Need opinions

ReeferRyan

ReeferRyan

Premium Member
I am looking at buying a Derasa clam for my aquapod. The LFS told me that the PC lighting would be sufficient for the clam to be healthy and grow, however many online retailers list that it needs strong lighting. My water param's are within range for it, I am just concerned about lighting. What does everyone else think?
 
I think you will likely be ok..... Make sure to feed plenty of phyto and keep water quality pretty high....
 
Water quality is great. I will have to start the phyto.

Speaking of that, when I put the phyto in should I turn off all of the pumps, or let it get sucked through all of the filtration? Does it add any nutrients?
 
It will be fine in the pumps - leave them on. And use live phyto (DTs or DIY home grown, talk to Adam & crew Phyto). And yes, ANYTHING you feed to your tank adds nutrients.
 
How big is the clam? If you are purchasing a small clam (under 3")you may be asking for trouble. From my research, it is the stress that usually gets to them, not over or under feeding.

Clams derive their nutrients from light, feeding anything is just a little "booster" if you will, that is if they will injest what your feeding. So, the better the light, the better off the clam.

I personally would not keep a clam under PC's, although some people have been sucessfull. If you do get one, I would be very interested in hearing updates about its health and growth.
 
I had a clam under VHO's, and it only lasted 3 months!! :-(... dunno what i did to it, well, I was gone doing army stuff, I think my GF killed it!!!! hehehe J/K Mel!!!! (I hope she doesnt see this)
 
The clam should do fine in that small of a tank with that type of lighting. As it was stated already, phytoplankton will be needed. But, JR719 has a point. Clams tend to rely on food a lot more when they are younger. But a large clam in that small of a tank will absolutely suck the calcium and plankton from the water column in no time. You'll have a lot of problems with water chemistry until you can find that perfect balance. So, now you have a few options. Get a baby clam and feed lots and have stable parameters, get a bigger clam and not feed as much and have to battle with the Calcium constantly, or not get one at all.
 
What I have heard is that clams require "high light." That is what people say. What high light is, I'm not sure. I do know that people think that the clam they bought is doing really well, then 3 months later it dies. Apparently a clam will "starve" without you know it, and it takes 3 months for a starving clam to die. I do know that I kept a squamosa in my 20 with 110W PC for 3 or 4 months. Then I moved it under the T5s. Honestly, I thought it grew better in the 20 (probably got more of a share of the calcium). Plus, I think it liked my nitrate problem. After I got him, I could pick up nitrates with my test kit for the life of me.... In that small of a tank, it just filter feeds like crazy. It my opinion, go for it. I have a large tank with 4 clams and T5s if you ever feel like it is not doing well...
 
T. deresa and T. squamosa are the lowest light Tridacna clams around, so with that small of a tank with those lights, it should be fine. Now, if you went out and picked up a T. crocea or T. maxima, that would be asking for trouble.
 
I think you will be fine with a deresa, but you may need to worry about that bad boy outgrowing your tank pretty quickly. If I'm not mistaken they are the second largest to the gigas, then the squamosa. I had a squammy under vhos for a long time and now he's under halides in 4 years he went from 3" to maybe 8". I got a deresa about 4 months ago and he's grown 1.5-2". Just a thought. You may just want to trade him when he gets big, but a squammy should be smaller for longer.

Kyle
 
As far as size relationship of "Giant Clams", you're looking at the largest to smallest as:

Tridacna gigas: up to 4'+ long
Tridacna derasa: up to 2' long
Tridacna squamose: up to 16" long
Tridacna maxima: up to 14" long
Tridacna crocea: up to 6" long
 
Except you'll be fine for several years, likely. And then you can sell it away to someone or move it to a bigger tank of your own......

And your PCs will be fine. And your calcium levels will be fine. Just aim for one moderate size (about 3 inches) and it'll be all good, assuming the tank is relatively stable.
 
I will probably go pick it up today. It is about three inches and looks really healthy. I appreciate the input from everyone!
 
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