Derasa Clam Care by greg.chernoffThe Derasa Clam (Tridacna derasa) is the second-largest clam of the Tridacna clams. It is also one of the easier clams to care for. This clam can grow to about 20 inches in captivity. They typically have a brown gold coloration with white stripes or spots. It may also have bright blue along the outline of the mantel. It is possible to find specimens with blue and green highlights as well. The beauty of this clam and its “easier than most” label might make you want to rush and buy one now, but there are some important things you should now about Derasa Clam care before you do so. Background The wild population of Derasa Clams is listed as vulnerable because they were hunted for food. Luckily, they are widely aquacultured within the reefing industry. While many clams that are aquacultured are for the reef aquarium hobby, most of them are for food. Either way, they are not commonly collected from the ocean because of them being aquacultured. This is great for the clam populations in the wild. In the wild, Derasa Clams can grow to twenty-four inches! They are found in the Indo-Pacific, Central Pacific, and South Pacific. They usually live in the outer areas of the reef at depths between one and sixty feet. They will live on sandy substrate, on rocky surfaces, or among corals. Since these clams like lots of light, they will most commonly live in open areas where they are not covered or shaded in any way. These clams may live alone or in groups as dense as thirty clams per hectare. Why Captive Bred Derasa Clams Are Best The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have the Derasa Clam and other Tridacna clams labeled as threatened or endangered. For the Derasa Clam, this is mostly because of overutilization for commercial purposes such as food production or collection for aquariums. Buying captive-bred clams (or any saltwater creature) is best because it limits human-caused harm on the wild populations of clams. If you, for some reason, couldn’t care less about the wild populations (you should care!), there are still many reasons to buy captive bred Derasa Clams. First, they are more accustomed to aquarium life and have a much higher chance of surviving and thriving in a reef aquarium. They are less likely to get diseases and do better withstanding shipping or transport stress. It looks like captive bred is the best and only way to go! Derasa Clams are widely aquacultured and finding a captive bred specimen is not all that rare. You do want to ensure that you are buying your clam from a reliable source. Some clams may come with fish parasites and other pests on them. When you buy your clams from AlgaeBarn, the clam you receive is much less likely to have unwanted hitchhikers or pests. This is because AlgaeBarn keeps their clams in invertebrate-specific systems. [CInverts] Water Quality Water quality is key when it comes to keeping a Derasa Clam successfully. They require very clean water. There should not be particles or debris floating around in the tank. To achieve sediment-free water, make sure your filtration is capable of filtering such things out. The nutrients in the water should also be low. Derasa Clam care usually requires nitrates under 2 ppm, but nowhere near zero, as they do need some nutrients. You may also want to consider how much you feed your tank when thinking about getting a Derasa Clam. If you have a fish or other organism that requires heavy feeding, you may want to reconsider. Heavy feedings can pollute the water and in turn irritate the clam. Your water’s salinity, pH, and other aquarium parameters should be kept stable. Do this by testing frequently and using automation such as an auto top off. Using an auto top off is very necessary, not only for the care of your clam but for the whole tank and its inhabitants. There are many things you can keep stable with an auto top off. The most obvious is salinity. This is also the parameter that can fluctuate the most. It is silly to rely on your memory to refill the tank with freshwater using large amounts, while an auto top off will do it slowly as the water evaporates. You can also dose base elements, iodine, and other elements using an auto top off. It is best to do it this way because the nature of an auto top off is to add water slowly over time. That way you do not shock the clam and its tank mates. You will also want to try an keep the temperature stable. It does not matter exactly what temperature you keep it at, as long as it is between 72F and 78F. This may be difficult for people living in warmer areas, but having an air conditioner unit or a chiller can work. As for raising the temperature, it is as simple as using a heater. Placement Derasa Clams do best towards the bottom of the tank in the sand bed.You can also place them on the rock work, but make sure they are not at risk of being knocked over. It is also important to make sure that no detritus collects on the clam. One of the best ways to ensure secure Derasa clam placement is to purchase a Derasa Clam Keeper Kit. They can usually handle more intense lighting, but for proper Derasa Clam care they should be acclimated to the lighting. There are several ways you can go about this. If you have LEDs and are able to control the intensity, you can start the intensity low when you first add the clam. Then, over the course of a few weeks gradually increase the intensity every day. Another way is to add layers of plastic screening between the light and the tank above where the clam is. Like with the other method, gradually remove the screens every few days. The amount of lighting a Derasa Clam needs depends on its coloration. If it has a lot of bright blue, it will need much brighter lighting to maintain that color. The clams with a gold iridescent color can also handle more intense lighting. If the clam’s mantle is brown and is not showing the gold colorations, be sure to place it in lower light. When you find the correct intensity, keep it stable at that level. Whatever intensity you find yourself putting the clam at, don’t forget to acclimate it to that level first. When it comes to water flow clams like moderate to strong water flow. This is important to keep any detritus from collecting on the clam. While it can handle strong water flow, it has to be random and not direct. It would better to have moderate water flow that is random and indirect than to have direct strong water flow. The placement of a clam is something that takes careful planning and consideration. It can be the difference between a dead clam and a clam that doubles in size in a year. Base Elements Clams have a calcium-based shell and if you did not guess already, this means they need a lot of calcium to grow. They certainly will grow faster with higher levels, but it is more important to keep the levels stable. You can keep the level stable by dosing two-part, dosing kalkwasser, or using a calcium reactor. As mentioned earlier, if you have an auto top off, you can dose kalkwasser through that. This will be one of the best methods for smaller tanks as long as your auto top off does not fail. For larger tanks, it will be best to use a calcium reactor. The calcium levels should be between 400 and 450 ppm, the alkalinity should be 8-12 dKH, and magnesium should be 1,250-1,350 ppm. Feeding If it is under four inches, feeding is required for Derasa Clams. Smaller clams need to be fed phytoplankton a few times per week to keep them alive. When the clam gets larger it is still beneficial to feed the clam phytoplankton or just add it to the tank, especially if your nutrients are close to zero. The beautiful Derasa Clam is one of the easiest Tridacna clams to care for, but it still needs careful planning before being added to the tank. Fortunately for you, you have more insight into Derasa Clam care after reading this article. [CInverts]
Donna L Holder says December 27, 2019 at 6:46 pm i love everything about this. really awesome product. HAPPY HOLIDSYS MAN!!!!!! Reply
ssemme says December 29, 2019 at 9:44 am I want one but have to wait for the right tank. Great read! Reply
Gage says January 3, 2020 at 1:37 pm Me too I only have a 25g lagoon style so it is too shallow Reply
Tanner says December 30, 2019 at 12:31 am Indeed wonderful read and happy holidays to all and happy reefing Reply
Benjamin says December 30, 2019 at 6:13 pm I’ve always wanted to keep a clam. Good information! Reply
Noah Dotson says January 1, 2020 at 12:57 pm This was wonderful information. I have always wanted to keep a clam and this has now informed me on how to do it. Thank you! Reply
Sean Beaver says December 23, 2019 at 3:24 pm The idea of keeping a clam scares me right now but there is great info in this article. Reply
Chad Boeck says December 27, 2019 at 10:59 am Great article. Glad to see you are carrying these as well. Along with the squamosa. Reply
Ellen Aparicio says December 27, 2019 at 2:50 pm I never knew small clams needed phyto to survive. I always thought that was a myth. Reply
Josh Beith says December 31, 2019 at 6:17 am I would like one too just need to let my tank mature a little more Reply
Nicole Douglass says January 2, 2020 at 11:50 am I have never had a clam before, maybe I could give it a go 🙂 Reply
Alex von Hochtritt says December 23, 2019 at 3:45 pm That’s a gorgeous clam. I’ve never thought of having a clam in a tank before, that beauty – now I’m thinking about it. Reply
Adam Lyndaker says December 23, 2019 at 3:46 pm I always thought it was odd that so many species we keep in our tanks are also used for food. Reply
blas artiles says December 23, 2019 at 3:51 pm Happy holidays. One question, how big do these get? I have a 100 gallon tank and I like these Reply
Barry Sylvia says December 30, 2019 at 3:05 pm Article says, “This clam can grow to about 20 inches in captivity.” Reply
Jayda Patterson says December 23, 2019 at 3:53 pm Very informative article! I find clams very interesting and hope my tank can support one someday! Reply
Ricky D says December 23, 2019 at 3:58 pm Been meaning to pick up one of these. They’re truly beautiful Reply
Andrew Wiencek says December 23, 2019 at 4:09 pm Clams have always made me nervous, but after reading about them, I feel more comfortable and might end up getting one. Reply
Kristen Maves says December 23, 2019 at 4:18 pm It’s nice to know when buying tank raised your still caring and getting a beautiful part of the ocean! Thank you for all the info this is next on my list ? Reply
Benjamin Strong says December 30, 2019 at 12:52 pm Happy holidays! I hope everyone has an amazing new year! Reply
Joe Andolino says December 23, 2019 at 5:00 pm How old of a tank would you recommend for adding a clam like this? Reply
Zane Greay says December 23, 2019 at 5:31 pm Can’t wait to get a large enough reef tank to be able to keep clams! Reply
Nicholas Nevins says December 23, 2019 at 6:07 pm I love clams and can’t wait for my tank to be stable enough to keep one Reply
Chris Buswell says December 23, 2019 at 6:14 pm If one obtains a specimen without the gold or blue coloration, is it possible to encourage the clam to develop this as it matures? Reply
Tray says December 23, 2019 at 6:27 pm Good information. Thank I’ll be getting a clam in my next setup. Reply
Dallas Tippie says December 23, 2019 at 7:28 pm I had a clam when I first started my reef. Wish I had waited till I had my reef parameters stable. Reply
Rudy A Garcia says December 23, 2019 at 7:33 pm Bookmarking this page for whenever I get a large enough tank in the future that can house one of these. Until then….I will just envy everyone that keeps posting pictures of their Derasas and Maximas. Reply
Chris L says December 23, 2019 at 7:44 pm Would love to own one of these clams. How successful has anyone been in keeping them long term? Reply
ekersd says December 23, 2019 at 8:25 pm Captive bred is the only way to go for these great creatures! Reply
T.Erickson36 says December 23, 2019 at 8:47 pm I never realized that their wild population is in danger due to harvesting for food. I would’ve thought it would’ve been more due to pollution. Also never realized that they need super clean water, especially with them being a filter feeder. Reply
Derek Covatch says December 23, 2019 at 9:07 pm Lots of great information as I have two clams. Time to feed differently. Reply
Felix Roeschert says December 23, 2019 at 9:33 pm I wish I had known all of this when I had a clam! Reply
michael botzenmayer says December 23, 2019 at 9:34 pm I did not realize it was the second largest!!! Reply
Garrett Keller says December 23, 2019 at 9:59 pm I ran out of Phytoplankton for 3 weeks while my clam was 3″ and thriving. Sadly, It all happened over night with no signs of stress, I lost my clam because of not having the phyto. Reply
Leo Minegishi says December 23, 2019 at 10:06 pm I’ve only had success with clams once, maybe I should try one of these and see how it goes. Reply
Matt Traylor says December 23, 2019 at 10:11 pm Always wanted to keep a nice clam, but was always scared I’d kill it. This is a nice article that gives me some hope that I will be able to do so! Thanks! Reply
Brian Badge says December 23, 2019 at 10:26 pm Maybe someday, but too advanced for me, for now. Reply
Josh Gay says December 23, 2019 at 11:01 pm Good to see more and more clams are being aquacultured. Thats what I feel we should all be working towards in the hobby, more and more propagation and aquaculture, less and less taking from the wild. Reply
Julianne Morgan says December 24, 2019 at 12:27 am I so want a clam. But i dont have the big stable aquarium to keep one healthy. ? one day. Reply
Cole B Presley says December 24, 2019 at 12:38 am I would love to try a clam out in my tank but Im not sure how well it would do Reply
Bryan Kessler says December 24, 2019 at 12:49 am I miss having a clam in my tank after reading this I may give it another try! Reply
vmancine26 says April 19, 2021 at 5:58 pm Great clam for the beginner to expert aquararist very friendly low domandina clam Reply
Josha Mitchell says December 24, 2019 at 2:55 am Great info for beginners. Chris no you can’t force the colors of the clam Reply
Eric Homan says December 24, 2019 at 4:05 am When I get my larger tank I’ll have one for sure, they’re cool. Reply
KYLE WILLIAMS says December 24, 2019 at 5:37 am Good info. Iv’e been wanting to add a clam to my tank. Reply
ceg0002 says December 24, 2019 at 8:18 am Good read. My next adventure is culturing my own phytoplankton for my tank, maybe a clam may be in my future! Reply
Mike B says December 24, 2019 at 9:10 am Definitely a must have in my reefs. They stay in until they out grow the space. Quick growers but do take up the Calcium. Very hardy if you get them from a respectable source. Reply
Eric Recchia says December 24, 2019 at 2:15 pm Nice post! Very information, I’d love to have one of these clams some day. Reply
Eric Recchia says December 24, 2019 at 2:22 pm Great post, very informative! I’d love to have one of these some day. Reply
jlmplos31 says December 24, 2019 at 5:23 pm Tried keeping clams before, hopping to have a better tank to be able to keep one soon Reply
Jason Ly says December 24, 2019 at 6:55 pm Gonna get my first clan soon I finally have a tank big enough. Reply
Jason Ly says December 24, 2019 at 6:57 pm Getting my first clan soon I finally have a tank big enough!!! Reply
Carmen says December 24, 2019 at 11:45 pm I’ve been wanting to get a clam and this gave me so much good information on them. Thank you! Reply
Drew Rollman says December 25, 2019 at 9:49 am just saw a beautiful golden derasa at the lfs yesterday. I’ve never been a fan until I saw that one. always loved the ultra maximas Reply
Jay says December 25, 2019 at 2:53 pm Been seriously considering one of these after I upgrade my lights Reply
Mike says December 25, 2019 at 9:15 pm Clams look amazing in reef tanks and are great filter feeders Reply
ashtonrileyenglart says December 26, 2019 at 8:31 am The clams are great!!. Have always wanted one but i just dont have space. Reply
Ricky Dube says December 26, 2019 at 9:04 am These are so beautiful, I almost can’t resist getting one Reply
LeAnn Harbert says December 26, 2019 at 9:10 am My granddaughters would love to have these in their aquarium. Reply
dcallahan56789 says December 26, 2019 at 9:21 am Do you find that larger clams have a better success rate in the home aquarium? I’ve heard that once they each a certain size they are more reliant on photosynthesis than being a filter feeder. any truth to this? Reply
Casey Whittington says December 26, 2019 at 12:49 pm Awesome Blog post. In my 10+ yrs of being a Saltwater hobbyist I’ve always had issues with Derasa Clams, I do have 2 currently they have been doing also since I got them over yr ago 🙂 Reply
Vincent Prezioso says December 26, 2019 at 6:57 pm Very informative blog on clams……I appreciate all the information Reply
Nicholas Hagstrom says December 26, 2019 at 7:45 pm Really good read I’m hoping to get a clam one day! Reply
Jordan Sims says December 26, 2019 at 8:41 pm I have really been interested in clams recently, when my tank matures more I will definitely hit y’all up. Happy New Year! Reply
John Demanko (@jmdreef) says December 26, 2019 at 10:21 pm My favorite clam species, i have an 8 incher in my tanm and it has been growing quickly Reply
James T Myers says December 27, 2019 at 9:18 am Starting a 90gal reef only I think a clam would be great. Happy holidays Reply
Justin Preble says December 27, 2019 at 11:03 am I would love to have a Derasa in my reef!! They’re so beautiful. Reply
Cheryl Taylor says December 27, 2019 at 11:29 am Wow! So cool! I’ve always wanted to try clams! Going to have to do it soon! Happy holidays Reply
chbnorth says December 27, 2019 at 11:48 am Great article. I’ll be looking to purchase your derasa as well as squamosa clams in the combing months as the new tank gets started. Reply
r.brandon.christopher says December 27, 2019 at 12:34 pm As soon as I upgrade to a bigger tank I’m getting with you guys for a clam! Reply
Meghan Mulkerin says December 27, 2019 at 1:04 pm I got two clams recently. One died, the other is just fine. It was really frustrating because of course the blue died. Reply
MSCOZZ says December 27, 2019 at 1:28 pm I am seriously thinking about getting one. Great article! Reply
Brian says December 27, 2019 at 3:21 pm My next purchase for sure will be a clam. Always wanted one. Great info! Reply
Richard says December 27, 2019 at 4:16 pm I love clams and think they’re a great addition to a reef tank! Reply
Corey Graese says December 27, 2019 at 6:06 pm Always been a goal of mine to have one of these. Reply
Courtney Hoard says December 27, 2019 at 6:49 pm Is it true that clams also help filtrate the water as well? Reply
Jean PAttison says December 27, 2019 at 8:16 pm Happy Holidays. Clams are above my pay grade, but I love them:) Reply
Robert Southard says December 27, 2019 at 9:04 pm I’ve read this many times and there’s great information here I would love to get one some day. Reply
Todd says December 27, 2019 at 9:13 pm Still a newbie but definitely aspire to be able to care for a clam! Reply
Michael Quinones says December 27, 2019 at 11:07 pm Never considered getting clams but this was an interesting read. Happy Holidays Reply
Neal says December 27, 2019 at 11:59 pm these are awesome, I bought one back in July but the nassarius snails ate him clean Reply
ann.wirey1 says December 28, 2019 at 4:48 am Great article! Armed with this information, I have determined that although I really wanted a clam, it is not right for me at this time. Perhaps a future goal as I progress through this amazing hobby. Thank you & Happy Holidays! Reply
To y says December 28, 2019 at 7:48 am I had one of these for about 5 years. I never had to do anything special and it seemed like it was always happy. The whole tank collapsed during a 7 day power outage. Reply
kvirginia24 says December 28, 2019 at 12:57 pm Great read!!!! I’ve been looking into getting one! Reply
Alejandro Rodriguez says December 28, 2019 at 9:06 pm I didn’t know keeping clams was possible at home. Interesting read. I would need more information. Happy Holidays. Reply
Edward Raposo says December 29, 2019 at 12:38 am I’ve historically been hesitant to get one of these because of what I thought were extreme lighting requirements. This article is making me reconsider! Reply
Martin Waite says December 29, 2019 at 11:26 am Would love a bed of claims but see so few for sale.. Reply
Jon Dahl says December 29, 2019 at 12:41 pm Great article. I am glad to see another animal being captive bread. Reply
Madeline says December 29, 2019 at 5:41 pm Informative article! I’d love to get a clam eventually! Reply
Jim Carnese says December 29, 2019 at 5:47 pm I have had no luck with clams after 3 attempts I will not try again for a while Reply
Bobby says December 29, 2019 at 6:27 pm I’ve always been afraid to keep clams. If I had a bigger tank I’d give it a go, but I only have 2 32 gallon biocube! Reply
Julie Bauknecht says December 29, 2019 at 6:39 pm Give me pause to consider a clam. Thank you! and Merry Christmas! Reply
Clint Guinther says December 29, 2019 at 6:53 pm Great information but I probably won’t be growing clams Reply
Aisha says December 29, 2019 at 7:03 pm Always thought about getting clams, but I want to make sure my ta is 100% ready! Reply
James Cato says December 29, 2019 at 7:21 pm Definitely need some phyto from algae barn if I’m going to house a clam or scallop! Reply
jade.tully says December 29, 2019 at 7:36 pm This was really interesting to read. Love learning about this stuff. Reply
Bo Kinsland says December 29, 2019 at 7:48 pm Awesome and informative. Im excited to get into it! Reply
Andrew says December 29, 2019 at 8:24 pm Never knew clams were something really used in the hobby. Cool! Reply
Ian N says December 29, 2019 at 9:00 pm These clams are beautiful, but I would much rather view them from afar Reply
Doffrey says December 29, 2019 at 9:41 pm I’ve always thought clams were cool, they’re just so weird looking Reply
Briana Diaz says December 29, 2019 at 9:56 pm Happy holidays. Would love an in depth article like this on pea puffers Reply
Jaime Quintanilla says December 29, 2019 at 11:01 pm I’m using this when I’m ready for my clam tank Reply
Kale Breinig says December 29, 2019 at 11:23 pm Good read. I have been contemplating getting a clam and this was very helpful. Reply
Omar S says December 29, 2019 at 11:51 pm I just bought one of those, how convenient of a time to find this thread, you guys knew somehow haha Reply
Ashton says December 30, 2019 at 12:09 am Where can you get phytoplankton from and how can you raise it yourself? Reply
Anthony Sansone says December 30, 2019 at 12:58 am This is super helpful! Can wait to put a clam in my 75g! Reply
Bennie Fitzgerald says December 30, 2019 at 2:16 am Keep feeding me knowledge please so i can pass on to my kids Reply
Carrie Charles says December 30, 2019 at 7:59 am This blog article was so helpful. Thank you so much:) Reply
Tristan Smith says December 30, 2019 at 9:12 am Great read. Wishing I had space for a clam in my tank. Reply
Jamie says December 30, 2019 at 9:14 am I have just recently bought some Derasa clams and had a little trouble with keeping them looking healthy and good although I knew I was doing everything right. After reading this article I decided to check the quality of my water filter, and it was just not doing the best it could getting rid of all the particles in the water, so I bought and new and better one. My clams so much happier and beautiful, thank you! Reply
Doug perry says December 30, 2019 at 9:26 am I can’t wait to find a clam that I really like. They are all cool looking but I gotta hold out for that special one Reply
Erick Blais says December 30, 2019 at 11:17 am My first time learning about the keeper kits. Good idea and good post. Reply
Wendy Browne says December 30, 2019 at 3:08 pm Not a species for me but good news that yhey are aqua cultured. Reply
Krystal Whittington says December 30, 2019 at 3:43 pm Awesome Read 🙂 I love CLAMS they really set a tank off Reply
Matt Blefeld says December 30, 2019 at 5:23 pm I used to have a Derasa until my peppermint shrimps went to town on the mantle. Miss it for sure. They are cool and great filter feeders Reply
bad72nova says December 30, 2019 at 5:58 pm Good info but how do you feed phyto to a clam? Turkey baster it near the clam or? Reply
liesle_memmott says December 30, 2019 at 8:00 pm Good information. Will remember this when I’m ready to add a clam to my set up! Happy Holidays Reply
Melissa says December 30, 2019 at 8:02 pm Always love the look of clams at stores, but too nervous that I would kill it instantly in my house. Reply
Barb Sili says December 30, 2019 at 9:02 pm >.> Never knew. I’ve never seen any sold in stores. 20 inches is quite large. My tank wouldn’t be able to support a size like that. Atm I’m only into plants. Reply
shirley devera-caldwell says December 30, 2019 at 9:52 pm Wow.. didnt know they can get so large in the wild! Reply
t.joudi says December 30, 2019 at 10:08 pm Are these species of clam able to reproduce in captivity? Reply
Courtney says December 31, 2019 at 6:03 am I have wanted a Clam for a while now. I think I may get one 🙂 Reply
James Durnford says December 31, 2019 at 8:19 am This is some good info. Never occurred to me to even keep clams. Reply
John Louis says December 31, 2019 at 8:33 am I’ve been wanting to keep one for a while now, this is very informative, thank you!! Reply
Cuzzin says December 31, 2019 at 9:49 am Very informative. Never thought about a clam b4, but may be a good option Reply
jennifershea says December 31, 2019 at 10:13 am Clams are beautiful, but I am scared to own them!! Reply
Kim Eberhart says December 31, 2019 at 3:13 pm I want clams soooo bad. My current tank is just cycling so maybe one day…. Reply
Cassie schmick says December 31, 2019 at 5:56 pm I’ve always wanted a clam so thank you for the information! Happy New Years! Reply
Bryan Tobias says January 1, 2020 at 1:54 am I had a Derasa but lost it in my last tank. May consider one for my new tank build though! Reply
Eric Rosnick says January 1, 2020 at 11:40 am Great information, just getting started in saltwater Reply
James says January 1, 2020 at 6:18 pm Happy Holidays This clam is a definite plus for your marine tank. Reply
chereecarter says January 1, 2020 at 7:03 pm Thanks for the article… clams are kind of a final frontier for me and something I’ve never attempted before. Reply
Brandon Baldwin says January 1, 2020 at 7:40 pm Clams are amazing! They also scare me to ever get though. Maybe someday… Reply
Jonathan Dahl says January 1, 2020 at 8:16 pm Thanks for the great articles. I think adding a clam to my reef will be my next big jump in reefing experience. Reply
Edgar Alvarez says January 1, 2020 at 9:34 pm I’ve never thought about caring for clams until now. Reply
Nicholas Steele says January 2, 2020 at 2:13 am I can’t wait to have a big enough tank for a calm! Reply
Chris Peters says January 2, 2020 at 3:28 am That clam rock you guys offer in your Derasa clam kit is pretty cool. The best idea I’ve heard of so far is using a shell to mount the clam on to give the foot something to settle on defensively so worms can’t climb in through the hole in the bottom (can’t remember what it’s called, hole will have to do for now lol). The clam rock is a much more elegant solution. Glad I bought a tunze osmolator for the tank I’m setting, never realized they were so central to clam care (not a 100% on getting one yet, but it’s nice to have the option). Reply
Richard Hicks says January 2, 2020 at 6:44 am Lots of interesting info. May have to give it a try. Reply
ainarm says January 2, 2020 at 8:07 am Still thinking about Clams. Maybe after a few more months of tank being stable. Reply
Paul Marvin says January 2, 2020 at 10:18 am Phytoplankton is the perfect food for feed clams, especially ones under 3″ in size! Reply
Elizabeth Mack says January 2, 2020 at 12:15 pm I have never planned to have clams but it was a good, informative read. Thanks! Reply
Nicole says January 2, 2020 at 12:24 pm Now I am going down the rabbit hole of finding out all the things I didn’t know I needed to know….great info! Reply
shackelford.jim says January 2, 2020 at 2:27 pm Interesting read… makes me want to add a clan to my reef setup. 🙂 Reply
Michael Braccia-Hubbard says January 2, 2020 at 7:40 pm This is a great read for those that don’t know much about clams Reply
Kaity says January 2, 2020 at 11:31 pm Great knowledge on this type of clams. Hope everyone has a wonderful year!!2020!! Reply
Jamie Carabin says January 3, 2020 at 8:18 am I was happy to see Jake from Reef Builders visit that clam aquaculture facilty in Palau I think. I don’t think the main stress on the population is the aquarium industry…it’s a necessary food source. More aquaculture facilities will hopefully keep the wild population balanced. I’ve always stayed away from clams because they are macro nutrient hogs. Reply
megan_kim says January 3, 2020 at 8:38 am I would love to own a clam! this is AMAZING information ! Reply
COLTON SMOLDT says January 3, 2020 at 11:14 pm Great reading material would love to have some Derasa Clams that are 2 feet big. Happy holidays and happy claming Reply
Chris says January 4, 2020 at 6:46 am Very interesting, I really want a clam in my tank someday Reply
Elliot Haddad says January 4, 2020 at 9:18 am Will be putting a clam in my new tank a lot of good info Reply
Tonya Tipton says January 4, 2020 at 9:32 am Wow, I have never heard of this before, you learn something new everyday. Reply
kathy pease says January 4, 2020 at 12:05 pm You guys sure know a lot about tank setups unlike myself Reply
Kameron H says January 5, 2020 at 12:58 am Great read! Currently looking into the diversity of different clam species and which ones would be best for aquaculture based ecosystems and how they would fluctuate with different water parameters etc. it’s crazy how much we’ve advanced with keeping so many different species! Reply
Amber Kolb says January 5, 2020 at 11:05 am Wow! That is a big clam! It would be so neat to see one in person. Happy Holidays! Reply
Anthony says January 5, 2020 at 1:01 pm What an informative article! Thank you for the important information! Happy holidays! Reply
Anthony Bloom says January 5, 2020 at 1:28 pm I have yet to set up a saltwater tank, but would live to throw one of these babies in there ?? great read! Thank you and happy new year! Reply
Judi A Mitzel says January 5, 2020 at 2:20 pm Sunday I hope to have a big enough tank to have one of these! Reply
Mike Sloan says April 12, 2021 at 6:57 am Been curious about clams. Saw some massive ones at wonders of wildlife, after that I’ve been interested in putting them in my tank. Thanks for for info! Reply
Scott Chase says April 19, 2021 at 2:24 pm Grows big fast but finding new homes shouldnt be a problem Reply
shawn22vest says April 19, 2021 at 4:58 pm Personally i think these are the easiest species of clam to keep Reply
Ellery Wong says April 19, 2021 at 5:48 pm I wonder how many color variants there are? I have the Gold Tiger Stripe and a Purple /Green mantle derasa. Reply
Tim Brown says April 19, 2021 at 7:51 pm A 20″ clam in an 8″ tank… I doubt I could make it work. Reply
John Kellar says April 19, 2021 at 8:15 pm Bookmarked this page, because I’m probably going to get a Derasa Reply
Natalie Fernandez says April 19, 2021 at 10:25 pm Wow great read! I learned lots of useful information. Definitely going and try to keep one of these clams eventually. Reply
Daniel Lenger says April 20, 2021 at 12:17 pm Derasa seem a bit finicky, at least just as much as Maxima IMO Reply
CASTLE APP says March 7, 2025 at 3:11 am Great insights on Derasa clam care! I appreciate the detailed tips on lighting and water parameters. It’s always a challenge to maintain the right conditions, but your recommendations really help simplify the process. Looking forward to trying out some of your suggestions! Reply
Keeping the Gigas Clam There is something almost archetypal in the legend of man-eating clams. Perhaps this evokes allegorical imagery of a greedy or overly plucky sort of fool Read More about Keeping the Gigas Clam
Frequently Asked Questions: Keeping Giant Clams At AlgaeBarn, we are always happy to hear from our customers and we often are asked a lot of questions about husbandry. Sometimes, we will see a trend in Read More about Frequently Asked Questions: Keeping Giant Clams
AlgaeBarn is celebrating the octopus! Everyone's favorite eight-armed mollusk is having its very own day! October 8th is Octopus Day, and what better way to celebrate than by learning a few fun Read More about AlgaeBarn is celebrating the octopus!
