Low Light Crocea..

[darkcirca]

I've had two clams in my tank for almost a year now. One is a small Maxima, which is position at the top, the other is a crocea, who is on the sand bed.

Everything I read says the crocea should be light demanding, but this thing prefers the lower light of the sand bed. I tried putting it higher on the rocks, and it jumped off. It went lower, and gradually made its way down to the sand bed.

I have 5x54W T-5 lighting (Aquactinic fixture - individual reflectors). I'm letting him be, but was curious if anyone else dealt with such a strange clam?

 

[acrodave]

I would say its not moveing away from the light ..its just moveing around

 

[darkcirca]

Well it went from being at the top of the 90 gallon all the way to the bottom..

 

[a4twenty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12797817#post12797817 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by darkcirca
Well it went from being at the top of the 90 gallon all the way to the bottom..

yes but they are very limited in movement and more often than not they will try and move, only to slide all the way to the bottom of the tank.


try placing a flat rock underneath him and see if he will attach. then just move the rock around the tank.

 

[ryshark]

I encountered the same exact thing with my Crocea. I purchased when I was new to the hobby and I didn't read up as much as I do now before I make a purchase. I have about 6.3wpg of VHO lighting. After purchasing it and taking it home I then researched and realized it typically needs halide lighting. So I place it up as close to the surface as possible. It kept jumping off lower and lower. Then I tried the attach it to a small flat rock trick. It attached and I moved it back up but it still managed to knock the entire small piece of rock over (maybe the snails helped I dont know) and it detached off the small rock and there was actually some of the foot left on the small rock. I thought it was doomed so I left it on the sandbed. It is doing great and has been doing great for over 8-months now and I am not going to move it up. I feed phyto once a week. I don't think it kept falling down becaue it didn't like the light, I think it was just from movement, but whatever. It is a happy clam on the sandbed. An exception to the rule? Mabye.

 

[darkcirca]

That is exactly how mine is. It never liked the light and I constantly tried putting it back up, in different spots, etc. I got this one in a trade. The guy was going to purchase a few zoanthids off me, but he asked to trade this clam. The poor clam was in horrible lighting, so I figured I'd give it a try. The thing has been great ever since, and just doesn't like being at the top of the tank. He's a strange one, but he's happy where he is.