giant clams

Flashback Friday: All the Giant Clams of the World (So Far,) by Jake Adams

Those who knew Jake Adams knew that he had a fascination with Tridacna spp. Clams, and spent years seeking out, collecting, and writing about his favorite, beautiful bivalves.  We remember when he messaged us in 2022 after procuring a Devil…

Giant Clams Can Manipulate Light To Assist Their Symbiotic Partner

Special cells in giant clams shift the wavelength of light to protect them from UV radiation and increase the photosynthetic activity of their symbionts, shows research KAUST. Using special cells, known as iridocytes, the clams can manipulate light via layers…

Giant Clams in the Aquarium, a New Book by James Fatheree

There’s a lot going on in the realm of our favorite reef bivalves, from the newly arrived Red Sea cultured clams, to the revision of Indian Ocean species, and now we even have a new book. Giant Clams in the…

Red Sea Clams Return to the Aquarium Hobby

When we were just a wee little aquarist still playing around with African and American cichlids, one of the creatures that drew us to the world of ‘mini reef’ aquariums were the giant clams from the Red Sea. It was…

Gold Tiger Maxima Clams From Taiwan

So-called ‘gold clams’ are usually used to describe the unfortunate Tridacna clam species with a preponderance of brown color, but some clams actually are gold. I’m not talking about the super rare gold ‘foil’ variant sometimes seen in T. maxima  & T. crocea, but the lustrous…

Giant Clams Proposed to be listed under Endangered Species Act

Giant clams are some of the most magical creatures we keep in our reef tanks. Although the vast majority of Tridacna and Hippopus clams in the aquarium hobby come from giant clam farms, this group of reef animals is under…

Black tiger maxima clam in the wild

In case you had forgotten what a stellar black tiger maxima clam is supposed to look like  . . . here’s some great shots of this clam to jog your memory. It’s been a long time since giant clams have…

Video: Stunning adult blue squamosa clam in Tulamben, Bali

When it comes to giant clams, very few species can truly grab our attention like a nice, big, blue squamosa clam. Sure our heads will turn for a crazy rare Tonga Devil clam, an African Costata clam, blue Derasa clams…

Tridacna derasa: A Good Excuse to Clam Up!

Of all the Tridacna spp. clams available to hobbyists, perhaps the hardiest and easiest to maintain of them all is Tridacna derasa, the so-called smooth giant clam. This species is so smooth, in fact, that amorous, gold-chain-wearing male specimens have…

ORA is serving up some fantastic hybrid maxima clams

Clams are some of the most fascinating members of the coral reef community, and they are especially welcomed in our home aquaria. Today we have access to more varieties of Tridacna than ever, and ORA is piling on one more new…