Clam jumped ship! What to do?

3mm3 · May 25, 2012

Hello need some quick advice. I have a Tridacna crocea and come home to find he bailed off his perch. Im worried because I had one back in the day that bailed and was dead in a couple days and I dont want this to happen to this guy. I have had him for over 2 years and he has been a healthy happy clam so im a little lost. I placed him on the rock when i purchased it over 2 years ago and have never had an issue.
29g bio cube
250hqi plus actinics
dual mp10s full tilt
inhabitants are several scarlet hermits, several emerald crabs and misc snails.
Only fish is Halichoeres chrysus (i know small tank)

No pyramid snails seen.
Clam still looks good no gaping responds to light.
Ill get some water parameters together

Only changes have been the derasa has slowly moved close to the rock with the crocea (im talking a year of movement) and my calcium reactor co2 bottle leaked out this past weekend and was fixed and replaced.

Do i just let the clam sit in the sand and do his own thing?

nicodim55 · May 25, 2012

clams usually like it on the sand I have 3 and they are all on the sandbed. They are found naturally on the sandbed anyway, so I would leave it where it is.

Loki · May 25, 2012

I can't add anything other than to leave it on the sand.

jonbar1 · May 25, 2012

Agreed, I'd keep it some where a bit lower and see how it reacts. I used to have a crocea that never stayed in place more than a week or two, and eventually he got traded for some zoas. Now I have a derasa that's never happy if I choose his spot, but if he moves himself somewhere I don't like, he stays there and seems content.

I'm guessing your first one may have injured itself more than it planned when it detached and possibly caused some internal problems or infection. Keep an eye out and hopefully this guy did a "soft detach" like mine always did and doesn't have any problems.

specvjeff · May 25, 2012

Tridacna crocea typically live in very shallow water in large numbers. They are reported to live as deep as 6-7 meters but this hasn't been confirmed. In the wild, they prefer to live on rock and, dead coral heads. They like to burrow in but they don't really do so in captivity. I have been keeping one for about 2 years. It's sitting directly under a 150 watt metal halide and doing fantastic. It's perched on the same rock I placed it on 2 years ago and hasn't tried to move one bit. I always recommend placing Tridacna crocea and Tridacna maxima under pretty intense light. It could be that your bulbs need to be changed or something else has changed that it dislikes like flow.

3mm3 · May 25, 2012

Thanks a bunch for the fast feedback everybody! Just mixed a batch of water for a water change just in case. I had to move him because he bailed right on top of an acan lord but I did leave him in the sand. I also looked at the halide bulb and it does look like it needs to be changed so I'll pick up a new bulb. The current bulb was installed around september of last year so I guess its about time for a change. Im hoping its something as easy as that.

3mm3 · May 25, 2012

Okay have some numbers.
salinity 1.025
temp 74.9
dkh 8
calcium 355 (think I messed this one up)
magnesium 1410

skinz78 · May 25, 2012

I can't add anything that hasn't already been said. I would leave it be and then in a few days place it back into the old position and see what happens. Keep us posted.

CJO · May 25, 2012

Mine jumps every once in a while. I think that the rock I have him on isn't as stable as it could be. I just pick him up and put him back on and all is well for a few more months.

CJ

CJO · May 25, 2012

nicodim55 said:
clams usually like it on the sand I have 3 and they are all on the sandbed. They are found naturally on the sandbed anyway, so I would leave it where it is.

Not Croceas. They are found predominately on (and buried into) rock.

CJ

ritter6788 · May 25, 2012

CJO said:
Not Croceas. They are found predominately on (and buried into) rock.

CJ

Agreed. Mine hate being on the sand. They still try to attach to something.

specvjeff · May 26, 2012

I went through my Clam book by James Fatherree and looked at each species of clam common in the trade. None prefer sandy substrate but Tridacna derasa is known to live on sandy or rubble bottom occasionally. Tridacna gigas does prefer sandy bottom but I doubt we'll be seeing any of those in tanks! Hope you can make your clam happy! They are one of my favorite reef dwellers and I can't wait to house a large maxima or derasa!