Why not?
- Thread starter gohabsgo
- Start date
cichlidkid
Member
I think that candycane will chime in here to reveal the true answers
fattony
Member
I have 3 Clams.. 2 Croceas and a ORA Maxima. The Croceas prefer the sand and will move around a bit till they like where they are and then they will attach (mine are both attached and it's virtually impossible to move them), the Maxima has been on the same rock that I placed it on 4 months ago...
spanko
Active Member
From Barry Neigut of Clams Direct.
I recommend that newly introduced clams be placed at the bottom of the tank for about a week while deciding where to place it permanently. This will also give the animal time to adjust to both your water and your lighting.
Tridacna derasa, Tridacna squamosa, and Tridacna gigas are best placed on sandy substrate, whereas Tridacna crocea and Tridacna maxima should be placed in the rock work. Take notice of the currents in your aquarium, because most Tridacnid clams do not like strong water movement. Tridacna maxima and Tridacnid crocea can tolerate relatively stronger currents.
Another concern when placing Tridacnids is to consider what other animals are in close proximity to your chosen location. You don’t want to put the clam where it can be stung by any extended sweeper tentacles from resident corals.
If your ideal location for your Tridacnid is going to be on the substrate, I would suggest that you place a small piece of rock or tile about 1/8” to 1/2” below the substrate. When the clam starts to lay down its byssal filaments, it can attach to that object. This will also prevent potential predators from entering the byssal opening and doing damage to vital organs.
I recommend that newly introduced clams be placed at the bottom of the tank for about a week while deciding where to place it permanently. This will also give the animal time to adjust to both your water and your lighting.
Tridacna derasa, Tridacna squamosa, and Tridacna gigas are best placed on sandy substrate, whereas Tridacna crocea and Tridacna maxima should be placed in the rock work. Take notice of the currents in your aquarium, because most Tridacnid clams do not like strong water movement. Tridacna maxima and Tridacnid crocea can tolerate relatively stronger currents.
Another concern when placing Tridacnids is to consider what other animals are in close proximity to your chosen location. You don’t want to put the clam where it can be stung by any extended sweeper tentacles from resident corals.
If your ideal location for your Tridacnid is going to be on the substrate, I would suggest that you place a small piece of rock or tile about 1/8” to 1/2” below the substrate. When the clam starts to lay down its byssal filaments, it can attach to that object. This will also prevent potential predators from entering the byssal opening and doing damage to vital organs.
candycane
Active Member
Derasa and Gigas clams usually prefer the substrate. I have kept Squamosas on both rock and sandy substrate; I have seen 100's of them crawl up onto rock or choose to stay in the sand. Maximas can either go in the sand or on the rock (as long as they aren't jumpers and tumble off the rock - same thing with Croces for the jumpers part). Croceas prefer rockwork when and after they are acclimated. Both Maximas and Croceas "feel around" to find a suitable area in order to attach.
While I do believe that it is MORE important for T. Crocea to be placed on rockwork at some point because of the general size of the byssal opening, I have NEVER seen a case where T. Maxima was not perfectly content with being in a sand bed. As long as the sand bed is not that deep, either clam will use it's byssal threads to attach to the bottom of the tank. If the sand bed is deeper, then it usually is a good idea to place something under ANY of them - down in the sand bed. If this option is chosen, I would say around over an inch down. If it is much shallower, it tends to cause the clam to "topple" in an attempt to rock off of the solid substrate if that is NOT where it wants to be.
Nearly all of it is a 'what they should do' sort of thing - there is no guarantee with any of it. I have seen Croceas placed on PERFECTLY flat pieces of rockwork, after they have been acclimated, with needing higher amounts of light - they will sometimes still jump off.
Edit: A clam probably should be acclimated at the bottom of the tank. If the lights are much more then where the clam came from, then I usually recommend that a piece of larger, sterile acrylic be purchased and sprayed down with tank water. As the water dries, it forms salt creep and partially filters out the light so that the clam does not get stressed due to light shock.
While I do believe that it is MORE important for T. Crocea to be placed on rockwork at some point because of the general size of the byssal opening, I have NEVER seen a case where T. Maxima was not perfectly content with being in a sand bed. As long as the sand bed is not that deep, either clam will use it's byssal threads to attach to the bottom of the tank. If the sand bed is deeper, then it usually is a good idea to place something under ANY of them - down in the sand bed. If this option is chosen, I would say around over an inch down. If it is much shallower, it tends to cause the clam to "topple" in an attempt to rock off of the solid substrate if that is NOT where it wants to be.
Nearly all of it is a 'what they should do' sort of thing - there is no guarantee with any of it. I have seen Croceas placed on PERFECTLY flat pieces of rockwork, after they have been acclimated, with needing higher amounts of light - they will sometimes still jump off.
Edit: A clam probably should be acclimated at the bottom of the tank. If the lights are much more then where the clam came from, then I usually recommend that a piece of larger, sterile acrylic be purchased and sprayed down with tank water. As the water dries, it forms salt creep and partially filters out the light so that the clam does not get stressed due to light shock.