Do Crocea Clams change color?

RussC

Active member
I am so fired up. I just purchased my first Crocea. It is beautiful, but it has changed colors since I got it home from the LFS. I'm sure it could be the difference in my lighting compared to the LFS but I was just curious. Any suggestions/input?:D
 
Going by the lighting in your sig and what you have noticed, I would say yep the clam is changing colors. Was the clam previously under MH at the store? What color exactly is the clam right now?

I would say due to the lack of intensity from PC's on your tank, the clam is reacting "negatively" to the change. You do know that croceas are higher light demanding clams right? I believe they belong under MH's.
 
Under a 250 I would think that the crocea could become much brighter, I have one under a 175 and it has become much more colorful.

crocea.jpg
 
i have bought several clams that were fairly unattractive at the lfs but under my lighting they have become very beautifull
 
Sorry I misread the sig with the 250w MH. :p

Anyways, yep it's possible that the clam is changing it's colors for the better and because it's happy.
 
Sorry, folks. Just now getting back to this thread. Thanks for the responses. The colors have just shifted, really. It seemed to have more blue in the store and now it is more purple, almost a violet purple. Very beautiful when it fully opens. Since I posted my last thread, though, the darn clam won't stay put on the rock. It has "jumped" three times. Its most recent jump ocurred last night some time. I left it on the sand this morning. Any suggestions on getting this cliff diver to stay put?
 
Chances are the clam doesn't like being up on the rocks, not happy at all up there. I know my 2 croceas prefer to be on the sandbed. I would leave it on the sandbed if you have room. Constantly falling off the rocks will injure the clam sooner or later. Hope this helps a bit.
 
Hi Russ,
You got a clam!! And it sounds like a nice one, at that!
I'm still a couple months of tank-maturity away before I can get one, but it's sooo hard to resist.
Post some pics soon!
-Rich
 
Yes, rmendis, I'm fired up to finally have one. It is so beautiful when it opens up completely. I will definitely say I will have more than one clam.

Fish o holic, why would you suspect that clam doesn't like it on the rock? Any thoughts on that? I really need to convince this guy he should stay on the rock. It is the center piece of my aquarium and I just don't have the room on my sand bed.
 
From what I have learned or heard from others, croceas are generally found on the sandbed. Therefore, they want to be on the sand. Both my croceas are on the sandbed and I placed a rock under each and they have since attached to it. Both are happy and thriving. I'm still keeping my fingers crossed.

If you must have the clam on the rocks, then I would find a area where the clam cannot fall. Maybe some kinda groove or dip that will prevent the clam from moving side to side.
 
Fish-o-holic said:
From what I have learned or heard from others, croceas are generally found on the sandbed. Therefore, they want to be on the sand...
Interesting. I thought croceas are rock-boring clams, and are found embedded in rock in their natural habitat. Here is a web site with more info, and some selected quotes...

http://www.exoticreefs.us/reefflat/clams.htm

"[Tridacna Crocea] is a shallow water species typically found burrowed into large coral heads at reef tops. For this reason it would make sense to keep them high in the tank to receive the most lighting...

The flutes are usually worn down because of its burrowing capability. They should be happiest when set onto live rock and sometimes will not like being placed on the sandbed. If it is not happy on the sandbed you will see it try to move around over a short time. They will do best if placed into a depression on the live rock that fits the bottom of the shell. Another technique to help it attach to live rock is to prop it up temporarily with rocks on each of the sides."
 
I'm really wanting this guy on my rocks so it looks like I'm going to have to get creative for this clam to stick. Proping it up with rocks is an interesting approach. I've got a couple of other ideas, too. We'll see, but one way or another that joker is going to be on my rock...lol.
 
One other suggestion: allow it to attach to a flat piece of LR rubble or an empty clam shell, while on the sandbed. Once it's firmly attached, move the clam and its base to the new position on the LR structure.
 
I would suggest using some rockwork to "cup" it slightly (as long as it doesn't interfere with the clam's opening and closing). My crocea's are all on rock and very firmly attached.

Scott
 
Supposedly the rock under the clam placed on the substrate has worked for me. My clams once they have attached, pretty much have stayed attached. They haven't been moving around since so I assimt they like where they are.
 
So I understand, if I was to use some rocks or something to "prop" up under the shell I only need to prop it up just enough so the clam will be unable to scoot off the rock but still be able to attach? Correct?
 
Fish-o-holic said:
From what I have learned or heard from others, croceas are generally found on the sandbed. Therefore, they want to be on the sand. Both my croceas are on the sandbed and I placed a rock under each and they have since attached to it. Both are happy and thriving. I'm still keeping my fingers crossed.

If you must have the clam on the rocks, then I would find a area where the clam cannot fall. Maybe some kinda groove or dip that will prevent the clam from moving side to side.

I'm not sure where you get this information from but this is certainly not the case. T. crocea are naturally found on rocky substrate. As larvae they settle in grooves on rocks and as they grow they bore into the rock which protects them from predators. Of the several hundred (possibly thousands) croceas I have seen in the wild, all of them were on rocks.
 
Well, I'm having a devil of a time to get this guy to stay still. I did a little work last night trying to wedge him in with some rocks. He evaded my wedge and jumped again. How long does it take for a clam to attach to something? I am thinking I'll leave him on the sand on a rock and let him attach, then move him. Once they attach, can they unattach?
 
RussC said:
Well, I'm having a devil of a time to get this guy to stay still. I did a little work last night trying to wedge him in with some rocks. He evaded my wedge and jumped again. How long does it take for a clam to attach to something? I am thinking I'll leave him on the sand on a rock and let him attach, then move him. Once they attach, can they unattach?
It can take as little as one day before they attach up to two weeks. Clams once attached can detach themself if they're unhappy or for whatever other reason.
 
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