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Golden Basket Clam
Corbicula fluminea
The Golden Clam is a peaceful freshwater bivalve that continuously filters water for suspended phytoplankton. It requires a sandy substrate and supplemental food.
Class:Bivalvia
Order:Venerida
Family:Cyrenidae
Genus:Corbicula
Species:Corbicula fluminea
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Water Temperature
15 - 28 °C
pH Value
7 - 8.5
Water type
Freshwater
Minimum group
>= 1
GH
10 - 20 dGH
KH
5 - 15 dKH
TDS
200 - 400 ppm
Species description
Geographical Origin and Habitat: Corbicula fluminea is native to Eastern Asia (China, Korea, Japan) but has established invasive populations globally in Europe and North America. It inhabits freshwater rivers, lakes, and canals with slow-to-moderate currents over well-oxygenated sandy or gravelly substrates.
Taxonomy: Belonging to the family Cyrenidae (formerly Corbiculidae), this is a small bivalve mollusk with a thick, triangular, and heavily ribbed shell. Adult specimens range from 2.5 to 4 cm in size. It uses a muscular foot to burrow and anchor itself.
Social Behavior: Sessile and non-interactive. It spends almost its entire lifespan buried in the sand with only its incurrent and excurrent siphons visible to process water. It does not actively move around once a suitable spot is established.
Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: The shell exterior is light golden-yellow to olive-brown, while the interior is often tinged with light violet or white. This species is a self-fertilizing hermaphrodite; therefore, there is no sexual dimorphism.
Care, breeding and tankmates
Tank Setup: Requires a sandy substrate at least 5-8 cm deep to allow the clam to bury itself completely. Coarse gravel is unsuitable as it blocks their movement. Moderate water flow is necessary to bring suspended particles to the clam. Good oxygenation is key.
Diet and Feeding: Obligate filter feeders. They feed on phytoplankton, micro-algae, suspended organic detritus, and bacteria. In home aquariums, they must be target-fed with liquid foods for invertebrates, dissolved spirulina, or live phytoplankton using a syringe.
Water Quality: Prefers cool, clean water: temperature 15-24°C (struggles in warm water above 25°C), pH 7.0-8.0, GH 8-20, and KH 4-12. Very sensitive to ammonia and nitrites. Regular water testing is recommended. Copper is highly lethal.
Compatibility and Tankmates: Safe with peaceful mid-water fish and dwarf shrimp. Never keep with mollusk-eating predators (e.g. puffers, loaches), large digging fish (cichlids, large catfish), or freshwater turtles that will easily crush and consume them.
Aquarium Breeding: Breeding can occur in captivity. They release tiny, fully formed juvenile clams directly into the water, which quickly settle into the sand. However, mass breeding can lead to filter clogging and nutrient depletion.
Risks and Diseases: The greatest risk is starvation due to over-filtered water. If a clam dies undetected beneath the sand, its decomposition will cause a rapid ammonia spike, endangering the entire tank. Check clams regularly to ensure shells remain closed.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Corbicula fluminea is native to Eastern Asia (China, Korea, Japan) but has established invasive populations globally in Europe and North America. It inhabits freshwater rivers, lakes, and canals with slow-to-moderate currents over well-oxygenated sandy or gravelly substrates.
Origin
Cosmopolitan or introducedNorth AmericaEurope, Mediterranean, and West AsiaEast AsiaTropical oceans and reefs
Invertebrate profile
- Diet
- No verified data available
- Ecological role
- No verified data available
- Life expectancy
- No verified data available
- Adult size
- No verified data available
- Jump risk
- No verified data available
- Shock sensitivity
- No verified data available
- Calcium and minerals
- No verified data available
- Molting
- No verified data available
- Reproduction
- No verified data available
- Compatibility & tankmates
- No verified data available
Window to the official scientific data of the species
Data synced on: 06/15/2026
Scientific Parameters & Models
- Resilience
- High (less than 15 months)
Image gallery
Licensed images linked to the species or, when marked, to the closest representative taxon.
Related species
Recommendations grouped by close relatives, companion choices, and similar care.
