Maximas are rock or sand based?

No tridacnids are sand-based in the wild. They either sit on rocks, or bore into rocks. In the wild, sand = death for clams.
 
BonsaiNut said:
No tridacnids are sand-based in the wild. They either sit on rocks, or bore into rocks. In the wild, sand = death for clams.
I beg to differ. I have seen dozens of wild clams that are in open sandy areas.
 
firechild said:
I beg to differ. I have seen dozens of wild clams that are in open sandy areas.

I can't argue with your experience, though in all my diving in the South Pacific I have yet to see a single clam off rock.

What happens to clams in sand when the first storm comes? Or when natural predactors show up (nurse sharks, etc)? Since clams can't move, it seems to me highly unlikely that a clam larvae could settle on sand and grow to maturity without meeting an untimely demise.

Perhaps the clams you saw had settled on rock and then sand swept in around them? Were you able to see if these clams were in fact anchored on anything, or were you able to just dive down and lift them up?
 
I saw large fields of particularly T. gigas in open sandy areas but I didn't try to lift them because those things are bloody heavy ;).
I agree that settlement would be difficult on sandy substrate but I know there were no rocks in a lot of the areas I saw these large clams.
 
ok then... so it's agreed I should wedge him in a horizontal crevice or is the sand with no rock underneath a better choice? 24" with 250 watt MHs.

Thanks guys
 
No, no, no...
Never wedge a clam into a crevice. Sit it on top of a rock and it will attach itself. It will probably never bore into the rock as they do this when they are very small and are able to easily bore a hole big enough for themselves. they increase the size of the hole as they grow but most maximas will never be fully "submerged" in rocks like croceas will.
 
aha....thank you sir. The clam just arrived and I'm sumping it as I write this.

BTW, has anyone else had water loss during shipping from reefermadness? I just sent a long letter about this as this is the second time I've gotten a shipment with half the water gone because the bag was packed sideways in the shipping container. Who knows what part was out ot the water and for how long?

I have my fingers crossed.

Thanks
 
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