The hard clam has many alternative names in addition to Quahog such as a round clam or chowder clam. The hard clam lives in shallow coastal bay waters in areas with a soft sandy bottom. The clam burrows into the bottom substrate leaving only the siphon exposed to pump water containing food and oxygen and to dispose of waste. Scientists estimate that the average number of years required to reach a commercial size is about 3 years in the New York, Rhode Island, Massachusetts area. Growth rates are dependent on a number of factors like water temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen, the quality and quantity of available food.