Crocea jumping and mantle curling

Cearbhaill

Premium Member
New crocea from Reefer Madness added to my display 8-12-04.
He immediately attached to a rock cradle I had made, and spent the night on the bottom of a 24" tank under 8x54w T-5 lighting.
The next morning I moved him halfway up the tank, and later that afternoon placed him in the uppermost part of my rock- still attached to his cradle. He stayed put overnight.

On the night of 8-14 he lept from him rock and landed on the substrate. I replaced him onto his spot. I notice that a small area of his mantle is beginning to curl inwards.

On 8-15 he lept again, so I began looking at what might be causing his displeasure. All I could determine was that maybe I had too much flow in his direction, so I remedied that and replaced him back onto his rock. Still a bit of mantle curl.

8-16 overnight he lept again.
I placed him on a different rock, and left him on the substrate overnight- and he stayed put. But each time I attempt moving him higher up on the rockwork he jumps back down onto the substrate.

For the past two days he has stayed put on his rock, but only if I keep it on the substrate. I know he needs more light than is available at the bottom of a 24" deep tank, but everytime I move him up he jumps back down. And this morning I see even more curling of his mantle- is this what is considered pinching??

Any idea as to what might be bothering him?
I hate to leave him so far down from T-5 lighting, but I also hate him to be stressed enough to jump off every night.

If it were indeed more light he was after wouldn't he extend his mantle further out instead of curling it in?

Should I confine him in an area very, very near the surface?

Comments or suggestions welcome.

This mornings params
SG 1.025
CA 480
Alk 11.2 meq/L 4.1 dKH
pH 8.1 AM 8.3 PM
temp 81Ã"šÃ‚ºF am to 82.5Ã"šÃ‚º PM
nitrates less than trace

These parameters have been steady all along.

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has he attached yet? If not you'll want to try a FW dip & seriously look him over for pyramid snails. If you go to www.clamsdirect.com and read in the forums there, this is know as 'pinched mantle' and usually starts in just one area due to some irritation.
In your lower pic looks like a small white speck or 2 could be pyramid snails and those are BAD news for clams & need to be removed with tweezers & then scrub the rest of the clam w/ a toothbrush to make sure there are no more.

As for the FW dip, get a container of RO/DI water & float it int he tank for a half-hour till the temps are the same, plop the clam in there for 15 minutes or so & you'll see anythign that's living in him crawl out & die. Sometimes bristleworms or 'pods or something. Onlything that it wont get is the snails :-(

Best thing you can do is to get an old half-shell under your clam so that he will tie onto that & you'll be able to still remove him for 'maintenance"
j-me
 
He semi- attaches then jumps again every night.
And I was unclear whether this was indeed "pinching" or not.

I thought I looked him over very carefully initially, but will put on some better glasses and do so again.

Thank you.
 
yeah, sometimes the cause is inside & not really visible, that's what the FW dip is for ;-)

Good luck to ya!
 
crocea

crocea

I purchased a crocea clam from another reefer about 4-months ago, my did the same thing I would on the rocks & by the morning he was back on the sand so I left him on the sand. The clam is doing great on the sand bottom & my tank has a 2 foot depth.


Dan


under 2-250 watt metal halides.
 
Cearbhaill
I have the 8X54 TEK light and my Max's and Crocea didn't like it up in the rocks.They are all on the sandbed for the last 3 months.
I have used the FW dip with success,but I dip at night just before lights out.I think it may be less stressful to let him rest for the night.
 
I have the 8X54 TEK light and my Max's and Crocea didn't like it up in the rocks.They are all on the sandbed for the last 3 months.
That is odd- isn't it??

All you hear is that T-5 aren't enough light, and yet I am having the same experience as you.

My guy has been doing much better since his FWD, and he is sitting on a rock on the substrate.
Sitting still, no jumping, no curling- just looking great.
 
I'm very happy with the TEK light.I have SPS corals that I had under VHO and PC that have colored up beautifully and more than trippled in size in 3 months.I also have SPS that do their best under VHO.Clams are individuals,too.In general they like a lot of light,but some aren't that happy when it's too intense.
 
You may see the colors fade if it is not getting enough light.The curling and pinching is not a light reaction in my experience.
 
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