Fish You Wanted To Get, Didn't Get, And Are Glad You Decided Not T

[trianglekitty]

I'm very glad I did not get the fresh water clams that my LFS suggested as living filters.

 

[onidrase]

I'm very glad I did not get the fresh water clams that my LFS suggested as living filters.

what do they do that is wrong? I was thinking about getting some myself

 

[trianglekitty]

I'm very glad I did not get the fresh water clams that my LFS suggested as living filters.

what do they do that is wrong? I was thinking about getting some myself

From my reading, they don't 'filter' the water in that they don't remove ammonia or nitrites. They do remove food particles, but they have to be very small particles for the clam to eat them. Most clams can live months before they starve, so people don't generally realize the clam isn't eating. When they do die, they can die down in the substrate and be difficult to find, but can cause a sudden ammonia spike and kill the tank residents. To keep them healthy, you have to feed them food for filter feeders, and they prefer colder temps. then tropicals.

If I've gotten any of this wrong, someone please correct me- I looked at a number of sites. There's very conflicting information, ranging from clams are the just the best thing ever for cleaning your water and need no care whatsoever; to clams will die and kill everything in your tank.

 

[Blubble37]

think you are spot on there to be honest...

 

[This Old Spouse]

Yep, that's darn close. You just can't tell if/when they die, and the ammonia the death produces is lethal to your other tank inhabitants.