# Freshwater CLAM



## sharkattack

Just curious if anyone has experience with these: Tropical Freshwater Invertebrates for Aquariums: Freshwater Clam

1) They are neat 
and
2) the description says they provide a good filtering mechanism for the tank

Just wonder if anyone has experience with them, has some general thoughts or feelings about them, etc etc etc


----------



## mec102778

I have a post about them on here not to long ago, read, read, and read some more about them. they are not a filter or any type of filter. They are a filter feeder which is completely different. Also they babies are essentially parasites that hitch hike on fish in a condensed area such as a fish tank they can cause a problem with the fish there.

Read up before you commit to keeping one more spicifically keeping them to help clean a fish tank.


----------



## sharkattack

mec102778 said:


> I have a post about them on here not to long ago, read, read, and read some more about them. they are not a filter or any type of filter. They are a filter feeder which is completely different. Also they babies are essentially parasites that hitch hike on fish in a condensed area such as a fish tank they can cause a problem with the fish there.
> 
> Read up before you commit to keeping one more spicifically keeping them to help clean a fish tank.


thanks a ton
ya i posted this, then i went to read up on them. from what i found they are definitely not as good at filtering as they are advertised. and if you have one die, your ammonia levels will skyrocket, especially if you cant find where the clam has dug into

thanks again, probably a big no on buying one of these

more interested in the cherry shrimp


----------



## mec102778

You're welcome, still be neat to have one in a planted tank or something. And I did read keeping one you're less likely to have spawn.


----------



## slurik

I read a wonderful article from AFI (Aquarium Fish International Magazine) November 2010 issue about freshwater clams. I will be happy to type it out, I've gotten it out of my box of old magazines if this summary leaves any gaps.

Freshwater clams, unlike some marine ones, are dependant on filter feeding. As noted this doesnt mean they'll filter your system, but consume organic materials from the water as its passed through the clam. As you have a clean aquarium, you will have to add these particular foods yourself, or the clam will effectively starve. FW clams live in sediment rich environments, full of detrius and other microorganisms, the water is actually quite nasty to look at or smell. 

Another issue with clams is that they dig in freshwater, often out of sight.. You asked if they were neat, and yes they are nifty, but they generally will disappear. Further, if you reach in to move him back into sight, you will inevitably stress the animal, since it retreated for a good reason, and probably cause the animal to decline from just wanting to look at it. This happens VERY frequently in marine systems where people add the popular "Flame Scallop".

Further, often enough freshwater clams are horribly mis-represented as to what species they are, and frequently you will not actually get a clam, but a mussel. It might not sound problematic, but it is... The larvae of freshwater mussels is called glochidia, and are parasitic on the bodies of fish, and in their gills. Fortunately, usually it does no damage, but it can.. So you'd be running this risk. They do require specific fish species to host on though.

Next you have to maintain appropriate calcium levels for a mussel or clam, they need to grow a shell. 

Overall, I would discourage you from getting a freshwater clam, as you probably wouldn't enjoy it since it would most likely hide in the back of your tank buried away. It could starve if you cannot feed it properly, as specific species will only actually eat particles a specific size despite seeming to be consuming a variety of sizes.

This is very common for filter-feeding clams. And produces massive pollution in the tank trying to provide the proper particle sizes for the animal. Often these animals will starve to death, despite a very dedicated hobbiest trying uncountable types of foods, and can be extremely discouraging.

This information was obtained from Mike Wickham, he has spent 25 years as a retailer, and has authored several aquarium books, and founded Pleco Press. I feel this information is concrete.

And on the other hand.. cherry shrimps rock!


----------



## snail

Has anyone actually kept fresh water clams alive and like them? Sellers talk them up but most experienced keepers only have bad things to say about them, but then I love snails in my tanks and most people hate those.


----------



## slurik

Ive never tried them myself, i do have a few friends who did. The biggest problem was feeding them as i mentioned, and when they did die, neither of my 2 friends noticed and they decayed in the tank deteriorating the water quality quite a bit. 

I think the animal simply has too high of demands to be kept in captivity without serious dedication to it. In which case, someone who wants to put that much attention into a clam would go for a maxima or squamosa clam (photosynthetic marine species).


----------



## Gizmo

I started out with 5 clams, I'm down to 2. They starve slowly and die, but I hang on to them solely because when they pass, my shrimp have a feast. It's very hard to see their bivalves sticking out of the substrate, but if you know where to look you can find them.


----------

