China clam

Care at a glance

Overview

The China clam is a big, peaceful giant clam that turns up in the trade only occasionally. It suits experienced reef keepers with a large, mature tank and steady water.

Caring for the China clam

The China clam needs a mature reef of at least 106 gal (400 L), with a lot of room for a big clam. Give it intense light. It is peaceful and reef safe, and it stays on the bottom of the tank.

Keep the water stable at 75 to 81°F (24 to 27°C) with a pH of 8.1 to 8.4. Calcium and alkalinity need to be rock solid.

Like other giant clams, it hosts zooxanthellae algae in its mantle, so large ones live mainly off light. Small ones benefit from phytoplankton feeding.

Good to know

Hippopus porcellanus is a giant clam in the family Cardiidae. Its pale shell has edges that meet more evenly than the toothy gape of its cousin, the horse hoof clam. The mantle is usually in muted browns and golds with fine patterning. It is rare enough to be a conservation concern.

In the wild

The China clam has one of the smallest natural ranges of any giant clam. Its range centers on the Sulu Sea and Palawan region of the Philippines, in the Coral Triangle. It lives on shallow reef flats and in sandy lagoons.

Common questions

Related species

• 

  Horse hoof clam

  Hippopus hippopus

  11.8 in (30 cm) · 40 gal (150 L)

  11.8 in (30 cm)40 gal (150 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Squamosina clam

  Tridacna squamosina

  11.8 in (30 cm) · 66 gal (250 L)

  11.8 in (30 cm)66 gal (250 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)

• 

  Noah's clam

  Tridacna noae

  9.8 in (25 cm) · 40 gal (150 L)

  9.8 in (25 cm)40 gal (150 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Squamosa clam

  Tridacna squamosa

  15.7 in (40 cm) · 40 gal (150 L)

  15.7 in (40 cm)40 gal (150 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Maxima clam

  Tridacna maxima

  13.8 in (35 cm) · 40 gal (150 L)

  13.8 in (35 cm)40 gal (150 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Derasa clam

  Tridacna derasa

  19.7 in (50 cm) · 40 gal (150 L)

  19.7 in (50 cm)40 gal (150 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)