Crocea gaping at 1.5 weeks

[jackdp]

I've got a 3" T. crocea in a 20 gallon long that has had its incurrent syphon wide open since I got him. The syphon is wide open while the 175W MH is on and closes up a little as the lighting cycle winds down. Otherwise, it looks and acts fine, mantle opens and extends well, the clam is very reactive to passing shadows from fish etc. The coloration is good. I started it on the sand about 17" from my 175W MH. I have sinced moved it up to about mid tank, probably about 14-15" from lighting. It opens and closes normally and is still attached to the rubble rock from when I purchased it. The temp is 80-81F, pH 8.0-8.3, Ca@400ppm, alk is @10dkh, SG @1.025. Is this gaping normal for crocea's or should I be looking for some problem? The only parameter I'm uncertain about is SG...I measure 1.025 with a deep six swing arm and confirmed with a floating hydrometer, but I really want a refractometer. Thx for any help.

This is a pic from a few days ago..crappy quality

 

[Scuba Dog]

croceas tend to gape some, mine do from time to time, I would recomed placing him higher up underneath the halide bulb, the more light the better for croceas....

 

[jackdp]

I'm moving him up over time, over the weekend I moved him from the sand to about 3/4 up and he seemed to become quite angry and just about threw himself back down to the sand lol.

 

[GoFishJoel]

Scuba Dog,
I am picking my second crocea up this week. I was going to put him in a quarantine tank. The display he will go in has 400 watts. The quarantine has 175. How close to the light should I put him? He has been successfully under 400 watts at the LFS.

 

[Scuba Dog]

GoFishJoel

Since the clam is used to a 400 watt halide I would place it directly under the 175 halide in the upper one third of the Q tank..carefull now they have a tendancy to spit water when they close up quickly...and congrads on the new clam!

 

[hwynboy]

That crocea looks fine. Over time his mantle should extend more. I would say he is not in bad shape...as mentioned earlier croceas do tend to gape from time to time especially when they are new. But your clam does not seem to be gaping more than what is expected.

 

[Charlie Davidson]

good looking clam- all my(4) crocea gape like that- sometimes I think I may have too much flow, sometimes I think overfeeding, I know that they look good so maybe, just maybe; we worry a little too much.-------------------Naw!!!!!!! isn't it fun? I have 7 clams and wish I could post a pic- Just need to figure out this new camera (software)- last one I had was the one that spit the pic out the front. 15 years ago!!

 

[Rod Buehler]

if/when my clams start to gape, I feed some good _live_ phyto for a few days, and they recover quickly.

 

[GoFishJoel]

I decided to not risk putting it in the quarintine tank. I put it directly in my tank. I am happy with the decision. It is looking good.
Thanks everybody.

 

[aquamann46]

ok guys dont eat me alive here but i have a crocea clam just like that one and have it under VHO's. do you guys think it will do ok? i have a 46 bow, 400 watt vho cooltouch canopy, waters perfect, and i feed my tank daily with phyto and live baby brine. ive had it for 2 weeks now and it seems to be doing fine.

 

[GoFishJoel]

How far under the water surface is the clam? How far above the water is the bulb? What kind of lighting did the clam come from?
If you have had it for two weeks it should be fine. Just watch it to make sure that there us no bleaching going on. If that begins go happen then you may need to shade it some. I hope with that much light you plan on getting a deeper tank someday.
Beautiful clam by the way. Looks great!

 

[SHOmuchFUN]

This is the first day I had my crocea in my tank... Is this normal gaping?

This is its position in the tank:

Lights are 250w metal halide 10ks with twin 54w T-5 blue plus bulbs... I've been feeding cyclopeez but haven't found any D-T's yet.

 

[Scuba Dog]

Croceas tend to gape...much more so than maximas...So i wouldent worry too much about that....You can order DT's on line from a few sponseres here but the shipping is what kills ya.....it has to be kept cold.....aonther option is raising your own green water, its much cheaper than buying dts....

 

[jackdp]

Sho...your Crocea looks pretty good for the first day, like Scuba said, Crocea sp. seem to gape more than other species. Just pay attention to the clam, it will respond if it doesn't like where its at. I kept trying to move mine up higher in the tank and it would huff and puff until it fell back down to a lower level lol. It took several weeks for it to stop gaping and really seem to settle in. HTH

 

[SHOmuchFUN]

Yeah, I noticed that I tried to excavate some sand so its mantle would stay facing upward... It really didn't like this, because I noticed the ol' huff and puff as he pushed the sand walls supporting him away from the shell. I just let him be, I figure he'll figure out what is most comfortable. I'll try the rockwork, but hesitate picking him up and moving him all the time, because this obviously irritates him as well.