Clams in a nano

[ChrisIsBored]

Just curious about how many others here on Reefs.org are keeping clams in their nano's. They've gotten pretty popular at the nano-reef.com forums...

I've got a small squamosa in my 7G bowfront... none of my pics i've taken have come out that well but i'll try to get a better shot and post one later tonight.

:?:

 

[Brooklyn Johnny]

Here are my three maximas in my 10... I have a squamosa on the sand too... also interested to see who else is keeping them in their nanos...

 

[brandon4291]

--dp

 

[brandon4291]

I currently keep a 2" blue maxxima in my 1 gallon reefbowl (along with a load of other stonies) he maintains full mantle extension day after day and has also deposited an additional 1/4'' to his shell over the past three weeks. Although many prefer to keep them under metal halides, as Brooklyn Johnny has mentioned it doesnt really matter if they are under pc as long as they are close to the light. The perceived need for MH is a result of putting clams on the lower substrate of deep tanks. The shorter water column of a nano does not require such lighting penetrance.

Brandon

 

[ChrisIsBored]

Brooklyn Johnny the Maxima's are beautiful... mind if I ask how long you've had them and how much they've grown?

My squamosa is the first clam i've had so I picked something with lower lighting requirements... i'm still running a 96W powerquad over a 7G tank though.

 

[brandon4291]

And of course Im not advocating keeping these in a mson jar or anything Im just saying that the size of the tank does not necessarily set the stage for clam support--its the quality of the light, current, and water IMO.

My RB has a miniDSB and is also unskimmed and unfiltered. This leaves notable suspended particles in the water, and the flow rate is low because there is only an airstone to power the whole system. He loves it in here even though he will ahve to be traded when he gets to 8". Page 5 of the reefbowl thread has pics...

 

[Brooklyn Johnny]

Thanks Chris... I've had the purple guy for about 8 months and he's grown like a root. The blue one for about 6 months and growth on him too but not like the purple for whatever reason. The green is a relative new addition and has settled in niocely but i have yet to see growth... the purple has grown very well though and all have gotten incredible color... I feed heavily also...

 

[wombat1]

B
Is your maxima on the sand? Have you tried moving it closer? It might do better on a rocky surface, but it sounds like it's doing great! I think that clams can do just fine in a nano. I plan on feeding DTs, because they're less likely to foul the water if overfed. The smaller clams don't need as much light and can do great if fed regularly.

 

[Brooklyn Johnny]

Womba my three maximas are up there... only the squamosa is on the sand... here's a full tank shot so you can get a reference...

 

[wombat1]

Doh! Sorry I meant that for brandon...I call him B
Very nice looking tank by the way!

 

[brandon4291]

I can't get my equipment to do these great detailed closeups you guys are getting... the closest I can get without blurring the picture is two feet. Need to spend more time in the photography forum to learn camera tweaks.

Heres a pic this evening of the maxxima clam. He is in a pocket with the sand close up under him, but he's actually resting on a LR ledge leaning against the glass. This turns out to be the only place that will hold him mantle-up, everywhere else he gets knocked over. Also, each time I phtograph the RB I move the palm light over so it won't glare, this time I left it on to show the supplemental light the clam gets everyday. An azoo palm light is a quality 7700K PC light, the smallest currently made by anyone. There is no true PC bulb I know of smaller than that of a palm light. This guy is shaded by the hammer coral and the frogspawn above him, he gets 90% of light sustenance from this palm light and it works great when placed 1/2 away from the specimen. Id say thats just about as bright to the clam as a 175MH spaced two feet up...

 

[sstephen]

I don't mean to dig up an old topic, but I was wondering how some of these clams are doing today? I'm interested in getting a clam for the 20g I'm setting up right now. I'm only using two 55W PCs for lighting, however I can easily place the clam within 10inches of the lights. I don't want to get a Derasa or Squamosa as those two will quickly outgrow the aquarium. I'd rather get a T. Maxima as they tend to stay relatively small (I've read 6-8" is usually their maximum size in aquariums). I've read that these clams are a little more needy when it comes to light requirements. Also, I'm planning on keeping this tank unskimmed if possible. Most of the inhabitants will be soft corals and zooanthids. I understand that a lot of people have put clams in nanoreefs, but I'm wondering how well they have done long term.

Thanks,
Scott

 

[brandon4291]

Mine died from the heat spike I had when the AC went out, he was the first to go. I lost a lot of corals in my system at that time

Since then the picos have been restocked, but I haven't wanted to drop another $$$ on a maxxima. Someday I will, probably in a new reef bowl.

Im sure the other clams in this thread are doing fine, here's a bump to keep it on top for a while.

B

 

[Anonymous]

All my clams are A-OK. Not a single one has died since I added them. The squamosa seems to have added the most shell, but they've all grown a bit. I think it's prudent to have a larger tank available for these guys, since you can't exactly frag a clam Either your own tank, or a good LFS or fellow reefer willing to take them.

Scott,
That amount of light is probably barely adequate for a maxima 10 inches away. It would do much better at the very top of the tank on the rockwork. Maximas really need to have their byssal gland attached to rockwork rather than sand anyway, and they need the most light out of all the Tridacna species. Having said that, though, the very tiny clams are deriving a larger proportion of their energy through phytoplankton capture than the larger clams, and so need less light. Their mantles just aren't big enough to provide as much energy via photosynthesis.

 

[sstephen]

Yeah, I'm a little hesitant to go with a Tridacna Maxima in that lighting. I'm sure a Derasa or Squamosa would do ok, but I don't have a larger tank for them. Living in San Diego, it probably would not be hard to find someone else to take it when it outgrows the tank, but I don't really want to count on that. I'd much rather make a more permanent home for the tank inhabitants.

 

[reefann]

I just read over at NR that Brooklyn Johnny has had a pyramid snail attack. I forget if he lost any(dont hold me to it but I think one).
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[Brooklyn Johnny]

Hey reefann... yeah I lost two... two are still doing well with no ill effects and no signs of snails. To keep from going into it all here is a link to the thread on NR...

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/showthr ... adid=15923

Thanks...

Johnny

 

[brandon4291]

Johnny I feel your loss man. Sorry bro.

But I would like to tell you that this thread is incredibly valuable because of the time you have taken to detail the exact shapes and attack styles of these little bas____ds. I never knew what the pyramydellines looked like, only read about them here on this site, and I am much better prepared for the future after reading your NR thread linked here.

Thanks for taking the time to help us build defenses against these snails, better luck next time around.

Brandon M.

 

[Brooklyn Johnny]

Thanks Brandon... that's what these boards are about... luckily my oldest and first maxima addition is still going strong, and growing fast. He seems unaffected so far and I'm continuing to keep an eye on him. Everybody do keep an eye out for them, as after reading about them they are more common than one would think...

Too bad my sixline sits on his *** and gets fat on food that's better than mine... wish he preferred the escargot :roll:

Johnny

 

[reefann]

Dude that sucks sorry to hear about the clams, but I must agree with Brandon your pics are very helpful to anyone looking to keep clams. I had also never seen a pyramid snail before.

Too bad my sixline sits on his *** and gets fat on food that's better than mine... wish he preferred the escargot

LOL I know what you mean, I keep all my tank stuff clean and make sure the diets are all perfect. Then later I drop a cookie on the floor pull the dog hair off it and eat it, this is at 2:30 in the morning
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