a higher end level...

HTH & thanks for all the comments, People
B