Almost bought a crocea today

[redfishsc]

A good LFS I was at today had a very nice small crocea that caught my eye (3" or so).

 

Anyhow, I started to get him, but my tank is only 2 months old, so I want to put a few more months behind me before I do this. I am, however, growing SPS well, so everything seems to be peachy.

 

The issue is, I have probably no nitrates other than "trace" levels, and my phosphate is under the .25 that the API kit can detect. I have 3 fish and I feed them well, and target feed several corals, but my chaeto is VERY industrious.

 

 

I have plenty of light for a crocea (96W T5HO over a 10g), calcium kept 400-450, kH around 9-10. Just, very little nitrate or phosphate.

 

 

In that kind of water quality, how often/how much would I need to target feed a crocea? The LFS recommended DT's, and I've read about oyster eggs. What about frozen baby brine or cyclop-eeze?

 

Thanks!!

 

Matt

[r3tic]

If you were going to feed the clam at all, DT's would be the way to go. Remove the clam from the tank to prevent water quality issues during feedings. At 3" the clam should be able to sustain itself with out any issues. I would start him near the top of the tank to ensure he gets enough light to grow. Keep your water parameters stable is the best thing you can do for a clam. Genearlly if your SPS are doing well a clam will do good also.

[Greenstar]

If you were going to feed the clam at all, DT's would be the way to go. Remove the clam from the tank to prevent water quality issues during feedings. At 3" the clam should be able to sustain itself with out any issues. I would start him near the top of the tank to ensure he gets enough light to grow. Keep your water parameters stable is the best thing you can do for a clam. Genearlly if your SPS are doing well a clam will do good also.

 

 

WTF? remove clam from tank during feeding? you can't be that stupid.

[plainrt]

wow another one with the straps to tight on helmet......................

[masterbuilder]

WTF? remove clam from tank during feeding? you can't be that stupid.

 

 

Hahahaha (or Ho Ho Ho) ...another "know nothing" from the Lounge. I would explain that common method of feeding but Greenstar wouldnt understand.

[BKtomodachi]

Yeah its actually quite common.

[redfishsc]

Common: feeding the clam outside the tank (which I know lots of folks who do)...

 

or people with their helmet strapped on a bit too tight?

[plainrt]

lol that was meant towards one saying was stupid to feed outside tank.

[Greenstar]

Sorry kept clams till they out grew the tank, been doing this 9 years and still think its retarded.

 

Hahahaha (or Ho Ho Ho) ...another "know nothing" from the Lounge. I would explain that common method of feeding but Greenstar wouldnt understand.

 

 

Go eat ######

[BKtomodachi]

Sorry kept clams till they out grew the tank, been doing this 9 years and still think its retarded.

I hear you.

 

I wouldn't personally recommend it, it just doesn't seem right. I can't imagine it being a stress-free process for the clam.

[Greenstar]

my question is why would you need to do it in the first place? How much food are you adding in the first place, that your tank would run the risk of becoming unstable and/or crashing? How high is your bioload and how weak is your filtration that you would need to physically remove something to feed something such as phyto, which is readily consumed by almost everything in a reef system (pods, corals, sponges, worms, tunicates, ect.)?

 

Maybe I should get a metal halide separate from my tank and remove the acro's so they can get enough light and return them once they have had their fill. This way I can prevent algae growth and keep acros in a lowly lit system. That seems logical.

[BKtomodachi]

I think the theory behind it is that it serves the purpose of concentrating the phyto in the water with the clam. (also sounds unnatural to me). That way, you don't have to add a large amount to the tank and have everything compete for it.

[Greenstar]

One of those theories like vodka dosing I am never really going to buy into, carry on though.

[basser1]

First of all, if that clam is 3" or so, no phyto or extra feeding is needed. Good lighting and fish waste should be enough! I've got a maxima that I've had for some time and never feed it, and it's happy as a well........ as a clam!!

[cdelicath]

+1 ^

 

I drop a half cap of DT's in the tank every 2 of 3 weeks but not really for the clam.

 

It does seem to like it when I dust my rock and sand.

[SmittyCoco]

If you are not in a hurry and a first time clam owner then you should wait awhile longer. More experienced clam coineseuers have added them right away , but know what to look for in signs of distress.A blanket bench mark is 6 month old tank plus. If you can read as much as you can and have enough confidence, than take the plung in a couple months. Good luck !

 

Matt

 

+1 ^

 

I drop a half cap of DT's in the tank every 2 of 3 weeks but not really for the clam.

 

It does seem to like it when I dust my rock and sand.

As do my sps. The microfauna really seems to excite them.

[Galloping Goose]

Here is my 2 cents. Your clam is at 3 inches. At this point the clam has reached a point in its maturity where it will derive 100% of energy and nutrients to sustain its own life from the lighing alone. Feeding your tank/clam with DT's or other plankton like food is just a treat at this stage for the Crocea. Do keep up on your water changes and watch your CA levels as the clam will suck that CA out of your 10 gallon system fairly quicky. I have my Crocea in a 9 gallon cube. I have had it about 2 + years. Started at about 3 inces and has grown to about 5 +. CA and good water quality is my secret. Good luck! Ohh, yes do wait about 3 more months for your tank to mature just a bit.

[masterbuilder]

Greenstar.... I will agree with you that I don’t see any reason to bowl feed a clam or to feed at all, really.

 

BUT....what I meant to convey and did a very poor job of it was....….your type of crude, foul and condescending responses probably makes you a big shot there....but here just reinforces our suspicion of your enormous inferiority complex and less than stellar IQ. I expect a typical juvenile reply.

[Greenstar]

Greenstar.... I will agree with you that I don’t see any reason to bowl feed a clam or to feed at all, really.

 

BUT....what I meant to convey and did a very poor job of it was....….your type of crude, foul and condescending responses probably makes you a big shot there....but here just reinforces our suspicion of your enormous inferiority complex and less than stellar IQ. I expect a typical juvenile reply.

 

 

Hey look another pseudo-intellectual key board warrior. You already stated you were fully capable of explaining the method, acting as if it was justified and now you are stating you don't see any reason to do it. What gives?

[Galloping Goose]

Internet Rambo's...

[redfishsc]

One of those theories like vodka dosing I am never really going to buy into, carry on though.

 

Yeah. People that dose vodka thinking it does any good are like those idiots that have this theory that the world is round. I mean, what are they thinking? Just look at it, it's flat as it can be.

 

 

Seriously Greenstar, I do appreciate your opinion and I'm glad you've shared your experience, but you did call r3tic stupid. I hardly think that was even CLOSE to being warranted.

 

 

BTW I do not dose vodka b/c I know myself, I'd be drinking more of it than I'm dosing (a LOT more) but I have dosed other carbon sources in my tank, and the results were pretty awesome, the water (after a day of cloudy) was cleaner than any water I'd ever seen in my tank. My phosphate/nitrate has always been lower than my cheapo API kits can test, but I'd wager both are lower than they were before the carbon dosing. I honestly believe the vodka/carbon dosing really works.

[Greenstar]

Yeah. People that dose vodka thinking it does any good are like those idiots that have this theory that the world is round. I mean, what are they thinking? Just look at it, it's flat as it can be.

 

 

Seriously Greenstar, I do appreciate your opinion and I'm glad you've shared your experience, but you did call r3tic stupid. I hardly think that was even CLOSE to being warranted.

 

 

BTW I do not dose vodka b/c I know myself, I'd be drinking more of it than I'm dosing (a LOT more) but I have dosed other carbon sources in my tank, and the results were pretty awesome, the water (after a day of cloudy) was cleaner than any water I'd ever seen in my tank. My phosphate/nitrate has always been lower than my cheapo API kits can test, but I'd wager both are lower than they were before the carbon dosing. I honestly believe the vodka/carbon dosing really works.

 

 

No, its a theory I don't buy into because there is no viable test or threshold that one could check before they started dosing vodka. There is no dosing standard and it is more or less guessing game on how much and how often to add (there are several articles and personal accounts of people having success that use varying formulas). I see it repeatedly referred to as kinda a Purigen fix all to NO3 and PO4 problems rather than tracking down and identifying potential sources. I am not disputing some individuals have seen some excellent improvements but to say it is in the least bit necessary or even recommended for the average reefer is retarded. Lastly out of the many tank I have had I have never done it because I have never seen the need. Can you comprehend that?

 

Second for someone to say take a clam out of the tank before feeding is putting undue stress on the animal and no one has yet been able to give me one good reason to do it, outside of water quality which again goes back to and underlying issue (poor filtration, overfeeding, excessive bio load) already existing in the tank. So to pull a clam out of the water repeatedly to feed it is stupid.

[xbwolfx]

vodka is for clueless n00bs - use methanol. i have no idea why vodka has become the posterboy carbon source for boosting marine bacteria in our little isolated corner of the internet. it's the wrong reagent.

[redfishsc]

xbwolfx, I would think methanol would be toxic even in small levels, but then again you wounldn't find me drinking nor dosing vodka anyhow. If methanol is a viable source, GOOD, it's $3-4 a gallon, a touch cheaper than whiskey.

 

Great avatar btw.

[xbwolfx]

i don't know anything about it. lol.

 

i just remember mra getting his panties in a twist over vodka dosing.