gigas and gobie
- Thread starter seamay
- Start date
Jeremy Blaze
Former Reef Addict
The gobies will likely die soon anyway, so I would not be to worried about the clam.
acro-wrasse
New member
I agree with moving him! Be careful putting him on the rocks, they get "jet" off if they close rapidly.
and the gobies can live a long time.....
Jeremy Blaze
Former Reef Addict
Well, most sleeper gobies do not last long in captivity, depending on the species.
They usually will not accept prepared foods, they get their food from the sand bed. 2 sleepers can quickly desimate the micro fauna population in a 72 gallon tank.
I have never seen one last more than a year in any tank smaller that a 125 gallon.
These sand sifters, gobies, stars, etc, will wipe out the life in the sand bed, and thus negate a lot of the benifits of a deep sand bed. You will often then see the sand bed clumping up, as the life in it disappears.
As for the GIgas, yes, the sand will iritate it, however, it is likely attached to the bottom of the tank or rock, and will be impossible to move without harming and killing it.
Gigas clams are found in the sand bed in nature, and will not do well on the rock structure.
BTW, what species of gobies did you get and are they eating prepared food?
They usually will not accept prepared foods, they get their food from the sand bed. 2 sleepers can quickly desimate the micro fauna population in a 72 gallon tank.
I have never seen one last more than a year in any tank smaller that a 125 gallon.
These sand sifters, gobies, stars, etc, will wipe out the life in the sand bed, and thus negate a lot of the benifits of a deep sand bed. You will often then see the sand bed clumping up, as the life in it disappears.
As for the GIgas, yes, the sand will iritate it, however, it is likely attached to the bottom of the tank or rock, and will be impossible to move without harming and killing it.
Gigas clams are found in the sand bed in nature, and will not do well on the rock structure.
BTW, what species of gobies did you get and are they eating prepared food?
Jeremy Blaze...Your optimistic approach is a blessing for us all. I do appreciate however your advice and will take it into consideration. I`ve read That is is very possible to keep the animals (valenciena Strigata) alive with a well established live sand bed and plenty of rock to help support the fauna on which they feed. Is this a gamble? Have we all taken a gamble on something in this hobby while trying to keep the animals we choose? have we all lost at some point? have we all had success at some point? I think the answer is invariably ...yes.
These animals do not ship well and I found them in a lfs at least one of them was almost dead. I convinced the owner to give me the almost dead one and paid for the good one. They have both since turned the corner and so far anyway, have been thriving.
Back to the clam issue. thank you all for your advice and I will CAREFULLY move the clam to another area away from the sand chewing varments
These animals do not ship well and I found them in a lfs at least one of them was almost dead. I convinced the owner to give me the almost dead one and paid for the good one. They have both since turned the corner and so far anyway, have been thriving.
Back to the clam issue. thank you all for your advice and I will CAREFULLY move the clam to another area away from the sand chewing varments
Gigas are most commonly found up on the reef structure not on the sand. in fact ALL clams are most commonly found up on the reef. Gigas also stop using there byssal threads to hold them down as they grow any rely on there weight to hold them in place. even at a size of 4 or 5 inches there byssal opening will be closed in with shell growth.
mbbuna: The gigas does not have the threads through the sand to the bottom. He (or she) to be pc here
seems to be free to move. This is kida funny though...I here the xact opposite of the TGIGAS. I hear they live in the sand. I`ve read from Nilsen+Fossa to Delbeek, Dankin, Fenner and even a lot of diff of opnion for these clams here at RC. Its really hard to Know which way to go with it. I dont want to keep moving him/her around but it seems happy on the sand.? but mabey he`ll be happier on the rocks...RRRRGH. Thank you for the advice and info.
seems to be free to move. This is kida funny though...I here the xact opposite of the TGIGAS. I hear they live in the sand. I`ve read from Nilsen+Fossa to Delbeek, Dankin, Fenner and even a lot of diff of opnion for these clams here at RC. Its really hard to Know which way to go with it. I dont want to keep moving him/her around but it seems happy on the sand.? but mabey he`ll be happier on the rocks...RRRRGH. Thank you for the advice and info.<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6825518#post6825518 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by seamay
He (or she) to be pc here
it is both
I here the xact opposite of the TGIGAS. I hear they live in the sand. I`ve read from Nilsen+Fossa to Delbeek, Dankin, Fenner and even a lot of diff of opnion for these clams here at RC.
i know, most books you will read say this, but its not true.they will also tell you that they are the deepest, not true. and that they do well in low light, again not true.
does this look like a sand bed?
or this?
Jeremy Blaze
Former Reef Addict
Well, if my optimistic approch sounded a bit harsh, I apoligize. I am only speaking from experenice with these fish not only in my 1200 gallon reef, but many other tanks I have worked on, seen, hanging out at the lfs, talking with other hobbiests, etc.
My biggest concern with these sand sifting gobies, is the destruction of the microfauna which makes out deep sand beds so useful.
As for the Gigas, and its home, here is a qoute from Giant Clams by Danial Knop, pg.32
" T. gigas lives in the flat coral sand or broken coral, but can also be found at a depth of as much as 20 metres."
Again, I apoligize if I came off negitive, heck, I could have said something about how your gigas is going to out grow your 72 in a matter of months!
I am only trying to help others, from the experences I have had over the years.
My biggest concern with these sand sifting gobies, is the destruction of the microfauna which makes out deep sand beds so useful.
As for the Gigas, and its home, here is a qoute from Giant Clams by Danial Knop, pg.32
" T. gigas lives in the flat coral sand or broken coral, but can also be found at a depth of as much as 20 metres."
Again, I apoligize if I came off negitive, heck, I could have said something about how your gigas is going to out grow your 72 in a matter of months!
I am only trying to help others, from the experences I have had over the years.Jeremy Blaze :I understand the Gigas will outgrow my tank soon. This gives me reason to upgrade. I probably shouldve mentioned that some way in my original post but I have had this conversation w/so many people already it starts to sound like I`m making early excuses for my "to be" mistakes.lol. No harm No foul.. I can see you are very experienced and I am still new but rather addicted to this hobby. I read, read, read and then when I`m done I read my books again. there are so many ways to go about things it really gets a little confusing. DSB or no DSB. SSB or BB. 1lbrock/gal or 2lbrock/gal. reef safe or not...you get the quick gist I`m sure.
Now as for the Gigas, Can he live up on a rock? I have a geat place to put him if this is so. it will actually be a few inches closer to the light and on a almost flat somewhat concave piece of rock about 7 x 4 inches.
thank you and everyone...I love this place man
ps...mbbuna...nice pics will those fit in my 72:eek1:
Now as for the Gigas, Can he live up on a rock? I have a geat place to put him if this is so. it will actually be a few inches closer to the light and on a almost flat somewhat concave piece of rock about 7 x 4 inches.
thank you and everyone...I love this place man
ps...mbbuna...nice pics will those fit in my 72:eek1:
acro-wrasse
New member
I kept mine on the reef until it was about 4 inches long.
I think until he gets too large and heavy he will be fine on the rocks. However, IME they do live on the bottom in the wild. As mentioned, their size and weight keeps them on the bottom, and it would only make sense that they would be there rather than teetering on a rock or coral ledge. Mbbuna brings up some interesting points. Contrary to what we have all read and heard you claim that Gigas live "up on the reef structure" in the wild. I would like to know more about this, as every gigas I have seen diving has been on the flat bottom. And it just doesnt seem to make sense that nature would allow such a massive and heavy object to live precariously up on rockwork. As you mentioned, they do not use byssals, which would make it even harder to stay up on the rocks. In your pictures you show them living on rock rubble, which obviously isn't sand ("does this look like a sand bed"), but this is still the bottom. Maybe i am misunderstanding your point, but anyone who has been diving on a tropical fringing reef knows that most of the reef bottom is littered with rock rubble and dead coral, not pure sand. Also, I am curious as to the circumstances behind the pictures. Do you know if these clams were wild, or if they were maricultured and released into the wild? Also, many mariculture facilities use large gigas such as those as broodstock, but leave them out in the ocean rather than in their facilities. The proximity of the two in the top picture looks to me like they were placed there by hand. What are the chances that two gigas in the wild would grow that large right next to eachother? I am not trying to argue or disprove you. Rather, I am very interested in this and if in fact gigas do live on the upper reef in the wild I would like to know more about it. Also, you mentioned that all tricadna's live in the upper reef. What has your experience been with derasas? Like gigas, every derasa I have seen has been on the bottom. I would like to know more about this as well. Thank you for your information.
someone make up my mind...lol. I just moved him to the upper portion of my rock work. he/she Immediately laid down threads (thought this took some time). looks just as happy with the good lighting as he did on the bottom (too soon to tell). Im not too crazy about it being up that high cause of the size it is now and its certain growth rate. but if its happier there(safer) I`ll leave it.
Acro-wrasse: was this up near the lights? has it been thriving since you moved it to the bottom(if that is where it is now). Has it laid down threads since it was on the bottom?. Mine is now 5-6 inches and I`m a little surprised to see it cling to the rock as fast as it did last night when I moved it
i said most commonly found up on the reef. they can also be found at the base of the reef on hard calcium carbonate substrate. sand moves, no clam would live long if its buried in sand.
I'm sure that the ones that are precariously placed don't make it. or fall to the base of the reef.
photos from a survey of wild clams .
they tend to keep there brood-stock very close at hand. locals still collect clams for food, and these locals don't recognise these brood-stock clams as being anyone's property. they will collect them for food just like any other clam they can find
i don't see why that would be rare. i guess its about as rare as this.
i said most commonly found.
when Derasa's are small they are most commonly found on the reef when they grow larger and reach sexual maturity they jettison(some not all) themselve off the reef, to the reef base which in most cases is hard CACO2 not sand.
the point i was trying to make is there is this distinction of "sand bed clams" that's not typical of these clams at all. Will you find one of these clams on the sand?I'm sure you will.Will that clam still be there after a storm comes through and moves the sand it was on? The chances don't seem nearly as good as a clam on/in the reef.
mbbunna: so for a time anyway I should or rather my gigas should be ok on the upper portin of rock. it is 5--6 inches now. would you rteccomend a size or mabey an action by the clam as to which I should move it further down back to a sand or bottom eviorment...thanx for the info this is all helpfull
Jeremy Blaze
Former Reef Addict
I agree with the above as well. Most clams are never found in sand beds, you can do a search on my posts in this forum, and I am often advising people to move their clams off the sand.
However, with gigas, their growth rate, esp. limits their ability to be placed on the rock structure in our home aquariums.
When we are talking about a clam that will quickly grow to the size of its home,(72 gallon tank in this case) do you think there is going to be a suitable home for it an the rocks in a typical aquascaped mini reef?
This is going off topic, so I will quit now.
However, with gigas, their growth rate, esp. limits their ability to be placed on the rock structure in our home aquariums.
When we are talking about a clam that will quickly grow to the size of its home,(72 gallon tank in this case) do you think there is going to be a suitable home for it an the rocks in a typical aquascaped mini reef?
This is going off topic, so I will quit now.
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