Almost ready for that clam... I think

[Bruce]

Originally Posted by amcarrig

Great advice given by MDeth but I wanted to add that croceas slowly burrow themselves into rock so you don't really need sand under it at all.

I was about to say that too

[Kentanner11]

Lol. yea I take my phone with camera and take pics and do research. They look at me like freak! But hey LFS people are not allways right.

[calialien]

Originally Posted by Kentanner11

Lol. yea I take my phone with camera and take pics and do research. They look at me like freak! But hey LFS people are not allways right.

LOL exactly! My b/f's LFS a while back ago sold him an adult Dragon Wrasse and assured him it was reef safe to have in his tank (full of fish and corals). First thing it did was try and eat his yellow tang. I happened to be at his house at the time and told him that Dragon Wrasse were not reef safe and prob not a good idea to have in a tank with his other fish (firefish, watchtower goby, blenny, etc.) LOL he ran back to the LFS with it and got a sponge in return.

Funny... at the time I didnt even have a fish tank and I already knew that mix of fish wouldnt work!

[MDeth]

I lied...the croceas have the smallest and finest 'gills'

^After that the derasas, and after that...it doesnt matter :p

Just make sure to keep your baby out of any dust storms

[RAVEN]

Go with a Derasa or tear drop or gold maxima for your first clam. T.crocea's need alot of light and might do ok under the lighting you have, but maxima's are a little less demanding especially the non-blue colored variety. Start with one of these first and see how it does for a year. Derasa's would be no problem on the bottom of your tank.

Clams also do much better under 10K lighting. Check with Barry at clamsdirect.com.

[calialien]

Originally Posted by RAVEN

Go with a Derasa or tear drop or gold maxima for your first clam.......

Ok... great suggestion.... but what else do I need to know about Derasa?

All I have read about are the Croceas.

[Jason McKenzie]

I don't understand why everyone is steering you away from Croceas. IMO your tank is adequate and that's the clam you want. I say go for it

J

[MDeth]

All the clams are pretty much the same care-wise (to an extent).

Anything under 3" should be fed phytoplankton supplements every couple of days. < This isn't needed but helps survival of these clams.

Crocea, Maxima - Crocea being the most light demanding and maxima being the next. After that ANYTHING can thrive under the sunpod (even on the sandbed IMO). Honestly, I wouldn't dissuade you from getting a crocea. All clams available in the industry are aquacultured so it isn't like you're killing wild caught specimens. ANY MH (even 70w) will put out enough light to keep any clam happy as long as it is above them and not further than 12" or so away.

I'd say go nuts :p I've got a maxi and a gigas in my BC14 and both are showing growth already (2 months? i forget). If you feel unsure, get a clam you like that is less light demanding and put it in a different spot. < Observe and get used to what you're looking at, then 'upgrade'.

TY Jason ^^^

[RAVEN]

Go to clamsdirect.com for clam info and a good clam forum. Email any questions you have about clams and you lighting to clams direct. They usually respond in 1-3 days and are very helpful.

If you go with a Derasa they like to be places on the sand. If you get one, place a small piece of a flat rock or acryllic under the sand, under the clam. That way if the clam likes that spot he will attach his foot to the rock or acryllic and not the bottom glass of the tank. This way you will be able to move the clam without damaging it trying to pry its foot loose.

[calialien]

Jason... thanks... all I really wanted was someone who has done clams before to tell me that 6 months of reading and orderinng $400 worth of stuff for a clam wasnt a waste of my time! I really do want a Crocea and your the first person that has even come close to telling me that my tank WILL support one.
(knowledge of how to do something only gets you so far... getting a second opinion about what your about to do is priceless )

MDeth... thanks... I'll keep that in mind! Ive had a few people tell me that getting any clam under 4" is probably going to be more time consuming in "bottle" feeding than I can put in (even thou I work basically from home)

Im sure I'll end up being on here every other day asking dumb questions about something or another, but atleast I read about caring for it before buying it!