Tridacna questions

meowzer

Moderator
OK...I have to be careful how I word things....LOL....
 
The tridacna family...I am thinking of getting a "tridacna" for my 225G....I wanted one for the sand .....BUT, this is what I am reading as far as placement:
 
Derasa...placed in sand
 
maxima, squamosa and crocea are all rock dwelling????
 
I have a Derasa in the 29G, and really wanted a nice blue colored one in the 225G......
 
SO, Is the Derasa the only one that can go on sand???? Can you put a little rubble on the sand and place a rock dwelling on that?
 
Any suggestions, comments, or firsthand experience would be greatly appreciated....I plan on finding a 3-4" one, therefore they are a little more costly, so I want to make sure I have all the facts (from people)

 
 

meowzer

Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by levinjac http:///forum/thread/380367/tridacna-questions#post_3310358
Those are huge just looked it up beautiful but huge
 
It takes a while for them to get really big, but I have heard smaller then 3" has a low survival rate, so I want to get one 3-4"....and then let it grow...I have plenty of space in the 225G for one....depending on if it is a sand dweller or rock dweller
 

levinjac

Active Member
http://www.***************.com/resources.asp?show=404

INFO FROM LOOK ABOVE
 

Maxima clams hold a certain mystique in the hobby. Insanely beautiful with iridescent colors that seem to change every time you look at them, these clams are the giant clam for many marine aquarists. While the beauty alone encourages an impulse buy, the conscientious aquarist is best to do his or her homework before buying a maxima clam. While clams have a reputation for being hard to keep, the reality is that they are fairly hardy if kept in the proper environment. To add icing to the cake, clams actually help stabilize and improve water quality in a well-maintained reef.
Maxima Clams – The Basics

While the beginning aquarist should probably perfect his or her reef-keeping skills before acquiring a maxima clam, the intermediate hobbyists may well be ready for this gorgeous animal. Maxima clams are a species of clam within the genus Tridacna. Species of Tridacna clams commonly seen in the marine aquarium hobby include T. crocea, T. derasa, T. gigas
, and T. squamosa.
While many clams are both wild-collected and farmed, October 2009 was the first time that wild-collected maxima clams were available to marine aquarium hobbyists in North America (and Blue Zoo was one of the first to offer them).
It probably goes without saying, but maxima clams, like all clams, belong in reef tanks and not fish-only systems. In a standard, well-maintained reef tank set-up with typical reef tank filtration, a maxima clam should do exceedingly well. In a fish-only system, the calcium levels will probably be too low, and likely the fish will harass and, ultimately kill the clam.
Light and Flow Requirements for Maxima Clams

When it comes to more specific parameters within the reef tank, maxima clams, like many corals, prefer high intensity (e.g., metal halide) lighting and strong (although not laminar) flow. Because maxima clams, unlike many other sand-dwelling clams, prefer to attach themselves to rocky substrate, they can (and should) be placed on the rockwork in the upper third of the aquarium. This will insure they get enough light to properly maintain the symbiotic algae (zooxanthellae) these clams host. In turn, the algae, in combination with the clam’s regular filter feeding behavior, will provide most of the nutrients the animal needs to survive. Having said this, it is recommended to target feed maxima clams several times a week in most situations, but more on that below.
Other Reef Tank Parameters to Watch with Maxima Clams

In terms of other parameters, the husbandry staff at Blue Zoo emphasizes consistency above all else. There are, however, two parameters which can rapidly stress a clam and, ultimately, cause its demise. First is temperature. Maintaining a normal tropical reef temperature with less than two degrees of daily fluctuation is ideal, but it is absolutely essential to make sure the temperature never exceeds 82-degrees Fahrenheit. A normal reef pH is recommended, again with consistency being emphasized, but the aquarist keeping maxima clams should never allow the pH to exceed 8.4. Too high a temperature or pH will have a rapid, negative impact on maxima clams and must be avoided at all cost.
argin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Supplemental Feedings for a Maxima Clam
Many people do not believe it is necessary to target feed maxima clams. At Blue Zoo, we recommend that most people keeping maximas target feed their clams at least a couple times per week. The trouble is that while these animals do host symbiotic algae and filter feed, most reef aquarists over-filter their reef tanks, especially if they are keeping more sensitive coral species such as those with small polyps. As such, there is not as much available food in many reef tanks. To insure the health of a maxima clam in an over-filtered reef tank, consider feeding commercially-prepared phytoplankton with a turkey baster at least twice per week. Simply broadcast the food up current from the clam, and allow the food to be carried to the clam.
A Centerpiece Species

Overall, maxima clams are beautiful animals that can become the centerpiece of a gorgeous reef aquarium in one’s home or office. While they have a reputation of being hard-to-keep, in reality maxima clams are quite hardy if the right environmental conditions are provided and maintained.
 

meowzer

Moderator
LOL....Thanks Lev.....I have read all that too ;)
 
I just wanted some personal experiences too.....you know.....sometimes people do things different then what sites recommend
 

levinjac

Active Member
OH well they are sand dwelling so I think you can get away with it. you have strong lighting so it should be ok with lighting you have enough flow Im sure youll feed it so I think you will be ok
 

levinjac

Active Member
It says if they are placed on the rocks to place them on the upper third but they are considered sand dwelling so that means they are sand dwelling it also says they prefer not need
 
S

smartorl

Guest
Actually, they are rock dwelling. I'm curious about this two. I love my dersa, it's about six inches now but I would love to have a more intensely colored clam that I could keep in the sand bed.
Do you have halides on the 225?
 

btldreef

Moderator
I have kept Maxima's in the sand and on rocks. Does not seem to make a difference. They only time the sand annoys them is if you have an obnoxious little sand sifting goby that tries to bury it, which is what I have in my 155. I have a maxima right now on a bare bottom and it's doing fine.
 

btldreef

Moderator
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by levinjac http:///forum/thread/380367/tridacna-questions#post_3310380
http://www.***************.com/resources.asp?show=404
INFO FROM LOOK ABOVE
 

Maxima clams hold a certain mystique in the hobby. Insanely beautiful with iridescent colors that seem to change every time you look at them, these clams are the giant clam for many marine aquarists. While the beauty alone encourages an impulse buy, the conscientious aquarist is best to do his or her homework before buying a maxima clam. While clams have a reputation for being hard to keep, the reality is that they are fairly hardy if kept in the proper environment. To add icing to the cake, clams actually help stabilize and improve water quality in a well-maintained reef.
Maxima Clams – The Basics

While the beginning aquarist should probably perfect his or her reef-keeping skills before acquiring a maxima clam, the intermediate hobbyists may well be ready for this gorgeous animal. Maxima clams are a species of clam within the genus Tridacna. Species of Tridacna
clams commonly seen in the marine aquarium hobby include T. crocea, T. derasa, T. gigas
, and T. squamosa.
While many clams are both wild-collected and farmed, October 2009 was the first time that wild-collected maxima clams were available to marine aquarium hobbyists in North America (and Blue Zoo was one of the first to offer them).
It probably goes without saying, but maxima clams, like all clams, belong in reef tanks and not fish-only systems. In a standard, well-maintained reef tank set-up with typical reef tank filtration, a maxima clam should do exceedingly well. In a fish-only system, the calcium levels will probably be too low, and likely the fish will harass and, ultimately kill the clam.
Light and Flow Requirements for Maxima Clams

When it comes to more specific parameters within the reef tank, maxima clams, like many corals, prefer high intensity (e.g., metal halide) lighting and strong (although not laminar) flow. Because maxima clams, unlike many other sand-dwelling clams, prefer to attach themselves to rocky substrate, they can (and should) be placed on the rockwork in the upper third of the aquarium. This will insure they get enough light to properly maintain the symbiotic algae (zooxanthellae) these clams host. In turn, the algae, in combination with the clam’s regular filter feeding behavior, will provide most of the nutrients the animal needs to survive. Having said this, it is recommended to target feed maxima clams several times a week in most situations, but more on that below.
Other Reef Tank Parameters to Watch with Maxima Clams

In terms of other parameters, the husbandry staff at Blue Zoo emphasizes consistency above all else. There are, however, two parameters which can rapidly stress a clam and, ultimately, cause its demise. First is temperature. Maintaining a normal tropical reef temperature with less than two degrees of daily fluctuation is ideal, but it is absolutely essential to make sure the temperature never exceeds 82-degrees Fahrenheit. A normal reef pH is recommended, again with consistency being emphasized, but the aquarist keeping maxima clams should never allow the pH to exceed 8.4. Too high a temperature or pH will have a rapid, negative impact on maxima clams and must be avoided at all cost.
Supplemental Feedings for a Maxima Clam
Many people do not believe it is necessary to target feed maxima clams. At Blue Zoo, we recommend that most people keeping maximas target feed their clams at least a couple times per week. The trouble is that while these animals do host symbiotic algae and filter feed, most reef aquarists over-filter their reef tanks, especially if they are keeping more sensitive coral species such as those with small polyps. As such, there is not as much available food in many reef tanks. To insure the health of a maxima clam in an over-filtered reef tank, consider feeding commercially-prepared phytoplankton with a turkey baster at least twice per week. Simply broadcast the food up current from the clam, and allow the food to be carried to the clam.
A Centerpiece Species

Overall, maxima clams are beautiful animals that can become the centerpiece of a gorgeous reef aquarium in one’s home or office. While they have a reputation of being hard-to-keep, in reality maxima clams are quite hardy if the right environmental conditions are provided and maintained.
DO NOT POST COMPETITORS LINKS!
 
S

smartorl

Guest
Who was it on here that was raising clams under PC lighting and breeding clams?
 

meowzer

Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by BTLDreef http:///forum/thread/380367/tridacna-questions#post_3310403
I have kept Maxima's in the sand and on rocks. Does not seem to make a difference. They only time the sand annoys them is if you have an obnoxious little sand sifting goby that tries to bury it, which is what I have in my 155. I have a maxima right now on a bare bottom and it's doing fine.
Thanks...that is what I am looking for....a personal experience

 
I know what all the sites say....
 
Do you know anything about Croceas? Can they go in the sand?
 

btldreef

Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by meowzer http:///forum/thread/380367/tridacna-questions#post_3310414
Thanks...that is what I am looking for....a personal experience

 
I know what all the sites say....
 
Do you know anything about Croceas? Can they go in the sand?
 
I've never owned one.
My understanding is that Maxima's can go in either, Derasa's should be in the sand and Croceas should be in rock work because they are a boring clam.
 

btldreef

Moderator
Anytime

 
BTW, off topic, but how is your lemonpeel doing? I think my husband has banned me from that fish now that I got more filefish.
 

meowzer

Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by BTLDreef http:///forum/thread/380367/tridacna-questions#post_3310421
Anytime

 
BTW, off topic, but how is your lemonpeel doing? I think my husband has banned me from that fish now that I got more filefish.
It's doing great....it is picking off the algae sheet...feeding when I feed the tank, and I have notice NO polyps missing

 
your filefish are beauties though.....
 

btldreef

Moderator
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by meowzer http:///forum/thread/380367/tridacna-questions#post_3310422
It's doing great....it is picking off the algae sheet...feeding when I feed the tank, and I have notice NO polyps missing

 
your filefish are beauties though.....
Glad to hear it!
Once we move and get all the tank re-set up, I will somehow manage to squeeze that fish into one of my tanks.
 
Thanks. They're beautiful, but I've got my work cut out for me. I have yet to see the one male eat, not even coral. My husband swears they're both eating, but I'm paranoid.
 
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