Is this clam spawning?
- Thread starter Kenfuzed
- Start date
Kenfuzed
New member
The spawning lasted about 30 minutes. Just after taking the first pictures I quickly moved the clam to a large bucket and kept changing the water until the spawning stopped. I moved the clam back to the main tank and within 15 minutes it started spawning again so I moved him back to a bucket. The clam also now appears to be gaping. I've had this clam in my tank for over 5 years and have never seen anything like this.
Now my giant squamosa clam seems to be reacting by spawning, but not nearly as much as the crocea clam did. The tank appears to be filled with microbubbles. I'm really hoping this big clam doesn't start since he is too big for a bucket (longer than a football).
I'm thinking I should cut the lights to reduce any stress on the other clams. The spawning clam is out of the tank for now but the other 2 croceas, 1 medium squamosa, and giant squamosa are still in there and I don't want to crash my whole tank.
Now my giant squamosa clam seems to be reacting by spawning, but not nearly as much as the crocea clam did. The tank appears to be filled with microbubbles. I'm really hoping this big clam doesn't start since he is too big for a bucket (longer than a football).
I'm thinking I should cut the lights to reduce any stress on the other clams. The spawning clam is out of the tank for now but the other 2 croceas, 1 medium squamosa, and giant squamosa are still in there and I don't want to crash my whole tank.
XeniaMania
Active member
Your clam was stressed and need to relieve itself..:lol:
Kenfuzed
New member
Actually I checked the new water just before adding since I've been keeping track of this brand of salt for a comparison. All parameters were spot on and no different than any water change I've made over the past 2 months. The water change was very small, only 10 gallons (just under 5%) which I do once per week. The salt was from the same bucket/batch and premixed for a day before adding. The only thing I did different was to harvest some Chaeto from my refugium just after the water change.
30 minutes later I fed my fish some frozen food and nori. The feeding frenzy sometimes disturbs the larger clam but the crocea is on the opposite side of the tank. I believe it was about an hour after feeding that the clam began to spawn.
I've had this particular clam in my tank for 5 years and through many near tank crashes, fish deaths, and other potentially stressful events. Yet this clam has always remained healthy. I'm wondering if this was more of a natural spawning event rather than stress enduced. As of this morning all of the clams in my tank look healthy and this particular clam is no longer gaping. Last night I did a 10% water change and this afternoon I will perform another water change and change my carbon. This skimmer has been very active and the Orp level came back up after a drastic dip following the spawning.
30 minutes later I fed my fish some frozen food and nori. The feeding frenzy sometimes disturbs the larger clam but the crocea is on the opposite side of the tank. I believe it was about an hour after feeding that the clam began to spawn.
I've had this particular clam in my tank for 5 years and through many near tank crashes, fish deaths, and other potentially stressful events. Yet this clam has always remained healthy. I'm wondering if this was more of a natural spawning event rather than stress enduced. As of this morning all of the clams in my tank look healthy and this particular clam is no longer gaping. Last night I did a 10% water change and this afternoon I will perform another water change and change my carbon. This skimmer has been very active and the Orp level came back up after a drastic dip following the spawning.
critterkeeper
New member
If you've had it that long, it's probably just doing what clams do - they spawn. Not rare by any means in healthy tanks housing sexually mature clams.
Kenfuzed
New member
Well it's been a few days and all is well. After checking everything I'm convinced that the clam spawned because it was mature (I've had it for 5 years), and not because of any stress. The clam looks great now.
BTW, I'm not a clam expert so I'm not sure if this clam is a Crocea or Maxima. I've read several descriptions and still can't tell the difference. The clam that spawned (pictured) is approx 5 inches long with distinct scutes. Any ID experts?
BTW, I'm not a clam expert so I'm not sure if this clam is a Crocea or Maxima. I've read several descriptions and still can't tell the difference. The clam that spawned (pictured) is approx 5 inches long with distinct scutes. Any ID experts?
XeniaMania
Active member
Crocea
XeniaMania
Active member
Scutes are one way to look at them, but it's not entirely accurate. I look at the mantle and coloration. Croceas and Maximas do not share the same patterns. Maximas will typically have a tracing of black dots around the mantle as well. If you look at enough clams, and have enough experience, you'll eventually be able to distinguish the difference between the 2. The way I was able to tell that your clam was a Crocea was based off the mantle shape, and coloration of it.
