clams, lighting, height?

[astronaut]

I only have a nano right now but tomorrow i am going to start setting up my 90. it is a regular 25" tall and i was wondering a few things about clams.

1. Which type of tridacnid should i get? Croceas are smaller and less expensive, but i have heard they are not the hardiest.

2. Can I keep one? I am only going to have 300 watts of fluorescents on it.

3. If that is enough lighting, but only higher in the tank, how many inches below the surface would it have to be? (obviously not a clam bed on the sand bed.)

Thanks in advance,
Peter

 

[Scuba Dog]

a deresa or squamosa is a great first clam...place it up some in the rock work...some of the other folks that have some of those guys can chime in...and your corect about the croceas, but they actually are hardy they just need a super intence light system...also ill hold off on a clam till your 90 matures and the water quality parameters are steady....pay close atention to the calcium and alkalinity levels...and avoid potental preditors suck as copper bands and angels fish..they have a hit and mis repitation for niping at clams....

clam placement depending in the size of the clam,..id start with half way up at least....

 

[astronaut]

thanks a bunch. about the angels, i want to get a cherub angel. do they nip at clam mantles like the flame? or are they okay

 

[Scuba Dog]

All dwarf angels are about the same risk....you have a 50/50 shot...

 

[Peabody]

Here to chime in. WIth a 90g tank, I would not put any clams under those lights. A squamosa or derasa is fine under those lights, but not in that deep a tank. THey would have to be high in the rockwork, and those kinds of clams won't stay in the rockwork.

I hate to be "that guy", but I would stay away from clams until you get better lights. If you put a bank of VHO bulbs up there you would be fine for a derasa or squamosa. If you put in a MH bulb, a maxima or crocea woudl be fine.

Also, IMO, I don't trust any angels with clams. Even if they are fine, they can suddenly develop a taste for clams after years of co-existance.

If you are really interested, read Giant Clams by Daniel Knop.

 

[jda]

I am with peabody on the depth issue. Flourescents just don't penetrate that deeply.

Genicanthus angels are only safe angels with clams. That being said, I have had flame, emperator, flameback, potters and maculosus that were all fine. I had another flame that would pick them to death though. Risky unless you get genicanthus.