Asian Clams (Corbicula fluminea): good idea or bad?

[razornick]

Local craigslist ad is giving away live Asian Clams (Corbicula fluminea). Good idea or bad to add to pond? Will they clog plumbing and pumps like zebra mussel or are they beneficial filter feeders?

 

[oldmarine]

The only thing I know about fresh water clams are, they need a sandy or soil substrate to live in.

 

[oldmarine]

In addition to my last post, fresh water clams wouldn't do well in a regular pond that doesn't have a soil based substrate. Most varieties require something that they can burrow into.

 

[koikeepr]

I don't like mollusks in my pond of any type because if any of these critters dies it can be very hard to know for quite some time (heck, it's not like they're swimming around so you can see activity) and in the meantime it will rot and potentially pollute your water.

 

[DrDave]

Koikeepr makes a good point on the noticability of a dead one.
Also, you don't know what the condition of the critter is when you put it in since shells don't give you any clue as to it's health. You might introduce something that may kill everything in the pond.

 

[oldmarine]

I had some my trap door snails in a 50 gallon aquarium in the house. One died and make the water in the aquarium stink to high heaven, It might have been different if I had some fish that could have eaten the dead remains, but I didn't. All small fish. I had to do a thirty percent water change to get rid of the smell.

My 50 gllaon has fish, heavy with plants, and no filter. The plants are always healthy, and the water is crystal clear. Recently I found a dead trap door snail in the pond, but there were no adverse effects like I experienced in the 50 gallon aquarium.

 

[koikeepr]

just not worth the stink as far as i'm concerned!

 

[DrDave]

I agree, the risk outweighs the benefits. I just cleaned my 55 gallon tank for the winter and when I opened the Fluval filter, there was hundreds of snails inside.

I have been trying to eliminate them for a year now out of my tanks, I wonder if they are also in my pond.

 

[Mrshkoiluver]

I had trapdoor snails and had to treat for argulus (fish lice probably from birds that bathe in my pond) and I used dimilin. It killed the sails. I won't add anymore for this reason.

 

[koikeepr]

it's a good point too. Many pond meds are not for mollusks and will kill them--and thus ensues a big mess in the pond. Another good reason not to add these critters to a pond.

 

[razornick]

Once again, great advice from this site and forum. Thanks!