my new clam, what kind is it?

[Ehgemus]

Here is a picture of my new and first clam. it is about 3" long. just wanted to know what kind is it and anything else you could tell me about it.

 

[a4twenty]

looks like a crocea and they love light.

 

[Ehgemus]

how big do crocea clams get?

 

[ezcompany]

less than 8 inches

 

[reefkoi]

They are slow growers, and the smallest of all tridacnas I believe. I've had them grow maybe an inch or 2 in a year if they are small. The biggest i've seen in a tank is around 6".
I cant tell from the pic but do you have MH lights? I'd suggest moving it off the sand and a bit higher if you dont have pretty intense lights.

 

[Ehgemus]

yes I have 1x250w MH over my 46g bowfront. The clam seems happy there, but do you thank it would be better up higher?
what about food for the clam? I feed the tank phyto about once a week is there any thing else they like.

 

[ReefWreak]

He will eat dissolved organics from the water and maybe a little phyto, not sure. They'll absorb some nitrate and phosphate from the tank.

 

[Ehgemus]

they absorb phosphates? if that's true you can't beat that!

 

[Ehgemus]

ok the first picture is when I first put the clam in the tank and the second picture is one week later. does the clam look better now or when I first put it in the tank? and why? someone told me that a clam is stressed out when the month is open like it is in the first picture. is that true?

 

[a4twenty]

they are right, when clams are under stress ( being moved is stressful ) they sometimes will allow the incurrent siphon to open more than usual.


crocea are also know to be a little looser with their mantel and incurrent siphon than other clams. what may be be considered a sign of stress in another clam is perfectly normal for a crocea.


he looks fine to me

 

[Ehgemus]

Thanks

 

[Giovanni]

The second photo if how the clam looks all day, seems to say it has more light than before. It is not reaching as much as the first photo. How deep is your tank? What color and type 250 watt bulb do you have?

 

[Ehgemus]

My tank is 19" deep and the bulb is 8" above the water. The light is 1x250w HM reeflux 12k SE.
The clam has looked like the first picture all day. I might have to move the clam up to get more light.
Any tips on placing the clam on the rock work?

 

[Giovanni]

You should be ok as long as the clam is not in the shadows. Mine will move then self if I put them in the shadows. Moveing the clam to often will cause more stress. Mine are under 14K 250 DE ushios at 24 inches and look like the second photo most of the time.

 

[Ehgemus]

thanks, any good fish stores there i murray ky?