Crocea Clam with Ai Prime?

[aKlevans]

Hey everyone,
Do you think that a crocea clam could survive with an Ai Prime if I place it fairly high in the tank? I know that they require more light than other clams but they would all outgrow my tank.

Any suggestions?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

It might work. But if you have a good spot in the tank you might want to look at another clam with fewer light requirements.

 

[Tahoe61]

How large is the clam?

 

[aKlevans]

How large is the clam?

I haven't gotten it yet, just planning.

 

[aKlevans]

It might work. But if you have a good spot in the tank you might want to look at another clam with fewer light requirements.

The thing is, I have too small of a tank to have some of the larger (but easier to keep) clams, but I still want to have one in this tank. I have a 40 gallon breeder (18 x 16 x 36).
If it can't grow in this light, do you have a similarly priced light that could?

 

[masssnapz]

What makes you say your tank is too small ? A 40 breeder is fine for most clams. I've had crocea,durasa and maxima and all grew and thrived in my 40. My lighting was 2 x hydra 26.

 

[aKlevans]

What makes you say your tank is too small ? A 40 breeder is fine for most clams. I've had crocea,durasa and maxima and all grew and thrived in my 40. My lighting was 2 x hydra 26.

I've got a pretty dense rock structure,, and I've heard that duresa and maxima clams can get 15-20" long. I guess I could fit in a maxima clam, but I don't know.
Here's a pic of my rock structure:

If I was going for a maxima clam, where do you think I could put it? I took a long time creating my scape so I don't want to change it too much.

 

[masssnapz]

It takes yearssssss to grow a clam to those sizes, i wouldnt worry about it. Just put it on the sand. If you want to get it on the rocks you'll have to makeshift something to keep it in place until it attaches.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I would highly reccomend letting that tank mature before you try a clam.

 

[aKlevans]

I would highly reccomend letting that tank mature before you try a clam.

I'm not looking at buying one yet, I haven't even finished cycling. Just making plans for the future.

It takes yearssssss to grow a clam to those sizes, i wouldnt worry about it. Just put it on the sand. If you want to get it on the rocks you'll have to makeshift something to keep it in place until it attaches.

How big are your clams and how big were they when you got them?

 

[masssnapz]

I would highly reccomend letting that tank mature before you try a clam.

Lol I was gonna say that !! Also toss in another powerhead before you spend money on livestock.

 

[masssnapz]

My clams were all 4-5 inches when purchased and I highly recomend not buying one smaller than that. They all easily put on .5-.75 inches per year with the derasa taking the cake at 1.75 inches in 14 months. The guy I bought it from didn't even believe it was the same clam when he came round to buy it back when I went all sps.

 

[masssnapz]

Here it is the day I sold it

 

[aKlevans]

Also toss in another powerhead before you spend money on livestock.

Alright, I'll do that. How much less light do maxima clams need compared to crocea clams? Is it close, or very noticable?

 

[hart24601]

Alright, I'll do that. How much less light do maxima clams need compared to crocea clams? Is it close, or very noticable?

I don't think you are going to find very satisfying answers to your questions sadly. For clams we only have very broad ranges of what they need for light because the color of the clam impacts how much light they need to a great extent which is dependent upon the individual clam. Some also are capable of opening their mantles more, so they can get more light (I have seen this a lot with maximas) which is also somewhat related to the individual.


In general the more blue the clam is the more light it will need as the reason it looks blue to us is that that clam is reflecting blue light. I personally have had luck with 6" maxima blue clams in 200 PAR of LED light. I also noticed when the clams have had enough light for the day they tend to close up near the end of the photoperiod, it's how they can avoid too much light unlike corals with must endure it.

IME a blue maxima and blue crocea are both pretty intense light lovers, sorry it's not a great answer, but it just varies so much.

 

[BigJohnny]

This is unrelated but since it seems you are new to the hobby I wanted to make sure that your bookshelf stand set up there is strong enough to support that tank properly? Weighs over 300lbs, and most furniture is not sufficient for aquariums over 10 or 20g. Having said that, for all i know its a beast or you reinforced it. Just lookin out ; )

Love your aquascape btw, great job!

 

[PiscesPower]

The Crocea's don't grow that big. They are a rock boring, not sand dwelling species. I have one under a AI Prime HD and it's doing well. The only issue I have is that my rock work is similar to yours without a good flat plateau. I am just trying to get him to reattach to a clam stone sitting on a frag rock so I can place him again after he took a nose dive off my rock. I think there was too much current for his liking. I have a 18 " deep tank and he was sitting at about 5" from the surface, and the light is 8" above the water surface. I am getting about 350 - 400 PAR at that area. He is always open and appears to feed, mantle spread and color great. He is small, only about 3" across at the top.

Alright, I'll do that. How much less light do maxima clams need compared to crocea clams? Is it close, or very noticable?

From my own PAR readings I don't think you will get what you need on the sand bed with the AI Prime. I don't get above about 150 and even less as I move away from the center of the tank.

I agree with letting the tank mature. They are pretty sensitive to changes in water chemistry. So, after all that, I say go for it with the AI Prime, but try to get him a good flat rock top out of direct flow.

 

[Tahoe61]

I kept a Crocea under a AI Hydra 52 in a 20 gallon with good results.
I now keep a Hippopus in a 45 gallon under the same light for over a year and half. Hippopus get huge but as already mentioned very slowly.
You can see a little Maxima right above the Hippopus.

Crocea about 2.5 inches in a 20 gallon.

 

[VbReefer]

Nice looking scape.
Our definition of dense is completely different as I would describe that as sparse in terms of the amount of rock per gallon.

That being said its quite easy for you make a stand for your clam using some dry base rock and epoxy or hammer and chisel.

Epoxy or glue- just glue up some rubble to give the clam a place to sit against supported

I chiseled and pryed a nice big V in a piece of rock the clam could nestle in
Might break a few pieces till you get the hang of it but good learning experience.

 

[VbReefer]

A clam should be one of the last things you add. Like high dollar corals.
Clams are photosynthetic and filter feeders. If a clam is your long-term goal I would suggest getting some other filter feeder like softies and gorgonians and see if you can keep them alive for 6 months or so.