Clams/Mussels and other filter feeders

[Bettacreek]

Well, I'm thinking about getting some clams and mussels, but I'm worried about feeding them. Does anyone know if you can feed them spirulina powder? I can't get greenwater to grow at all, so I'll have to use all artificial foods.

[paperdragon]

I don't know, but I can ask the guy I got my clams from. I would assume it'd work fine.

[Bettacreek]

If you don't mind asking, that'd be great. I don't want to get some and accidentally starve the poor things.

[paperdragon]

I sent off an email right after I posted, but it could be a day or so before I hear back. Maybe someone else with clams will chime in before then.

The clam food he sent me looks a bit like spirulina powder, but I never thought to ask exactly what was in it.

[Bettacreek]

Awesome, thank you! At least with feeding these guys artificial food, I won't have to worry about overfeeding as much, the daphnia tanks you really can't clean without loosing most of them, these guys aren't going to get sucked into airline or anything. :D

[paperdragon]

Ok, I got a response, he says he thinks it should work, but he recommends mixing it in water and putting in on a sunny windowsill for 24 hrs before feeding to give them a bit of infusoria too.

[Bettacreek]

Awesome! I won't be able to get any just yet, but after I get my shrimp, I'm going to get some then. :D

[paperdragon]

Cool! They're not exactly an active invert, but it's pretty neat to dig one up once in a while to watch it stick its foot out and burrow back down (I do it to see if they're still alive if I haven't seen them filtering in a while).

[Bettacreek]

Lol. The trapdoors that I got in aren't exactly active either. A few of them have moved about 1/4 of an inch, the others are still making their way onto their foot from their backs, and they've been in the tank since this morning, lol. I just think they're neat, even if I won't really see the clams or mussels very often. There's just something about all of these strange inverts that pulls at my heartstrings.

[Arakkis]

maybe try some phytoplankton like phytofeast for reef tanks