any clam experts out there?

[bongobrian]

Ok I'm thinking my next addition to my tank should be a giant clam (I forget the scientific name for them) and I already know that they require mega lighting and excellent water conditions. I am curious, does anyone out there use power compacts and have one of these clams? I've read that mh bulbs are the best for them, but I wasn't sure if you could use power compacts and have good success in keeping a clam. I also want to know about anything else that is important when keeping one. Is food necessary? I'm pretty sure they are highly photosynthetic. I think I read somewhere that infauna are important when keeping clams... is that true? thanks guys!

[Joaco]

This will help you a lot, it has links to many articles by Daniel Knop, who is a clam expert. You can find the same link on my webpage.
Happy reading

http://www.reefs.org/library/aquariu...alf_Shell.html

Joaco

[Reinhold]

I bought this clam thinking it was a Derasa, which should do fine under PC lights. However, it turned out to be Crocea, which usually has a higher light requirement.

It has been thriving under the PC's, about halfway up the rocks. I feed some MicroVert twice per week. The mantle is sometimes so large that you cannot see the shell.

The picture was taken today.

[SupaJSK]

whats the best way to get these clams to attach to the rocks?

[Reinhold]

SupaJSK:

Just find a shelf if you are going to place them on the rock work. If they don't like it, they seem to jump off. My Crocea attached himself so firmly that I cannot move it at all.

[Papa Doug]

Give it a good place to sit and place some rocks around it. If it likes the spot, it will attach, if not, it will try and move. If using pc,s, keep it as close to the lights as possible, or the colour may degrade.

This one was attached as above and is now well attached and exposed. It directly under a 400 watt halide though.

By the way, thats a beautiful clam you have.

[jasonchi]

Here is my recent clam addition.

[bongobrian]

niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice clams! hehe you guys like to show off don't you! ok here's what I think I'm going to do: build a canopy for the top of my tank, split apart my two 55 w power compacts and mount them in the top, put actinics in both of the pc mounts, buy a universal mount for one 175w mh day bulb and mount it in between the pc's. I think this would be the best/cheapest solution. Thanks for showing your photos! very sweet looking clams!!

[SupaJSK]

i tried placing my derasa clam up on a rock, and my maroon clown keeps knocking it off!! anyone know why he would do that?

[Green Mariner]

Supa, not all clams attach, some like it better on the sand bed, so some will never attach. I had a large Purple ultra max and it never attached it prefered it on the sandbed. So the attaching thing is a general rule.

HTH

[Joaco]

Supa, if the maroon is pushing it, it might be because the clam is in the clown's territory. Maroon clowns are very strong, and not very fond of 'pieces of decoration' that interfere with their territory. I would move the clam to another part of the tank and see if the maroon leaves it alone.

Joaco

[bongobrian]

My maroon clown does the same thing... he likes to rearrange the tank to his liking. whenever I put new stuff in the tank the bastard knocks it down. I have found places in the tank out of the fishes territory as joaco mentioned where the fish won't bother anything. Don't even try to keep new corals and what not in his territory. He'll end up disturbing them too much and probably end up killing them.