An Apple a Day

[metrokat]

Clams can be kept in a 10G, the light must be strong and the tank must be established for at least 6 months. This ensures nutrients in the water which clams filter for their requirements. In addition, I have found that various species of phytoplankton, whether live or preserved is better than feeding any one species. There is little evidence to suggest that clams actually eat phyto but it has been found in their gut, whether they consume it as part of their water filtering capabilities or otherwise is unknown.

 

I posted a video a couple of weeks back where i target fed my clam with coral snow which had been mixed with MB7 and kept aside for about 3 days. It seemed to inhale this concoction like it was going out of style, never coughed or anything. Strange critter right?

 

As for the apple - haven't heard of it being kept successfully long term in any tank, which could be for various reasons. Keep an eye on it, run heavy carbon in case it decides to croak on the weekend.

[HarryPotter]

I understand the difficulty and have done the research. I also see that a lot of the horror stories associated with sea apples can be attributed to negligence. If we don't push ourselves as reefers and try to keep harder corals then what are we?

 

No one can argue that a sea apple is not a beautiful creature, as is a clam. For as many horror stories I have heard about these animals most of them are not from first hand experience. We have all read the articles and they all note what signs that we must look for in distressed sea apples and clams.

 

If I cannot recognize that my tanks temperature is escalating and my sea apple starts to shed tentacles and its skin and it vomits its guts out of its body then releases a poison into the water then I have no business keeping a reef tank.

 

Instead of seeing advice on the care of sea apples from people who have actually kept them I see a majority of people with horror stories from somewhere else. The only real piece advice I have got for the car is to purchase an auto-feeder for the tank and to just be careful with my power head that is turned down to one of the lowest levels. I did do some light research on the sea apple before I bought it and I have done a lot of reading on clams. I am very open to advice but when the majority of the advice is to take the sea apple back then it actually motivates me to continue keeping the sea apple in my tank.

 

I literally sit in front of my tank 8 hours a day 5 days a week. I am able to monitor it closely and try new things with the tank. The sea apple should begin to swell if it become too stressed and will keeps its tentacles drawn in and not feed if it is distressed and unhappy in the tank. I can sit here at my desk and see it putting its tentacles in its mouth and back out in the water to feed.

 

I was really hoping for more support from this forum.

Very well said, I apologize. That is a very good point regarding little first person experience- most of us have never had them. Its great to see another determined reefer who takes such intense care and supervision of her critters

 

After reading the first bunch of posts I was under the impression that the tank was relatively new (Given color of rock) and that the reefer decided to get one of the most difficult critters without doing any research. Obviously I was mistaken, and welcome to NR!

 

I think a clam can do great in a 10g, especially under such watchful care. A few sexy shrimp are currently "Hosting" on the ridges of my Maxima clam and its beautiful!

[Dula]

Very well said, I apologize. That is a very good point regarding little first person experience- most of us have never had them. Its great to see another determined reefer who takes such intense care and supervision of her critters

 

After reading the first bunch of posts I was under the impression that the tank was relatively new (Given color of rock) and that the reefer decided to get one of the most difficult critters without doing any research. Obviously I was mistaken, and welcome to NR!

 

I think a clam can do great in a 10g, especially under such watchful care. A few sexy shrimp are currently "Hosting" on the ridges of my Maxima clam and its beautiful!

 

Thank you sir! The rock doesn't have much color because I did have an algae problem earlier with the tank. I didn't do a water change for quite a while. I eventually had someone come out and clean out the algae and have been doing water changes religiously on the tank. Now that I have more corals in the tank and stuff that can definitely have a huge detrimental impact on my tank if i do not care for it it will make me ever more vigilant in keeping my tank happy. With my hair algae out break the only think I lost was some zoa's and I think a rhicordia, but now the stakes are higher. I know that I have the ability, access to information and resources to be able to care for these corals successfully.

[CJJon]

It would have been better had you come here with this post first rather than the way you did. I feel baited a bit. I was taken to task via pm about my troll comment and this post just justifies my feelings. These types of topics get people going, and I think you knew that before your first post. Obviously so as you stated you did the research and understood the risks.

[Dula]

It would have been better had you come here with this post first rather than the way you did. I feel baited a bit. I was taken to task via pm about my troll comment and this post just justifies my feelings. These types of topics get people going, and I think you knew that before your first post. Obviously so as you stated you did the research and understood the risks.

 

All my first post said was I bought the thing... the only ones who got anyone going were the people who made comments about sea apples not being good in tanks, which all come from no first hand experience. The only people who had anything positive to say were the ones with first hand experience and with that they cautioned me.

 

I am sorry I do not feel the need to advertise that I have researched and I am well aware of the risks when I post a picture of a new piece of coral that I purchased from my LFS at what I thought was a good deal.

[CJJon]

That's trolling.

 

You came here not asking advice but with a story about an unplanned lunchtime impulse buy of one of the most difficult to keep animals. Turns out that was not the truth by your own admission.

 

Oh, not that you asked, but my sea Apple lasted a year almost to the day before getting sucked into a power head.

[HarryPotter]

That thing is sweet! I have been looking in the ADA 60-F tank for my room at home. I may do a little tank for my boss's office though haha

 

is that a welso at the bottom?

Impressed with your guess of the Weslo, but not quite. It is a Trachyphyllia (Commonly known as brain coral), but this is one of the "Open" variety rather than the welso (Folded).

Here you can see how it has two off center mouths, and the center extends rather than folds. The small protrusions are VERY sticky, and it does this when I feed the tank phyto and mysis.

[Dula]

That's trolling.

 

You came here not asking advice but with a story about an unplanned lunchtime impulse buy of one of the most difficult to keep animals. Turns out that was not the truth by your own admission.

 

Oh, not that you asked, but my sea Apple lasted a year almost to the day before getting sucked into a power head.

 

I did not plan to buy one... but I did do some quick googling and talked about care of the sea apple with my LFS owner. In addition to that after getting it into my tank have done non-stop reading since I had it. It isn't my fault that you failed to provide your own story to this forum.

 

I am sorry that you feel like this general discussion forum is only for asking advice. If a forum is not the place to share stories then where should we share them?

 

There was no intention to troll anyone. I can say that the only person who feels trolled is you. If you do not have anything constructive to add to the conversation then I bid you a good evening. I joined this forum to share my love of aquariums, it is from my love of aquariums that I make impulsive purchases on corals.

 

Impressed with your guess of the Weslo, but not quite. It is a Trachyphyllia (Commonly known as brain coral), but this is one of the "Open" variety rather than the welso (Folded).

Here you can see how it has two off center mouths, and the center extends rather than folds. The small protrusions are VERY sticky, and it does this when I feed the tank phyto and mysis.

 

 

 

That is very beautiful! I have heard they have been playing around with the names for those for a while.

 

This is mine at home.

[CJJon]

You're just all over the place with your comments and I really am not wanting to take the time to call them all out. Good luck with the tank.

 

Good evening indeed.

[metrokat]

 

I think a clam can do great in a 10g, especially under such watchful care. A few sexy shrimp are currently "Hosting" on the ridges of my Maxima clam and its beautiful!

DUDE - get those sexies away they will nip the clam.

[HarryPotter]

DUDE - get those sexies away they will nip the clam.

 

REALLY> THEY LOOK SO HAPPAY

[amphipod]

I understand the difficulty and have done the research. I also see that a lot of the horror stories associated with sea apples can be attributed to negligence. If we don't push ourselves as reefers and try to keep harder corals then what are we?

 

No one can argue that a sea apple is not a beautiful creature, as is a clam. For as many horror stories I have heard about these animals most of them are not from first hand experience. We have all read the articles and they all note what signs that we must look for in distressed sea apples and clams.

 

If I cannot recognize that my tanks temperature is escalating and my sea apple starts to shed tentacles and its skin and it vomits its guts out of its body then releases a poison into the water then I have no business keeping a reef tank.

 

Instead of seeing advice on the care of sea apples from people who have actually kept them I see a majority of people with horror stories from somewhere else. The only real piece advice I have got for the car is to purchase an auto-feeder for the tank and to just be careful with my power head that is turned down to one of the lowest levels. I did do some light research on the sea apple before I bought it and I have done a lot of reading on clams. I am very open to advice but when the majority of the advice is to take the sea apple back then it actually motivates me to continue keeping the sea apple in my tank.

 

I literally sit in front of my tank 8 hours a day 5 days a week. I am able to monitor it closely and try new things with the tank. The sea apple should begin to swell if it become too stressed and will keeps its tentacles drawn in and not feed if it is distressed and unhappy in the tank. I can sit here at my desk and see it putting its tentacles in its mouth and back out in the water to feed.

 

I was really hoping for more support from this forum.

the hobby can never progress if people like you did not exist, long ago some person who suggested keeping the live corals would have been looked at as if they were stupid, since you reacearched well and prepared, and will continue to prepare more, you have a better chance keeping him. With the ease of watching the tank, success is increased. I wish you the best experience with the sea apple, you can possibly get quite a few good years out of him if you play your cards right.

[amphipod]

You have you fruits and veggies mixed up. That's an apple, not a cucumber.

 

 

lol

[The Aquarist]

At least cover that powerhead. Sea apples can literally 'liquify' their bodies and pour themselves into places. One day, if it decides to move, and if it gets sucked into that powerhead, it will get chopped up, toxins and sea apple innards will be all over the tank.

[HarryPotter]

DUDE - get those sexies away they will nip the clam.

 

Wait metrokat actually? They have seemed to pretty symbiotic as of now, not effecting the clam.