Crocea or Maxima?

[papagimp]

I used the gift card I received at the meeting saturday to purchase my first clam, the guys at reefshop said it was a maxima but after looking through pictures online, I don't think it is. (Sorry, camera went back to the owner so no pics) I'm curious if somebody could tell me an easy way to tell wich species I have. The ridges on it are kinda small, wich is why I think it may be a crocea (hopefully it's a crocea). Since there's no pic, let me just say, he's an awesome purple with blue striations, about 4 -5 inches across.

55g, 10g refugium.
Using teklights' high output T-5's, 4 x 54watts (until everything moves to the 150g, then it'll be 6 x 54watts)
Calcium stays stable around 420-450ppm
dKH stays around 7-8 (working on getting that a bit higher)
Ph 8.3
Nitrate 0
Ammonia 0
Phosphates 0

Dosing phytoplankton already, need advice on their prefered filter feed though.

Got him located where he's getting bright lighting, on the sandbed, and a gentle current across his mantle.
2 minutes after getting him in the tank, he was all opened up and I think he smiled at me. But that was probably his way for laughing at me after spitting in my face. I always thought those mickey cartoons over exagerated how clams act, but nope, it was just like that. I went to put him in the tank and "spit" right in the freakin' face. ungratefull bugger.

 

[Travis L. Stevens]

Most likely you'll want to place it in the rock work, but you have it fine. Phytoplankton is a great food source. Here is a way to ID your Tridacna Clams: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-07/jf/feature/index.php

 

[captbunzo]

Clams are so cool. I got my first one a month or so back, too. A T. derasa.

Btw, if you have any trouble IDing him, let me know and I can refer you to some other articles on the web....

 

[dugg]

Just the phyto and good lighting is about all he needs. If he's happy in the sand leave him, if not, get him attatched to a small rock before you move him, so he doesn't end up attatched to a large piece when you move him. Once he is attatched there is almost no getting him loose. You can, but you risk serious injury or death for him.

 

[papagimp]

because of where I bought him, he's probably not aquacultured, and wasn't attached to a rock. I know I was taking a chance on buying him, but all the other sickly looking things I've purchased have made great recoveries in my tank. So I'm hopeful.