Is my Derasa happy as a clam?

[lanamarks]

I recently bought a setup from someone in town and she had a beautiful 5" derasa clam. Will it be happy in my tank knowing:
It was in a normal 75 with PC lighting
My tank is about 2' deep
I have a 175 W MH and 150W VHO
He appears to be fully open and responsive to movement, etc.

I'm not sure if my light is sufficient with the added depth or not? Help please. I don't want to kill it!

 

[capnskunk]

hi lanamarks,

it might be ok on the sandbed. start if off there and let it acclimate to your lighting. if you have a spot you might move it up about mid level in a week or so. if it looks dull or like its losing color than it isnt receiving enough light. a clam this size will live 50-60% off of the zooxanthellae alone so it needs good lighting. but also occasional feedings of phytoplankton will make it "happy as a clam". good luck. hth

capnskunk

 

[lanamarks]

okay - I thought that they had to be on the sandbed, that only maximas and croceas liked to be in the rocks. The clown is naturally brown so it may be hard to tell if he starts fading.

 

[capnskunk]

deresas are sand bed clams but it would be better off getting more light in a rock than a little light on the sand. he might be ok on the sand. do you have any pics?

 

[lanamarks]

I don't have a digital camera. Should he close all the way when you wave your hand near him? Right now he pulls in his mantle and closes only part way. I'll move him if I need to. I had planned on upgrading to 400W MH in the future but not until after Christmas. I'm sure he'd be okay on the rocks until then if he needs more light. Please help so I don't kill him!

 

[lanamarks]

bumo

 

[capnskunk]

If he is reacting to shadows that is a good sign. He should re-open soon after he closes. I would leave him up by the lights for now and see how he does.

 

[Barry N.]

capnskunk, has provided some great information.


Tridacna derasa is one of my favorates. Good luck.

 

[capnskunk]

lanamarks - here is a link to Clams Direct . i dont know if youve ever been there before but it is a site you should visit if you are interested in clams. they sell them as well as have a forum directed towards clams. i found it to be very informative. i think Barry would agree.

feel free to add somthing Barry.

 

[lanamarks]

thanks for all the help! He continued to look fine on the sandbed and is very reactive to movement and shadows. My only irk is that he has sand on his mantle and everytime I try to lightly blow it off with a baster it settles right back!! Will it hurt him?

 

[Barry N.]

is that he has sand on his mantle

You need to watch that, sand can clog his gills. The gills are coated with a mucus that in most cases will carry the sand out but if he is getting a lot of sand, then he will not be able to handle it.

 

[lanamarks]

OK - I try to prevent a lot of it getting inside of him I just can't prevent little bits of it from settling back when I blow it off. Its only a little bit of sand but it drives me crazy!!!

Thanks for all the help. He looks great I just wanted to make sure the lighting on the sand was enough and he was happy and wouldn't fall over dead tomorrow. I wasn't sure how to tell if he was unhappy and needed something.

 

[lanamarks]

another question. He has lighter stripes on his mantle and parts of the mantle are more of a goldish brown than the deeper brown on the edges. Hes not bleaching, right? If he were to bleach would it be in bands or big patches. I'm just worried about him. He worries me more than anything else in the tank. He's very responsive and appears healthy but since I only saw him once before bringing him home and that was under different lights I'm not sure if he looks the same, better, or worse. If he were unhappy would he still stretch his mantle out when the lights come on? Thanks - I'm sure you all have answered these questions 300 million times but I am such a worry wart!

 

[capnskunk]

I can fortunately say Ive never experienced a clam bleaching. It sounds like normal Deresa colors to me. Maybe Barry will chime in.