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THE OFFICIAL TRIDACNID CLAM THREAD


ZephNYC

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So zeph, I've had my crocea for over a year and haven't noticed any growth. Why do suppose that is? My sps grow like weeds and everything has awesome color. Because I don't feed?

 

Your situation is exactly like mine and I'm pretty sure I have it figure out now because things are doing much better and GROWING, but theres a catch. Clams like nitrates and a little phosphates and dissolved organics. SPS don't.. SPS seam to not mind nitrates much, but phosphates definitely piss them off eventually, atleast the more sensitive species. I don't want to hear about people keeping montiporas and their PO4 is a 500ppm. I could keep a montipora alive in my toilet bowl :)

So your system has low enough nutrients to support good sps growth, but a little to little to support new clam growth. My gigas didn't grow the first couple of years I had it because I did sooooo many water changes, Im lucky it lived. Since I cut back it grows well over a full inch per year. Its a tricky balance to have enough nutrients to support clam growth without disrupting SPS growth, but if you can you are a MASTER REEFER !!! LOL.

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jedimasterben

I could keep a montipora alive in my toilet bowl :)

That would be a... *puts on sunglasses* shitty situation.

 

 

YEEEAAAAHHHHHHHHH

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Your situation is exactly like mine and I'm pretty sure I have it figure out now because things are doing much better and GROWING, but theres a catch. Clams like nitrates and a little phosphates and dissolved organics. SPS don't.. SPS seam to not mind nitrates much, but phosphates definitely piss them off eventually, atleast the more sensitive species. I don't want to hear about people keeping montiporas and their PO4 is a 500ppm. I could keep a montipora alive in my toilet bowl :)

So your system has low enough nutrients to support good sps growth, but a little to little to support new clam growth. My gigas didn't grow the first couple of years I had it because I did sooooo many water changes, Im lucky it lived. Since I cut back it grows well over a full inch per year. Its a tricky balance to have enough nutrients to support clam growth without disrupting SPS growth, but if you can you are a MASTER REEFER !!! LOL.

 

Thanks for that info, kind of what I figured. NO3 and PO4 are undetectable with no algae competing for it and no reducing media. I'd hate to dirty the water up and risk sps losing vibrancy. Oh well the clam's been alive for well over a year, it'll have to live with no growth.

 

Would squirting it with phyto help at all?

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Sorry Dahhhhling ,but I have no clue what this clam looks like < ehem > B) .

edited my original post

 

@Chad nope squirting phyto will not help the clam directly and it will close up. Evidence suggests they eat phyto and that they don't. Phyto is good for the tank anyway so adding it is a good thing anyway.

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Here are my 2 big maximas . I have a new one arriving from DD tomorrow from Tonga.

 

dsc1548x.jpg

 

Species of clam? T.Maxima

Lighting - blub, ballast and count? 1000W Halide
Clam depth in the tank in inches? 20
DOC level estimate? too low
Do you skim? yes
Do you run carbon? no
Do you run GFO? phosguard, but reducing frequency
Did you ever freshwater dip the clam? no but Dr. Mac did.
Are you seeing new growth? no.
Calcium/Alk Method? kalk, chlorides
Where and when did you get it? PEAL = left clam May 2013. Right clam Apri; 1013

Do you purposely feed your clam(s) and what ? nope

 

 

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jedimasterben

DOC level estimate? too low

Step 1) take food container

Step 2) put your junk in that container

Step 3) dump into tank

Step 4) ????

Step 5) clam profit

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Calm down, it's just a clam. :slap:

:lol:

Sweetheart, you, more than any woman on earth, know how excited I get over a hot clam. :P

....and that comment was more for the tank shot than just the clam. Im impressed Batgirl.

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bluedwu.jpg

 

Species of clam? Indonesian cultured blue T. Squamosa

Lighting - blub, ballast and count? 1050 W halides
Clam depth in the tank in inches? 10"
DOC level estimate? low
Do you skim? big time
Do you run carbon?no
Do you run GFO?phosguard periodically
Did you ever freshwater dip the clam? no
Are you seeing new growth? yes
Calcium/Alk Method? kalk and chloride
Where and when did you get it? Live Aquaria Feb, 2013

Do you purposely feed your clam(s) and what ? no

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TheKleinReef

Zeph, i tried to bust out the dslr, but i still have trouble switching all the settings around (since my parents usually take action photos). when my mom gets back from her trip i'll ask her to set it all up for me. as for now, i tried to edit the pictures in iPhoto to match the clam's mantle color, a lot of the other colors are a tad off... but here they are. pics taken today one hour after lights began surise. (radion is about 12K @ 40%)

 

maxima:

http://s147.photobucket.com/user/roger_090/media/1A831F29-E350-4AA5-9175-BDFE9F311AB3-16028-0000042321ED1DD3.jpg.html'>1A831F29-E350-4AA5-9175-BDFE9F311AB3-160

 

crocea: (i didn't realize how bad this one turned out, i may have another picture, but i'll have to dig a bit.)

http://s147.photobucket.com/user/roger_090/media/60790231-E645-419B-A1C8-37D760A0BBEB-16028-000004232CC6E18D.jpg.html'>60790231-E645-419B-A1C8-37D760A0BBEB-160

 

FTS when lights first came on (clams front and center)

http://s147.photobucket.com/user/roger_090/media/78FED0A6-846C-42D3-B096-37C6B3FF15D3-16028-0000042335429CAF.jpg.html'>78FED0A6-846C-42D3-B096-37C6B3FF15D3-160

 

I just wanted to show yah, but i'll get some better ones.

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icedearth15324

Your situation is exactly like mine and I'm pretty sure I have it figure out now because things are doing much better and GROWING, but theres a catch. Clams like nitrates and a little phosphates and dissolved organics. SPS don't.. SPS seam to not mind nitrates much, but phosphates definitely piss them off eventually, atleast the more sensitive species. I don't want to hear about people keeping montiporas and their PO4 is a 500ppm. I could keep a montipora alive in my toilet bowl :)

So your system has low enough nutrients to support good sps growth, but a little to little to support new clam growth. My gigas didn't grow the first couple of years I had it because I did sooooo many water changes, Im lucky it lived. Since I cut back it grows well over a full inch per year. Its a tricky balance to have enough nutrients to support clam growth without disrupting SPS growth, but if you can you are a MASTER REEFER !!! LOL.

 

Although they are not the most difficult SPS, I've been getting amazing growth out of my birdsnest corals and my clam. All in the same tank.

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Species of clam? Maxima

Lighting - blub, ballast and count? T5HO 6 x 24w (6700k, purple, 420nm x 2, 460nm x 2)
Clam depth in the tank in inches? 15"
DOC level estimate? not tested
Do you skim? No
Do you run carbon? Chemi Pure Elite
Do you run GFO? Chemi Pure Elite
Did you ever freshwater dip the clam? No
Are you seeing new growth? Yes
Calcium/Alk Method? Automatic dosing of Aquavitro products
Where and when did you get it? Big Al's Mississauga, Dec 2012

Do you purposely feed your clam(s) and what ? Not currently

 

Also worth mentioning: (Calm housed in 20g SPS Reef Tank)


Filtration? Eheim 2217 Canister Filter
UV Sterilizer? 9watt

Flow Devices? 2 of Vortech MP10wES
Surface Skimming? Tom Aquatics Surface Skimmer

 

The only photo I have currently (crappy cell pic from when clam was under LEDs)

36518_10151271229773283_1794299055_n.jpg


UPDATE 05/11/2013:

Maxima is just getting in its 4th level of new scutes. Has been doing quite well, and has lost some blue and become much more gold since originally purchased. Continues to have a fantastic response/reaction to light. Placement is still at the bottom of the 20H near the front pane of glass; it seems to be content on staying there and has had its byssal threads attached since I originally posted him into this log.

1394096_10151865045153283_2001839649_n.j

1394096_10151865045148283_1078629252_n.j


UPDATE 12/23/2013:

I figured I'd post up a quick cell pic of how much growth my maxima has put on in 1 year. It's funny how you barely notice a change in size, yet they seem to have grown a ton! 6 levels of scutes total, but much further apart than what was achieved during aquaculture.

 

This maxima is likely the fastest growing one I've ever had, and the only clam I have kept on a skimmerless system. Possibly a correlation there.

Red line indicates the shell size when purchased.
1526201_10151974796248283_1005227503_n8S


UPDATE 02/14/2013:

Just thought it would be a nice time for an update.

A little over a month ago I switched my 20gal SPS reef from 6 bulb T5HO to a Radion Pro. Since that time I have noticed an increase in pigment in my gold Maxima clam; it looks much more vibrant and orange/gold than it ever did under the T5HO fixture. You'll notice the pale portion of the mantle right beneath the green Montipora cap, the entire clam looked like that under T5HO, and has been steadily increasing the density of pigment ever since the switch to the Radion Pro fixture.

IMG_3455kXZDg.jpg


UPDATE 04/23/2014:

Its about time for another update.

 

My beautiful little lady is growing up so fast; she had outgrown her spot in the tank, and was pressing against the glass. For me, this was a pretty clear indication that she needed more space. Lucky for her, I needed to do a water change, and figured it was also an opportune time to give her a bit of a scrub, and move her to the center of the tank where she will have more room to grow.

This is the first time she has been moved since she was put in the tank more than a year ago. This meant I had to cut through her byssal threads, and uproot her from her beloved nook. I will say, she took it very well, and being attached to the bottom pane of my tank made it pretty easy to slide a flat razor blade underneath her and gently remove her.


Once out, I took her to the sink with a nice stiff brush and scrubbed her shell. Much of the algae came off, but some stayed (no big deal really). Took some pictures of her as well since she was out and in my hands. You can easily see the division between the scutes grown during aquaculture, and the scutes grown in my tank. She has more than doubled in size!

After a session of burping (I still practice this even though some believe it isn't necessary) I plopped her down into her new roomy spot in the tank. Hopefully she settles in quickly, its been about 15 min and she is still looking a bit upset. I don't blame her though.


This isn't something I have to do often, but it does happen in smaller systems more frequently than in larger systems.

Pardon the crappy cell shot and dreary SPS colration - in the process of rectifying a metal poisoning issue that took me FOREVER to find.



IMG_3439o2hnw.jpg

IMG_3440SQ8xX.jpg

 

IMG_3441UBt8u.jpg

 

IMG_3442qLVkC.jpg

1911679_10152220480593283_10912630205711

 

She decided to move:
10296648_10152258270258283_1076747598132

Still in the same spot lol... SPS colors have been coming back full force! Can't wait to see them in a few more weeks.
IMG_3715AI5pX.jpg

She has been improving dramatically over the last 3 weeks or so. Blue pigments (most easily seen in the first photo of her that I ever posted) have started to return, and her mantle has gained quite a bit of color/pigment over all. She isn't looking pale anymore and I am really excited to continue watching her improve.

ClamImprovementsLBRHz.jpg


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Species of clam? Maxima

Lighting - blub, ballast and count? T5HO 6 x 24w (6700k, purple, 420nm x 2, 460nm x 2)

Clam depth in the tank in inches? 15"

DOC level estimate? not tested

Do you skim? No

Do you run carbon? Chemi Pure Elite

Do you run GFO? Chemi Pure Elite

Did you ever freshwater dip the clam? No

Are you seeing new growth? Yes

Calcium/Alk Method? Automatic dosing of Aquavitro products

Where and when did you get it? Big Al's Mississauga, Dec 2012

Do you purposely feed your clam(s) and what ? Not currently

 

Also worth mentioning: (Calm housed in 20g SPS Reef Tank)

 

Filtration? Eheim 2217 Canister Filter

UV Sterilizer? 9watt

Flow Devices? 2 of Vortech MP10wES

Surface Skimming? Tom Aquatics Surface Skimmer

 

The only photo I have currently (crappy cell pic from when clam was under LEDs)36518_10151271229773283_1794299055_n.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nice clam, thank you for registering. I find it interesting that so many people are not running skimmers.

 

Although they are not the most difficult SPS, I've been getting amazing growth out of my birdsnest corals and my clam. All in the same tank.

 

That's great...and I agree, birdsnest are pretty easy, but we all love and have them. I have a few different ones too.

 

Zeph, i tried to bust out the dslr, but i still have trouble switching all the settings around (since my parents usually take action photos). when my mom gets back from her trip i'll ask her to set it all up for me. as for now, i tried to edit the pictures in iPhoto to match the clam's mantle color, a lot of the other colors are a tad off... but here they are. pics taken today one hour after lights began surise. (radion is about 12K @ 40%)

 

maxima:

1A831F29-E350-4AA5-9175-BDFE9F311AB3-160

 

crocea: (i didn't realize how bad this one turned out, i may have another picture, but i'll have to dig a bit.)

60790231-E645-419B-A1C8-37D760A0BBEB-160

 

FTS when lights first came on (clams front and center)

78FED0A6-846C-42D3-B096-37C6B3FF15D3-160

 

I just wanted to show yah, but i'll get some better ones.

Looks good....Interesting maxima. THanks!!!

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jedimasterben

Welp, looks like tonight will be the last night for the purple maxima. Three clams in four days. ####.

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Welp, looks like tonight will be the last night for the purple maxima. Three clams in four days. ####.

I think the answer to most of our problems can be resolved with a DOC test. My guess is some of our tanks carry to little, and some carry too much. I just ordered one it should be here this week.

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Zeph Congrats for your wonderfull idea of creating a bank for tridahnids and aquarium sets so we can finally make some conclusions about them and help us maintain those creatures better in a tank.

 

Species of clam? T. Squamosa
Lighting - blub, ballast and count? Custom LED lighting - about 130W R/B,C/W,V,UV.
Clam depth in the tank in inches? Sandbed - 24"
DOC level estimate? Medium to high.
Do you skim? Yes
Do you run carbon? Yes but not enough just to make my water crystal clear and remove that smell that corals and refugium release over time.
Do you run GFO? No
Did you ever freshwater dip the clam? No
Are you seeing new growth? yes
Calcium/Alk Method? Balling method+trace elements.
Where and when did you get it? 12/20/2012 from Athens....probably Vietnam import
Do you purposely feed your clam(s) and what? I have a heavy hand and feed a lot..every day frozen(gamma blister...all saltwater kind of food) plus flakes/pellets ocean nutrition for PO4(...NO3 at 1-2 PO4 very low but not 0).

 

P1000476.jpg

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Zeph Congrats for your wonderfull idea of creating a bank for tridahnids and aquarium sets so we can finally make some conclusions about them and help us maintain those creatures better in a tank.

 

Species of clam? T. Sqamosa

Lighting - blub, ballast and count? Custom LED lighting - about 130W R/B,C/W,V,UV.

Clam depth in the tank in inches? Sandbed - 24"

DOC level estimate? Medium to high.

Do you skim? Yes

Do you run carbon? Yes but not enough just to make my make water clear and remove that smell that corals release.

Do you run GFO? No

Did you ever freshwater dip the clam? No

Are you seeing new growth? yes

Calcium/Alk Method? Balling method+trace elements.

Where and when did you get it? 12/20/2012 from Athens....probably Vietnam import

Do you purposely feed your clam(s) and what? I have a heavy hand and feed a lot..every day frozen(gamma blister...all saltwater kind of food) plus flakes/pellets ocean nutrition for PO4(...NO3 at 1-2 PO4 very low but not 0).

 

P1000476.jpg

THank you !!!! This thread has already helped a few people in adjusting their systems to replicate those that are having better success. Nice Squamosa. I should have included a size question, yours looks pretty big. 99% of all wild squamosas come from Vietnam. Its actually a mystery why they are not frequently found in other locations where clams are found.

 

Zeph can we send you our water samples and you charge us a small fee for testing?

 

Do you really think I would charge you or anyone else ? I'll let you know whe the DOC test kit arrives.

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CollegeNano
THank you !!!! This thread has already helped a few people in adjusting their systems to replicate those that are having better success. Nice Squamosa. I should have included a size question, yours looks pretty big. 99% of all wild squamosas come from Vietnam. Its actually a mystery why they are not frequently found in other locations where clams are found.

 

Do you really think I would charge you or anyone else ? I'll let you know whe the DOC test kit arrives.

 

Interested!

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Do you really think I would charge you or anyone else ? I'll let you know whe the DOC test kit arrives.

You should, it makes sense.

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You should, it makes sense.

 

Im not in this hobby to make money, I couldn't care less.

 

Edit: Don't get me wrong, I cant do it for all the world of course, but I don't mind helping a few members out. I just sent some clam shells out for a member too :)

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