I picked up 3 new clams in Virginia last week-end. Two 2 1/2" croceas and one *huge* crocea the size of my fist. Amazingly, they had them at $30 and $50. Real score in a nice pet store in Staunton, VA.
__________________ George
Smyrna, GA
25g reef
Coming Soon: 60g Ocea Cube (24"^3)
That's a lota clams for not too many clams. Nice catch.
__________________ Amphibious
Reaching my 70th BD, I realize that I cannot help but grow old. However, I refuse to grow up!!! My wife would tell you, "He may be 70 but, He's going on 17". Life is wonderful with a woman like that.
Welcome to TR George! Great clam shots! I never had luck with trying to place mine on the rock work...they always seemed to move around and ended up falling. Yours look great though!
Holy Bi-valve... they are beauties for that price. Good job!
Christy.. if you care, I can help you with the clam placement thing. You just have to find the right light, flow, and then encourage them to "stick around".
hey Dave, that would be great next time I get one. My last gigas ended up wilting away. I don't know if it was just too stressed from the shipment or if some of my fish were bothering it or what. I never saw anything nipping at it. but, slowly, over time, the mantle shrunk and it slowly developed such gapers that tissue began to rip and then "schwoops" over night the entire thing disappeared. I felt like crap....that's why I never wrote you again about it!
I can relate to that feeling, Christi. Just reading about your experience took me back a few years when clams were first being kept successfully. I bought a maxima and in a short period of time (weeks) it did the "schwoops" thing. Besides feeling like crap, the experience humbled me. I've held the belief for a long time, that my abilities (experience) is equal to most when it comes to keeping things alive for extended periods of time. For a couple of years after this experience, I wouldn't purchase a clam. I would just enjoy them in LFSs and other's systems, with much envy. Part of it was the money and the ease with which it departed. It may have been doomed from the first day for reasons beyond my control.
Eventually I got over my inadequate feelings and ventured into clams again. With success this time I'm happy to report. I just hate losing our living critters in less than an expected amount of time. I have three crocea now. They are doing great and showing good growth. I need to post a recent pic in my tank journal.
__________________ Amphibious
Reaching my 70th BD, I realize that I cannot help but grow old. However, I refuse to grow up!!! My wife would tell you, "He may be 70 but, He's going on 17". Life is wonderful with a woman like that.
yeah, that basically about sums up how I felt. I hesitated for over two years to get a clam and finally relented in buying this one. Some people say they're so easy to keep, but they've always looks more intimidating to me....I don't really know why. At any rate, I finally jumped in and now look where it got me! Dave tried to help me out with several suggestions, but I think by that time the clam was already too stressed out. It'll be awhile before I try again, probably once the new tank is up and running and stable...
just briefly...clams aren't that difficult, but like many "special care" critters they have some basic needs that must be met.
1. they need proper lighting. low-light Tridacnids are T. derasa, T. squamosa, T. gigas, and H. hippopus. if you have a pretty good amount of PC, you can keep a gold T. maxima high in your rockwork. maxima "ultras" and croceas REALLY need MH lighting to thrive (thrive being the operative word here).
2. clams need a mature tank (at least 6 mos old) and stable water conditions. Ca levels should be at LEAST 400 ppm (450 ppm is optimal).
3. they should be fed live phyto a couple of times a week. clams that are 2.5" or less are babies and require supplemental bowl feedings since they lack sufficient mantle mass to live off the byproducts of their zooxanthellae.
4. clams need low current. if their mantles are doing more than an occasional gentle lift, the current is too high.
5. new clams should be inspected and scrubbed. pay special attention to the byssal area. you're looking for small white snails (pyramid snails), which must be picked off. clams really should be QT'd, especially if you have established clams already in the system.
6. since they are rock-dwellers, maxima and crocea clams should be placed in the rockwork (get them to attach to a small piece of LR or place them in a clam halfshell so they can be moved if necessary). derasa, squamosa, gigas, and hippopus should be placed on the substrate.
T. derasa is the best beginner clam. T. crocea is the most sensitive and the most light-hungry.
hmmm...maybe that wasn't QUITE so brief, but those are the basics of keeping clams.
Your "brief" posts will fit right in with mine. Happy to have you join our family.
Dick
__________________ Amphibious
Reaching my 70th BD, I realize that I cannot help but grow old. However, I refuse to grow up!!! My wife would tell you, "He may be 70 but, He's going on 17". Life is wonderful with a woman like that.
I agree with Saxman (great post btw) - also, if you have a chance to read Daniel Knop's book on giant clams, it provides a ton of information. I have had great luck with my Crocea's. I feed phyto 2x a week, MH lighting, and calcium of 400+. I keep them on the rock work. Here's a photo....
icon under there name and give them Reputation points
USA 
Nice catch.
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