LFS Gave Mystery Clam After Cherry Shrimp Died, need help with ID (pics)

J

jessijessi

AC Members
Jul 10, 2005
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I don't know what this is called. They called it a freshwater clam. I, deep in mourning for Cherry, forgot to ask what kind clam it is specifically.

I have pictures!

Any info or ideas would be appreciated!

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It has little white circles near the hinge.
 
Clams are hard to care for. It needs to be in a place with high water circulation so it can feed off particulates in the water. Lots of clams starve to death and sit in tanks for weeks before being discovered dead. If it's by itself in a tank or with fish too big to eat small foods, I'd throw in a cube of baby brine but I really have no real knowledge of clam care.
 
Yeah clams are hard to care for and it's difficult for them to get enough food in an aquarium setting so that they don't starve. I've read about people keeping clams in their aquariums, and most of the time it wasn't sucessful. The clam would die in their aquarium and pollute the tank.
 
keeping clams has been done by a few people here. Where are the clam gurus at?
 
That is definitely a freshwater clam, also called freshwater mussel.

They're cheap, FREE in rivers and lakes (across my part of the US at least).

Edible as well.

If it was given in fair exchange for something you had that died under warranty, then you got jerked like a bass on a lure.

I know places where I can get bucketfuls of these buggers.
 
oops on my part

I guess the freshwater mussel can be a creature of varying availability in the wild, and certain varieties are threatened in some areas.

I didn't know that because I find them in small rivers and streams fairly often in the US Pacific Northwest.

US Fish and Wildlife's bit on the Freshwater Mussel:

http://news.fws.gov/mussels.html
 
I believe they're called Golden Asian Clams or something to that effect.

http://www.****************/catalog_pages/misc_critters/clam_fresh_water.htm#top2 has some limited info on them.

I'd recommend sitting them down where they're in the current from the filter. If you have a powerhead and a small tank, you'll be fine. Just make sure they have some current so that food will come to them. I hear they like a sand substrate although I'm unsure if they need it or not. When I changed from gravel to sand one of my clams buried itself halfway, the other one just sat on top like always. When they feed they open up a crack and stick a bit of their white bodies out. If you see one that is open more than just a crack and it's body isn't sticking out, it'd dead and should be removed. Sometimes they open all the way up, but when one of mine died it opened up only about 2mm. Which if you watch your clams for long enough you'll realize isn't normal. I enjoy my clams and I think they're great, so have fun with yours too. :)
 
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