Upgrading Lights. Ready for Clams?

[angelsil]

I'm soon to be the new owner of a 3x150 MH at 10K and 4x96W Actinic PC Aqualight Pro over my 125. Now, I got to thinking...

Maybe I could have a clam?

I have a major love for the teardrop Maximas. And Maximas in general. I'd want to get one Aquacultured.

Thought I'd ask the clam gurus some questions..

Is what I have enough light?

Do clams suffer from coral alleopathy? coz my tank is kinda mean.
GSP, Euphyllia, and some Ricordea. Yeah, it's not a friendly tank for corals. Luckily, they're all seperated and my skimmer is pulling out a lot of the junk.

I already dose DTs and Cyclop-eeze for the polyps. Alk and Ca are tested weekly and maintained at 9 and 415 to 430.

Thanks!

Angel

 

[Peabody]

Sure you can have one. Just keep it high in the tank. Don't worry about the chemical warfare....doesn't hurt clams like it does corals.

 

[grimmjohn]

Teardrops are harder to keep alive aren't they?

 

[Scuba Dog]

grimmjohn

Yes thats true John, Why? The word is poor collection techniques. The gold teardrops are more hardy than the colorfull teardrops. I have a four to five inch gold teardrop that has done well in my tank for the 7 months that I have had it, would love to have a colorfull teardrop just not sure I want to drop 250 bucks for a clam that has a lesser chance to live.

 

[angelsil]

I don't think I'll start out with a teardrop, then. I definitely want an aquacultured clam.

 

[Scuba Dog]

angelsil

If you purchase a baby max, it will need a food source to survive, rule of thumb is any clam under three inches needs to be fed live phytoplankton, ala DT's or other sources such as home cultured, or the other brands that are on the market.

 

[angelsil]

Scuba,

I dose DTs 3-4x a week already for my pods (for the mandarin) and polyps. We go through one of the big jugs a month. I should own stock.

 

[bagedtaco]

you should be fine. start wit a crocea as they are easyer to keep.

clams are hardy animals. most make them out to be not so. but i've lost 3 clams out of the many that i have had.

colored tear drops are difficult. but they can be kept. i've seen a few. but haven't yet tryed one myself "yet"... will have one shortly

for your first clam i would recommend a crocea.

 

[LanT]

I believe croceas need the most light and are the hardest to keep. The upside to crocea is they are also the smallest of the tridacnid clams. The easiest clam would be a derasa or squamosa, but they also get really big.

 

[Peabody]

That's my experience as well. Croceas are the most difficult. Derasa's the easiest.

 

[bagedtaco]

out of maxima's and crocea's... i'd have to say crocea's.

now if your talk'n about squamosas and derasa's... then i'd agree too.

but he/she didn't ask about them. just the teardrop. so i excluded them.

with the light setup, i think crocea or a maxima would be fine.
depending on the depth of the tank.

 

[angelsil]

with the light setup, i think crocea or a maxima would be fine.
depending on the depth of the tank.

I'm a she

The depth is 24", but there's no reason I'd have to put the clam on the bottom. My research indicated that Maximas like the rockwork, but Squamosa's are in the sand. I could put a clam as close as about 6" from the top with my current rockwork and higher if I re-arranged.

I'm looking now at a regular ORA Maxima, rather than a teardrop.

Thanks!

Angel

 

[JR719]

angelsil,

6" from the top should be more than enough. My 2 pennies would be to get a clam around 4" to start. That way you don't have to target or bowl feed. Just alot easier to keep. I am still bowl feeding my crocea and wish I would have bought a larger one. I am only feeding 1 time a week now but still a pain.

Thats just my 2 cents.

 

[Snprhed]

Something else to consider. Find a small flat rock and place it in the brightest spot in the substrate. place the clam on it for a while ( week or two) until it is firmly attatched. Then you can move it up. I can't tell you how many times I found the perfect place for a clam to wake up the next morning to him face down in the sand.