# How do I breed clams?



## Fortuna Wolf (Feb 3, 2007)

I'm looking for a clam that is easy to breed and won't parasitize fish, but I can't find any info on google on clam breeding. 
Any clues?


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## crataegus (Nov 16, 2006)

Corbicula (aka golden clams, asiatic clams) are kept by some people, but you would need to check with your department of natural resources to find out if they're illegal in your area before keeping them. Corbicula are aquatic invaders in many parts of the world. As far as I know, their larvae do not parasitize fish, but maybe we have a malacologist who could give better information. I do not know how easy they are to breed in an aquarium.

Uniodae (freshwater mussels sometimes called clams) do release their young as parasitic glochidia, but I believe that each species' glochidia parasitize different species of fish. Between pollution and these exacting needs for reproduction, many Uniodae are endangered. Some US states have laws forbidding collection or ownership of any Uniodae. These would also be very difficult to breed in an aquarium. There is a Southeast Asian Uniodae available for sale from some dealers in the US and European countries. I don't know if that species requires specific hosts for glochidia, but those glochidia would parasitize fish.

I've heard of fingernail and pill clams being bred in an aquarium, but I have not seen any for sale. Fingernail/pill clams are generally rare. Some species are found only in one remote stream or pond. More widespread species are found in vernal pools and freshwater bays (like Carolina Bays). It would probably be illegal to collect any of those from the wild.


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## wiste (Feb 10, 2006)

All freshwater clams undergo a free-swimming larval stage. In this stage, the freshwater clam is parasitic on fish.
A related and informative post:
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/showpost.php?p=241882&postcount=19


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## crataegus (Nov 16, 2006)

wiste said:


> All freshwater clams undergo a free-swimming larval stage. In this stage, the freshwater clam is parasitic on fish.
> A related and informative post:
> http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/showpost.php?p=241882&postcount=19


I believe that the article cited in that post refers only to Uniodae. Corbicula either remain free swimming or are incubated within the parent as with their relatives, the Sphaeriidae (pill clams). (Here's some more info on Corbicula larvae.)


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## wiste (Feb 10, 2006)

Thanks for the clarification. 
I believe the pertinent text is as follows:


> The larva of the freshwater Asiatic clam (Corbicula fluminea), an invasive species, was selected as the toxicity bioassay mollusc. Corbicula larvae are nonglochidial and released as fully formed larvae from adults in the spawning season, and a sediment bioassay using the larvae has been developed (Phelps and Clark 1988).


Nonglochidial indicates they do not go through the glochidium, a parasitic larval form.


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## Fortuna Wolf (Feb 3, 2007)

interesting. 
I wonder how long the larvae persists in a free swimming form. 
I've heard that some larvae can persists for weeks or months before settling, but in a tank community, they'd probably get eaten.


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