Dying Clam (1 Viewer)

[Guest]

I have a Tridacna Crocea Clam that decided to close up for several days now, after doing well in the tank for 3-months. Water conditions have not changed substantially and lighting is adequate (260 W PC in 72 gal bow). Has anyone had similar experiences? Any ideas of what to check?

Dagger

 

[Guest]

I have a Tridacna Crocea Clam that decided to close up for several days now, after doing well in the tank for 3-months. Water conditions have not changed substantially and lighting is adequate (260 W PC in 72 gal bow). Has anyone had similar experiences? Any ideas of what to check?

Crocea clams require very high lighting. They live best under MH lighting, and although PCs are good initially, they lose a lot of their intensity very quickly. If the PCs were new when you introduced the clam, they may have lost enough intensity for the clams to start stressing and perhaps even dying.

PC lights only have a good life for most purposes of about 6 months, and even after 3 months they will lose a significant amount of their intensity.

If you are going to stick with PCs, you should go with a less light intensive clam, such as Derasa or Squamosa. If, however you are intent on trying to keep Croceas or Maximas, then you really need to upgrade your lighting to Metal Halide.

Good luck

Jim

 

[Guest]

I have a Tridacna Crocea Clam that decided to close up for several days now, after doing well in the tank for 3-months. Water conditions have not changed substantially and lighting is adequate (260 W PC in 72 gal bow). Has anyone had similar experiences? Any ideas of what to check?

Dagger

i've got 1130 watts (two 400W MH and three 110W VHO) above a 105 tall. nothing like 10+ watts/gallon. bring it over to my tank, put it near the top and watch it be happy.

 

[Guest]

Dying Clam Update

The mantle is ugly after the retreat, but new bulbs seem to have turned the situation around.

However, I'm not ready to account for most of the amperage in Katy -- with 1100 Watts -- you need a 1-1/2 HP chiller otherwise you have clam strips.

Honestly, I don't want to go w/MH's and I do understand that at a Marsh mtg last year @ Aquatic Designs, they did a test that showed that the intensity and penetration of PC's were the best. However, I don't know the age of the bulbs. But clearly, mine (just hit 6 months) were kaput.

Thanks much -- dagger

 

[Guest]

Re: Dying Clam Update

However, I'm not ready to account for most of the amperage in Katy -- with 1100 Watts -- you need a 1-1/2 HP chiller otherwise you have clam strips.

no chiller at all. two nice fans, and i leave the doors to teh canopy open all day. i get A LOT of evaporation. so much that i have to run a dehumidifier year round. the tank runs 82-84F or so. everything in it thrives. a chiller would be nice to get it to 80F, but since everything does so well, why mess with it. my electric bill sucks though.

 

[Guest]

Dagger, have you happened to check the crocea clam for pyramid snails?? If the clam was doing fine and then stopped opening if it isn't a combination of lack of intensity lighting then you may also want to check the clam{at nighttime's best} for pyramid snails.

They look like a piece of rice and will suck the life from clams.

Tridacna crocea is the most lighting needy of the giant clams we keep. If you replaced the pc's then I would absolutely place the clam in the top most part of your rock structure. They really are a halide needy clam. If you have any other clam questions I say come check us out at the clamsdirect forum. Barry Neigut is this country's clam guru.
www.clamsdirect.com/phpbb2/