hi
well i heard that when freshwater clams breed the babies act like like parasites in the gill is tjis true cos im might be getting some

I don't know a think about clams, but have you tried searching the 'net for research material? You might find something out like that.

Yes, it's true that there is a parasitic stage in the life cycle of mussels and clams. But, most freshwater mussels and clams require a male and female to breed. So if you only have one, you should be safe.

Will a female clam 'store' sperm like an apple snail will? If they do, then they can possibly reproduce for a few months without being exposed to a male.

Parasitic stage. Scary stuff!

clams breed by external fertilization, meaning they eject their gametes or sperm and egg cells into the water at a timed synchronized effort. the big ones need seasonal changes to cue their timing. The small ones don't. and they will breed even in fish bowls.

Man Yu, that info doesn't jive with the info I have.

The male sex cells are released into the water and are taken into the female's body through the in-current siphon. They are then transported to the gills where the eggs are fertilized. The gills now serve as brood pouches as well as respiratory organs. Next, the eggs develop into glochidium, possessing only partially developed organs. At this point they are discharged from the female through the excurrent siphon into the water column. If they are to survive, they must be taken into the mouth of a passing fish and attach themselves to its gills. The glochidium remain embedded for 1 to 6 weeks in the tissues of the host fish, not increasing in size, but developing adult structures. Some species of mussels parasitize only one species of fish, while others are not as particular. This parasitism usually does not harm the host fish.


Here's the link
http://www.wvdnr.gov/Wildlife/Mussels.shtm

And another one
http://dep.state.ct.us/burnatr/Wildlife/le...musl/fwmusl.htm

And another
http://www.mdc.mo.gov/conmag/1999/08/40.htm

One more
http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/fisheries/420-523/420-523.html

thanks for all your replys

I have them freshwater clams, and they have never presented a problem to my fish. I have kept them with goldfish, bettas, plecos, snails, and others, and no problems have arisen thus far.

Edit: no reproduction, either. at lteast to my knowlege.

I was quoting the reproductive strategy of marine clams. Although your info does apply more to the freshwater ones, I guess.

ok thanks

If memory serves me correctly, I think I may have read somewhere that freshwater clams will not reproduce in the average aquarium, I faintly remember reading somewhere that they needed 'something' not found in ordinary tanks... now if i could only remember where i read that....

From what i read, it's the bigger freshwater clam species that don't breed in tanks since they need specific environmental and seasonal cues to signal their gamete production. But smaller species like sphere clams (Sphaerium) and pill clams (Pisidium) reproduce readily in aquariums. Zebra mussels are also prolific spawners wherever they are, even clogging sewers with their masses when their larvae are released into drains.