Browning Crocea Clam

[gbreynol]

I have a Crocea that has been turning brown. It has been like this for a while. It seems happy, but no longer is the beautiful electric blue color it originally was. I have other clams that have color, though they do not extend as large as they did at the LFS. I have over 100 SPS and all are thriving in the same conditions. Is there anything I can do to fix it?


Clam is about 18" under 250W MH. On rock close to sand bed.
-Salinity 1.025
-Nitrates 0
-Phosphates 0
-Ca 455
-Mg 1300
-3 x 250 Watt Ushio 10k, 2 x 110 W VHO
-180 Gallon Tank

 

[crvz]

It may be too far from the light, particularly if it's shaded at all. Is it possible to move it up closer to the lights?

 

[gbreynol]

I can try it. I would of thought it was getting too much light. In the last 4 months I switched from 14k to 10k lights.

My halides are 2" off the water, I have a 6" sandbed, and it is on a rock about 3 inches off the sand. Tank is 24" high.

 

[crvz]

well it could also be the lower kelvin rating of the bulbs, which can have a browning effects of corals as well. I'm not certain how much of an effect it would have on a clam, but that's possible. Hopefully someone with more expertise will chime in.

 

[Wgluther]

I have a Crocea that is doing the same thing. I moved it higher up on the reef and it seems to be coloring up again. I had read that a clam turning brown was the lack of light.

 

[Eggs]

I kind of wonder about the 10k bulbs. I changed by bulbs from 14k to 10k about a month ago, and have experienced some browning. The clam was also moved alittle higher a couple of weeks ago. I wanted to try and lower it to see what would happen, but it's firmly attached to the rock and I didn't want to chance any damage.

 

[mscarpena]

It is probably the change in the lighting. I move my maxima from 14K to 12K lighting and I am seeing more gold in it as well. Its been 5-6 months now and the clam is doing great. They can change color from different lighing just as corals can. I my opion I think they can have more of a color shift.

 

[gbreynol]

What kind of lights are you guys now running?

I went from Phoenix 14k(More like 20k) to Ushio 10ks. The 10ks give a lot more light.

 

[Eggs]

I went from Phoenix 14k to XM 10k. Thinking maybe of going to ReefLux 12K.
I bought my fixture used and the bulbs may have been over a year of use. I'm thinking that may have been too much of an increase in brightness for the clam.
I raised my lights up some yesterday, I'll see if that helps some.

 

[mscarpena]

I actually disagree with myself. I referenced a book of mine and it looks like that much discoloring is too little light. I am running reeflux 12K and love them. Slowly increase the light on the tank and it will be fine. Also it will be fine if you increase the light and it's just due to the change in light. Also after hearing that the bulbs might be over a year old I think it needs more light. My clam just has a little gold at the edge of the centers. The book says if the browning is irregular and there is no pattern it is too little light. Good luck.

 

[gbreynol]

If it is too little light I guess I will have to live with an "ugly" clam. As of today I cut back my halides from 9 hours a day to 7. In the SPS forums they are saying less light gives better SPS colors. Another benefit is a lower electric bill, my last one was $527.

My Ushio 10ks are 3 months old, and they hang 2 inches from the surface. It has to be a lot more light than my 14k Phoenix. Anyway my next lights will be Ushio 14ks which give better color and still give good growth.

 

[Eggs]

I went from old 14k bulbs to new 10k bulbs, which I think may have been too much of a change.