Hippopus is a delicacy in many Southeast Asian countries due to its high quality meat.

[3] H. hippopus frequently inhabits the shallow waters of fringing, barrier reefs, and seagrass beds.

H. hippopus also acquires nutrients through filter feeding, using its inhalant siphon to eat marine microorganisms such as phytoplankton and zooplankton by catching them on ciliated tracts on their gill plates.

[8] Unlike with other bivalves, the hinge of H. hippopus is adjacent to the substrate, with the inhalant siphon and mantle tissues facing towards the surface of the water.

[7][8] The larvae then go through a planktonic stage, where juvenile H. hippopus meroplankton is free swimming, developing cilium for locomotion.

As the larvae grow, the clam looks for a suitable place to settle, while additionally beginning to develop its foot organ and bivalve shell.

After 25 days, juvenile H. hippopus acquire zooxanthellae, which causes a sharp incline in growth due to a new source of food for the clam.

[9] Due to being in a shallow water environment, this species is often harvested for its beautiful shell and its meat, consumed in several Pacific and Asian countries.

[11] The private company MMME, which now runs NAC, has provided seed stocks for local community farms.