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mermaidcamille 
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 Topic: Crocea Clam 1st Grade
Posted: November 18 2007 at 10:51am |
Does anyone have any experience with these clams? If so I would love some advice on how to get one to thrive in my 46 gallon reef.
Thanks!
Camille
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Adam Blundell
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Posted: November 18 2007 at 10:57am |
If you have halides they do great. Just about any local store here will have them. Very easy to care for.
Adam
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cl2ysta1
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Posted: November 18 2007 at 11:36am |
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they also need to be fed phyto. Squamosas are the only clam I know of that are pretty much photosynthetic. But they are only photosynthetic after reaching a certain size. Ive found it hard to have clams in large tanks Bc you need to put so much phyto in them. If you do y our own phyto cultures this is cheap. If your buying DT's this can get expensive
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Cody Pearce
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Posted: November 18 2007 at 12:11pm |
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According to the data in Fatherree's book all clams, except small hippopus, can get over 100% of their energy needs by photosynthesis.
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90 gallon mixed reef
My fish swim naked.
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cl2ysta1
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Posted: November 18 2007 at 1:38pm |
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well thats good to know. When i had researched them about two years ago thats what i read. thanks for the update!!!!
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cl2ysta1
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Posted: November 18 2007 at 1:43pm |
here is what marine depot says
Diet: needs to be fed phytoplankton a few times a week..
Feeding: It likes to eat Phytoplankton.
Behavior: The is generally peaceful toward other tankmates.
Care: Many consider the a Medium-maintenance specimen.
Lighting: Has strong lighting needs.
Water flow: The requires intermediate water flow.
General notes: Ultra Crocea Clam grade will come in electric blue, green or a combination of various colors. The Ultra Crocea Clam is peaceful to other tank members.The Ultra Crocea Clam is a medium-maintenance specimen. Keep lighting intense, should only be kept under Metal Halide lighting. The Crocea Clam 1st grade requires moderate water flow. Needs to be fed Phytoplankton 2-3 times per week. Requires high calcium and introduction of iodine..
Water parameters:Keep water quality high (SG 1.023 - 1.025, pH 8.1 - 8.4, Temp. 72 - 78° F).
Origin: The Ultra Crocea Clam is commonly collected from The Solomons and Vietnam. .
< content=all name=robots>
< content=" Ultra Crocea Clam " name=Keywords>
< content=" Ultra Crocea Clam " name=Deion>
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cl2ysta1
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Posted: November 18 2007 at 1:49pm |
so feeding wont hurt, but if you have sufficient lighting your good.
meaning halides>?
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jeffras
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Posted: November 18 2007 at 1:56pm |
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James Fatherree (considered an expert with clams) pretty much discounted feeding phyto as a myth (made up by phyto manufacturers like DT's) when he presented to the club a few months ago. It was a fantastic presentation. Bottom line was, as long as you have halides you should be fine with most clams.
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cl2ysta1
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Posted: November 18 2007 at 2:34pm |
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well im guessing thats correct b/c i got a crocea with my tank and i've had it for two months now and ive never fed it.
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Mark Peterson
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Posted: November 18 2007 at 3:30pm |
 Cody Pearce wrote:
According to the data in Fatherree's book all clams, except small hippopus, can get over 100% of their energy needs by photosynthesis. |
I don't know Fatheree and I was not at his presentation, but I wonder if his book or his presentation was misunderstood. personally I think it's nonsensical to believe that Tridacna clams don't need to eat and that they only need light. Think about it. A tank illuminated by MH grows more phytoplankton. Sunlight also grows lots of phyto. Both the light and the greater supply of phyto are what preserve a clams health. Alk and Ca must also be good.
A healthy clam will discharge mucous from time to time. Some of this gray mucous matter was once green phytoplankton. Why do you think clams do so much to filter the water of phyto and reduce N compounds? Because they eat organic matter from the water. Here's my evidence:
Late July, 2 weeks after setup I was looking for a way to clear my sunlight illuminated phyto farm.  The skimmer did nothing.
The Squamosa was introduced the first week of August. This pic was taken the next morning.
This pic was taken 3 months later, but the water actually cleared within 2 days and despite 4 hours of direct sunlight and adding 2-4 gallons of live phyto every week the water stayed crystal clear.
 Because of the clam's need to build it's massive shell, keeping Alk and Ca within range is extremely important. This large squamosa seemed to be just barely hanging on when I got it. It grew quickly and the mantel brightened, strengthened and enlarged. 
Edited by Mark Peterson - November 18 2007 at 3:56pm
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jeffras
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Posted: November 18 2007 at 4:03pm |
Mark, You should get his book or see if the dvd from that meeting is available. You will certainly be impressed by his knowledge of clams. I'm sticking with James, just because they can filter feed doesn't mean they need to. 
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Mike Savage
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Posted: November 18 2007 at 4:03pm |
No misunderstanding. He was very clear on the matter and had graphs showing clam size and their ability to use photosynthesis. His conclusion was use MH lighting and no phyto is needed. Other intense lighting may suffice but MH was his choice for clams and no phyto.
Mike
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jeffras
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Posted: November 18 2007 at 4:10pm |
Here is a link to a forum where James is clearing up this same thing: http://www.michiganreefers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=53598If I misunderstood statements like this then I must have mental problems: "people associated with selling phyto say they have to be fed. People not associated with selling phyto (like me, Charles Delbeek, & Anthony Calfo, for example, etc.) say they don't need it. Example: I know of one long article saying they must be fed or they'll die - but it was publuished only on DT's website. Get the idea?"
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Jeff Rasmussen
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Will Spencer
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Posted: November 18 2007 at 4:27pm |
To my knowledge James Fatheree said they don't need phyto or supplemental feeding. He did not say they would not eat phyto or DT's, etc.
Mark, I notice that you did not have MH's on your tank. Therefore, according to James you probably did not have intense enough lighting. From that I extrapolate that therefore your clams may have needed some other type of food source.
James also explained that we tend to treat Tridacna's as if each specimen of each species were the same and they are not. Each specimen is as different from another as we are. Some are fat, some are slim, some are tall, some are short, some are fast growing and some are not, some need more light to survive and some can do with less. So if Mark, or any of the rest of us, had a top 10% clam that did very well in his tank it is possible that a bottom 10% clam would not have done as well.
Now, what I want to know is why do I always get a bottom 10%'er.  |
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Mike Savage
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Posted: November 18 2007 at 5:16pm |
Darn underachieving clams. Quit getting your clams from the shallow end of the gene pool.
Mike
Edited by Mike Savage - November 18 2007 at 7:39pm
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mermaidcamille
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Posted: November 18 2007 at 8:04pm |
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Thanks for all the information! Wow. The reason I ask is because I have had one in my tank for 3 months and it has done well. A week ago I added some live rock to my tank and the clam hasn't been coming out like it had been, and today it looks like it is wilting in its shell (it is still alive as it will close up). I don't know if it is just being dramatic today, or if I have some how managed to kill it. Anyone else ever had this happen?
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Cody Pearce
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Posted: November 18 2007 at 9:02pm |
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Can you post a pic Camille?
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90 gallon mixed reef
My fish swim naked.
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mermaidcamille
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Posted: November 18 2007 at 10:12pm |
This is not a happy clam.... 
Edited by mermaidcamille - November 18 2007 at 10:13pm
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Mike Savage
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Posted: November 18 2007 at 10:23pm |
The picture is pretty small but it looks like the clam is history.
Mike
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mermaidcamille
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Posted: November 18 2007 at 10:33pm |
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That is what I was worried about....Why would it turn so quickly after being so happy (or at least pretending to be)? I am so bummed.
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