Clams

Clams possess hard, thick, and rounded shells, varying in color from white to gray, dark blue and brown, and growing to almost 4 inches longer. There are concentric ridges on the shells joined by brown-colored thick filament at the hinge. Furthermore, the interior of bodies is white with dark purple-colored patches. 

Mussels possess a pear-shaped or wedge-shaped body, ranging from about 5 to 15 centimeters in body length. They may be ribbed or smooth, having a hairy covering on their body. The shells on the outside are primarily dark greenish brown-colored or dark brown-colored. In contrast, they appear peachy-colored inside. 

The clams are present in shallow waters. It prevents these species from the wave action of the surrounding bottom. For instance, one clam species such as Abra profundorum has been taken from the Pacific Ocean at a depth of approximately more than 16,000 feet. You can find clams in freshwater bodies, including rivers, oceans, and shores, freshwater, and marine habitats.

The mussels live in small streams, large rivers, and flowing water. Some also live in lakes. They are primarily present across the rivers of Mississippi, Southeast United States, Ohio River systems, and the United States. These creatures inhabit wetlands, ponds, etc. They avoid shifting thick silty and sand substrates, spending time in gravel, sand, or mud.

Clams are about 20 centimeters long. Commercially, trawlers mainly harvest these medium-sized sea clams. The largest known specimen of these creatures was approximately 1.3 meters wide or four and a half feet in length, weighing about 250 kilograms. In contrast, Pacific geoduck has an average weigh between 0.5 and 1.5 kilograms.  

The adult mussels get an average size between 5.1 to 5.9 inches in three years of age. However, some species of mussels with a body length of approximately 9.9 inches have been found in Baja, California, Mexico. In addition, these creatures possess an average weight of about 60.1 grams. They also weigh ranging between 33.9 and 93.2 grams.

Clams are omnivores, meaning they can eat both animals and plants, though in their most minor forms. Their diet consists of phytoplankton, zooplankton, algae, and other organic matter. They also rely on the organic matter passing through their filtration system.  

Mussels live in one place and eat plankton that gets filtered from the water. As these creatures are filter feeders, they sometimes eat toxins and bacteria, turning them into dangerous ones to eat. Although cooking destroys a variety of contaminants, leaving behind some.

Depending on localized conditions, clams can grow to a harvestable size in about two to three years. Their life cycle can be one year to over 500 years old. During reproduction, clams release sperms and eggs into water in mid-summer, when planktonic food is abundant, and water is warm. They give birth to larva and tiny clams after fertilization.

If we talk about the life cycle of mussels, the male ones release sperms into water that females catch. The fertilized eggs then get brooded in the gills of females, developing into a larva called glochidia. The female mussels release these tiny larvae that get attached to fish gills. Furthermore, the fertilized egg develops into a larva in approximately two days.

The initiation of farming clams occurs at the hatchery where the larva of clams are put on fine screens in the down-Wellers. The up-wells or containers are used to raise young seeds. They also push algae-rich water via the juvenile clams that proliferate and feed continuously.  

The mussels are not grown on the bottom of the ocean for cultivation purposes. In contrast, the spat or seed is shifted to grow to market size on mussel socks. These are the mussel socks put up from longlines or rafts near the water surface. Thinning is done to avoid mussel loss. 

The flesh of clams being chewy or tender in texture is sweet. It is a famous food and is served as an ingredient in stews and chowders after frying or steaming. The clam meat contains muscles, manipulating shells’ each half, the foot, and the neck. 

The mussel meat tends to have a rich and sweet taste with a tender and plump texture. Mussels are eaten raw. It is white to orange-colored. The Channel Seafoods International provides shell-off cooked and frozen mussel meat. 

Research has shown that clams are a great source of vitamins such as vitamin B12. For instance, one can get almost 824% of the recommended daily intake per 100g of these species of clams. The clams are far better than these. 

Various other shellfish and mussels are considered excellent sources of proteins. These proteins consist of all essential nutrients. In addition to all these facts, the mussel protein content is superior to those present in the fish fins. 

The adult clams live for a specific time, after which they die. For instance, clam creatures possess a lifespan of about 20 years. The oldest one lived for almost 500 years. 

Mussels also have a specific lifespan, like clams and other species. For instance, they live for approximately 60 to 70 years, depending upon suitable habitat. 

Clams have many predators, including oyster drills, cow nose rays, waterfowl, tautogs, blue crabs, gulls, etc. 

The natural predators of mussels are seabirds, starfish, humans, raccoons, otters, geese, and humans.