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THE OFFICIAL TRIDACNID CLAM THREAD


ZephNYC

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  • 2 weeks later...

So I thought you guys would enjoy this:

 

Giant clams are the Swiss Army Knives of coral reefs

 

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/blog/giant-clams-are-swiss-army-knives

 

A recently published research paper quantifies the many important ecological roles of Tridacna and Hippopus spp. clams. They serve as nature's buffet, filters, engineers, and homes. Beauty and purpose; we don't sing enough praises for these under-appreciated bivalves!

 

The researchers identify numerous roles giant clams play:

  • Provides direct food for a wide range of predators and scavengers. Fish, shrimps, crabs, sponges, urchins, starfish, snails, octopus, worms, and a lot more animals of every phylum under the sea all eat clams for sustenance.
  • Provides additional nutrition for organisms that eat the clam's expelled waste, zooxanthellae, and gametes.
  • Processes and purifies seawater, thus counteracting eutrophication (in other words, keeping nutrient levels down).
  • Serve as reservoirs for zooxanthellae, releasing them "for other zooxanthellate-dependent species to ‘take up’, hence contributing to the wider coral reef ecosystem." Think of clams as zooxanthellae banks.
  • Adds great amounts of calcium carbonate to coral reefs.
  • Bioerode existing calcium carbonate structures (e.g. coral, live rock) releasing life-building materials back into the local ecosystem. The research specifically cites Tridacna crocea and their boring activities.
  • Gives shelter to a host of animals within its mantle scutes.
  • Provides a secure, reliable anchoring point for many organisms to colonize on.
  • Enhances topography, IOW changing the water flow around them to favor other life on the reef.
  • Are host to commensal and ectoparasitic organisms (although we're sure these clams would rather not host parasites if given a choice)

In a nutshell, giant clams play big roles in making other reef life possible ... even if it means some of this life will eat them. The open-access research is published in Biological Conservation.

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  • 2 months later...

It's pretty.

 

It's been 13 mos since I got Lil Bit when she was just over .5" big from Saltcritters. She is now 1.5". Last night I drip acclimated her and rehomed her to my 34g tank. The last few wks she was opening and closing more which made me nervous cuz once she opens she's usually open all day unless something makes her close.

 

She was so tiny then. Even the gsp on the back wall was small and hadn't grown yet.

 

033_zps36b51755.jpg

 

Now in her 34 after I just put her in.

 

20150321_212229_zpsnhaoofhu.jpg

 

8 mins later she started opening up already. Then an hr later the lights turned off so this will be her first full day. I'll come back in and update today when she's opened.

 

20150321_214542_zpsd96nvs0b.jpg

 

 

And today....happy. She still hasn't opened up all the way. The lights just came on.

 

20150322_143831_zpsqtmv0itj.jpg

 

How can I remove the ugly zoas from the rock w/ my clam on it? How long can I have it out while trying to scrape them away?

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hi from malaysia.. my 2 clam.. started in my tank about 1 inch ......have them nearly a year and its growth to 2.5inch...

 

That's wonderful! Did both grow that fast? What is the claim on the left? Squamosa?

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Thanks! Sorry .. Its about 2.1/2.2 inch only .. Bad calculation ? .. On the left its crocea. Love them both .. Not much maxima here in malaysia .. Hard to find one

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My maxima that I've had since January

 

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My teardrop Maxima (thanks for identifying it for me nano-reefers!). Had her since January 2014

 

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TheKleinReef

I should update my clam status.... was 3. currently 0.

 

gold maxima: 733 days

deresa: 333 days

crocea: 982 days.

 

lost all three after i ordered from reef cleaners. I suspect predators.

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I should update my clam status.... was 3. currently 0.

 

gold maxima: 733 days

deresa: 333 days

crocea: 982 days.

 

lost all three after i ordered from reef cleaners. I suspect predators.

:(

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