Clams don't seem as popular as they have been in the past.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Is that seemingly true?

Is there a supply issue?

Do the mostly blue and green clams just not look as stunning in the ultra blue light tanks of today?

 

[Miami Reef]

Maxima clams are my favorite. They look fantastic under full-spectrum lighting.

I’m definitely a clam fanatic and couldn’t imagine having a tank without at least a few. During large water changes, they shoot jet streams as the waterline drops below them. It’s like a firework show, or should I say… a waterwork show?

My LFS gets them routinely.

@PacificEastAquaculture has an amazing selection.

 

[Js.Aqua.Project]

I agree with @Miami Reef as I personally am still a fan of Maximas and currently have two of ORA's.

But overall I have also noticed fewer clams in the hobby lately, or at least fewer being shown off

 

[Kasrift]

Love to see the placement of the Maxima you have @Miami Reef . I'm trying to figure out where to place some in a 200g mixed reef build I'm working on.

 

[Kasrift]

Oh and to be a contributor to the topic @Randy Holmes-Farley , I think they are less popular solely based on people branching out and having different fish.

Largely, it seems that more people are willing to take the risk with things like angels if they have a large SPS tank and believe their colonies can survive some light pecking, but I think clams are still on the menu in some of those tanks.

This is just speculation, since I'm not fully tracking all of the fish that eat clams, but I do see more and more mixed reefs with the fish "with caution" being more and more common.

 

[Tahoe61]

It has always seemed seasonal to me.
Once you start seeing one vendor selling Squamosa, you start seeing other vendors follow suit.
The hybrids appear to come out in batches as well.
Because I really like Tridacna I am always window shopping.
Derasa are still the easiest and cheapest to find.

 

[Balthazar]

Calm- Clam
Title typo or was that meant to be?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Calm- Clam
Title typo or was that meant to be?

Typo. Lol

I do like clams too. This was one of mine from the past. Definitely in white, not blue light.

 

[dansyr]

I'm a clam enthusiast and suspect most of us on this subforum are similarly biased so I say they're just as popular as ever

But seriously, I would somewhat agree and attribute it to the way that clams are hard to increase supply in the chop-shop/garage frag style i associate with some of the trends in community popularity. So my vote is for dilution - clams are impossible to fit into that model and so whatever is 'in' has production geared towards that and will dwarf clam popularity by default.

 

[Tamberav]

I love clams but I also love fish that love clams. There is a lot more angels and butterflies in reefs now.

I did grab a dersa from petco for $25 recently as it was too good to pass up.

Clam prices are generally much higher than they used to be too. The nice blue and turquoise ones used to be $50 during a big holiday sale. Ofc price is up on everything but you can’t frag a clam.

 

[Jasonak]

I have one and would like another but not sure as to there current popularity. Got me thinking Ill have to hit the LFS about ordering some in

 

[UnderwaterGardener]

Super Clam fan here, We do sometimes get a few clams in and they do go quickly! My theory is that we see more people interested in keeping LPS and Softies rather than taking on the challenge of SPS and harder to maintain corals like Gonis for example. People are much more inclined to read up on items before they purchase them nowadays and tend to opt into things they view as easier to keep alive wether it be for cost or moral reasons. Most places online describe clams as a challenge to the common reefer and i think that plays a larger part in the popularity of them!

 

[Paleozoic_reefer]

I was always hesitant about getting a clam but I’ve had this one for several years with great success. Might explore getting a dersa and trying it out.

 

[twentyleagues]

Clams are always viewed better in white light. The heavy blues cover up most of their brilliant colors. Also clams are better viewed from above. Not too many people with tanks low enough to properly view them.

 

[Paleozoic_reefer]

Clams are always viewed better in white light. The heavy blues cover up most of their brilliant colors. Also clams are better viewed from above. Not too many people with tanks low enough to properly view them.

Great point! Mine looks like the color is faded from the side but from the top the blue and gold colors are amazing.

 

[BryanM]

I love them, got a derasa early on, and its still doing quite well.

 

[FMF0331]

I have 8 clams in my tank. Replace reborn media every 2.5 months.

 

[Ben Pedersen]

I think it is a popularity and a supply issue. You can get an ok looking maximus clam but not the truly amazing ones from the 90s.

It’s hard to find squamosa clams and when you find them, they are only ok looking and are more then $100 an inch.

I think people would prefer to purchase expensive SPS or LPS that can be fragged instead of purchasing a 2” $350 (After Shipping) ok/mediocre clam that can’t be fragged. I personally love clams.

@Randy Holmes-Farley do clams remove DOM from water decreasing yellowing?

Just took these photos a few mins ago in my pond. There are 5 max in the first photo.

 

[IceNein]

It has always seemed seasonal to me.
Once you start seeing one vendor selling Squamosa, you start seeing other vendors follow suit.

This hobby seems very "follow the leader" to me, in that it seems like everyone comes up with a group consensus and then drives what is "hot" based on that. For example, everyone seems goo goo ga ga over bounce mushrooms, but they really do nothing for me.

So once you start seeing a bunch of people doing one thing, it somehow becomes "the next big thing." I'm sure clams will have their day again.

 

[Miami Reef]

For example, everyone seems goo goo ga ga over bounce mushrooms, but they really do nothing for me.

Same lol