# Clams in an NPT?



## mommyeireanne (Oct 24, 2007)

OK- I'm starting this up because I am fascinated by FW invertibrates right now. I really need something to go in with the one Beta NPT. Has anyone tried clams in a NPT? I read a few posts on the rest of the forum, but I'm specifically addressing El Natural. I think the dirt substrate and mulm should make a decent clam bed. 
I just read in "A Guide to Freshwater Invertibrates of N. America" by J. Reese Voshell, Jr. that the Sphaeriida sphaerium and Veneroidea pisidiidae clams do not use fish as host. These smaller clams ("fingernail", "Pea" or "Pill" clams) found all over N America diperse baby clams, not eggs nor larva needing hosts. The same is true of the Asian or Golden clams, except they are an invasive species in the US. They also reproduce more quickly. So, if no one gives me a good reason not to, I'm going to experiment again. I can get Golden clams, but they wouldn't be my first choice, they are bigger (upto 2") and I don't need many. I recall finding the fingernail clams seining and exploring the local water as a young girl. (so long ago :-({|= )


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## Squawkbert (Jan 3, 2007)

I too was interested in clams as they promise to be low maintenance (they need some circulation) and beneficial (sand stirring) but in the event one dies, it can be a major chore to find - and you rarely, if ever see them. After reading that, I elected to pass.

I don't know if anyone is keeping them in NPTs per se, but I know that there are some APC members who keep them...


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## NoSvOrAx (Nov 11, 2006)

I had some of the golden clams. They were hard to keep alive for me. They feed on stuff like green water and nitrifying bacteria.


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## boet (Feb 24, 2007)

I have read that clams need green water as a constant to survive well. I passed for that reason as well.


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## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

A clam in an average sized aquarium will be much too large for the amount of water that it must feed from and will starve to death unless fed green water at least twice a week. If you want to try keeping a clam, green water can be produced easily by keeping fish in a brightly lit unplanted tank.


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## spypet (Jul 27, 2007)

*maybe this will help:*


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## mommyeireanne (Oct 24, 2007)

Thanks everyone. I don't really want to culture green water. I was hoping a clam would fit into the Betta cleaner niche, that maybe it could clean and a Beta wouldn't bother it. I will hold off for now. My problem is that I want to try everything. I may readdress it in the spring, if we see some tiny pea clams. I'd still liek to hear more stories, though, if anyone else actually keeps/has kept them successfully. Thanks again!


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## mommyeireanne (Oct 24, 2007)

Or maybe I'll 'file' them for later- when I have the huge dream eco-tank, where a small dead clam wouldn't be such a problem. Yeah. I'm dreamin now.


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