Clam lighting requirements questions

Hello everyone:

Its been a while ....Ive been really busy sorry :-*

I am looking at some clams for my 55 gallon tank. I have 4 110 watt VHO lights and need to know what clams I can keep under these lights? I want to keep them on the sand but I could make a place on the reef,

I am looking at these

http://www.roesmarineworld.com/newrareunusualnewclam.htm

Crocea Ultra
Maxima Gold
Gigas Ultra

This page also has a lot of very nice looking corals for sale. I have been happy with purchases from them in the past.

Please help me pick out a clam for my tank ;D

Thanks 3Reefers
Jay

 

Hi well I really don't know what clams you can keep if any but derasa are hardy and moderate light.

 

Technically, I have less light than you do and I have a beautiful blue crocea. It sits on the sand but is directly under a 175 MH.

If you are concerned, the deresa, as mentioned, or it is my understanding that the brown clams do not need quite as intense lighting as the colored ones.

I think you should be OK with 440 watts.

 

[quote author=Jay link=board=Inverts;num=1111645852;start=0#0 date=03/24/05 at 01:30:52]
Crocea Ultra  
Maxima Gold  
Gigas Ultra  
[/quote]
I was able to keep all types of clams for years under 440 watts VHO in my 90 gallon so you should be just fine.

Given your choices, I would try your luck with the Maxima Gold. Brown maximas require less light than blue ones so that just makes things easier. If you find that you enjoy keeping clams, try a crocea. They are the most light demanding clam out there but they should be fine in your tank if you put them high up in your rock work. I would avoid gigas clams simply because they get very large, very quickly and, when they get very large, it's almost impossible to take the clam out of your tank without killing it (if you wanted to transfer it to another tank). Those clams suck mass quantities of calcium out of your water too.

 

i have a crocea clam that is going on about...im 7 months in 265 of good ole pcs lol...hes doing great and expands over my open brain 2 lol....but my water quality is supreme! mhuhaahahahha...lol it can realy go both ways...like if u have bad water quality but super lights they can be ok and if u have good water quality and ok lights they can be cool 2 like mine

 

[quote author=Bruce link=board=Inverts;num=1111645852;start=0#4 date=03/24/05 at 19:53:33]like if u have bad water quality but super lights they can be ok and if u have good water quality and ok lights they can be cool 2 like mine[/quote]
I have to disagree with this statement.  Clams need both good water and strong lighting.  4.8 watts per gallon may be enough to support a deresa or a squamosa but I doubt that it's enough to support a 3+ inch crocea or a maxima long term.  Clams take a very long time to die so just because its doing well now doesn't mean that it will continue to do so.  Sorry to be a Negative Nancy but that's the way of the world when it comes to clams.  

 

i agree with amcarrig. i to think good water as well as lighting. try hitting the "clams direct" sight and see what they have to say about it.

 

Thanks everyone for your opinions. As always hearing from those with first hand experiance trumps what the retailers tell you when trying to make a sale.

Great posts..........thank you

Jay

 

Ive had my maxima under stock nano cube light ()48 watts in 10gal) for about 9 months, of course the growth is minimal because I dont add supplements. I would definatley be corrected by most if I asked if a maxima would live under less than 50 watts of light. This is a blue and black clam after 9 mos of 24watts x2.....

 

Hi Jay,
Some fyi on what types of clams would be good for your tank based on your lighting. Based on reading, pet shop feedback and my own experience with clams, your best choices for your tank are T.Derasa, T.Gigas and T.Squamosa. All three of these clams are more hardy and somewhat less demanding of strong metal halide lighting. Personally, I have a T.Derasa and a T.Squamosa clam in a 40gal. hex with just 175watt of light. At just about 2" round, they are babies but they were only $40.00 each. At that size, these clams will require more foodstuffs like rotifers and phytoplankton as apposed to strong lighting. Oh yes, they do deplete the calcium in your tank fast, so make sure you are adding kalkwasser or equivalent and do calcium checks often.
Good luck,
tom