my first derasa clam..

[sirbiggstixx]

hey all so i picked this beauty up on sale..i got it under a 250W halide..besides keeping calcium and alk up (which isnt a problem, i drip kalk everynight) what else do i have to do to keep it as healthy as possible..

calcium=480

kh=14

nitrite=0

nitrate=.25

ammonia=0

ph=8.3

temp-78-80

s.g=34

phosphates=.5ish

[aund45pq]

let me warn you if its under 2 inches you have to feed it and thats a pain!!!

[ThemadReefer]

let me warn you if its under 2 inches you have to feed it and thats a pain!!!

 

 

FALSE.....they do not REQUIRE feeding under that size but it IS recommended.....there's been much controversy on this subject but I have several tiny clams that i feed nothing but light and good water and they are thriving and growing well

 

the first thing i can tell you is that derasa get HUGGGGGEEEE......My largest is a full grown thats about the size of a regulation football!! I dose the tank 2x DAILY with calcium to keep up with that monster

 

The other thing i can tell you is that derasas are the MOST forgiving when it comes to light....I had my under PC's the first year of it's life with me HOWEVER this is NOT recommended.....T5's are fine....MH's are too but with derasas totally optional IMO

 

other than that just make sure there's nothing in the tank that's picking on them and watch for pests and have fun.....they dont really require much care....they even prefer a bit of nitrate in the water....I have mine in a 125 with fish galore and a nitrate of about 10ppm and they grow better because they actually filter the water and nitrate out of it!!

 

have fun!!

[sirbiggstixx]

yeah i read about that and i also read that your not supposed to target feed because of the water impact and stuff(just what i have read) i want all pieces of advice good and bad...so when i feed my tank a cube of mysis..will it not get enough food once it opens..i still havent seen it open, well it opened a little bit and then when the lights shut off tonite it closed back up..

 

it may a little bigger than 2"..i would say it about 3" long and 1.5" wide..

[ThemadReefer]

yeah i read about that and i also read that your not supposed to target feed because of the water impact and stuff(just what i have read) i want all pieces of advice good and bad...so when i feed my tank a cube of mysis..will it not get enough food once it opens..i still havent seen it open, well it opened a little bit and then when the lights shut off tonite it closed back up..

 

it may a little bigger than 2"..i would say it about 3" long and 1.5" wide..

 

 

 

THEY WILL NOT EAT MYSIS SHRIMP OR ANYTHING ELSE LIKE THAT.....THEY ARE FILTER FEEDERS!!! IF YOU ARE GOING TO FEED IT FEED ONLY WITH A PLANKTON DIET PLEASE!!

[sirbiggstixx]

yeah im aware of how big they get..its in a 30 gallon now, i have a 300 gallon in storage im gonna be setting up in a year or so once i finish building my house..so hopefully it will only grow to about 5 or 6" in that year time span like every where else i have read said..

[ThemadReefer]

yeah im aware of how big they get..its in a 30 gallon now, i have a 300 gallon in storage im gonna be setting up in a year or so once i finish building my house..so hopefully it will only grow to about 5 or 6" in that year time span like every where else i have read said..

 

 

 

lol.....mine was growing at a rate of about 2 inches per 6-8 months!!! thats another thing....they get BIGGG fast!!

[sirbiggstixx]

will do madreefer..thats why i love this site..

 

another question, i know it takes time for it to get used to my tank,,but what is the chance it will opening up tomorrow..i still dont even know what colors it has, all i saw it open was maybe a 1/4in and i could some blue on the edges..

[ThemadReefer]

will do madreefer..thats why i love this site..

 

another question, i know it takes time for it to get used to my tank,,but what is the chance it will opening up tomorrow..i still dont even know what colors it has, all i saw it open was maybe a 1/4in and i could some blue on the edges..

 

 

when did you put it in the tank??? how did you acclimate it?? if you turn the lights on right after placing it in the tank you can actually send them in to shock and kill them b/c they are not used to your lighting yet

[sirbiggstixx]

how long have others started to open up..

[ThemadReefer]

when did you put it in the tank??? how did you acclimate it?? if you turn the lights on right after placing it in the tank you can actually send them in to shock and kill them b/c they are not used to your lighting yet

[sirbiggstixx]

its been in the tank about 3 hours..i drip acclimated it for about 2 hours and 45 minutes,,the only light i had on was one actinic and its only like 39w..

[ThemadReefer]

its been in the tank about 3 hours..i drip acclimated it for about 2 hours and 45 minutes,,the only light i had on was one actinic and its only like 39w..

 

 

you over acclimated it.....they only need 45 minutes to an hour of acclimation time.....any longer may have put undue stress on the poor guy.....leave the tank completely lightless tonight and then ease him in to a shortened lighting cycle tomorrow....try 4-6 hours at first with the high powered MH's you have on the tank....after that you can start a normal cycle of lighting

[sirbiggstixx]

i never knew you could over acclimate things...most of threads i have read usually acclimate over 2 1/2 hours..this may not be for clams..but that is what i have read..well i really hope i didnt do any harm to it..

[ThemadReefer]

i never knew you could over acclimate things...most of threads i have read usually acclimate over 2 1/2 hours..this may not be for clams..but that is what i have read..well i really hope i didnt do any harm to it..

 

 

 

im sure it'll be fine just be patient and above all dont shock it with lights!!

[sirbiggstixx]

i got ya madreefer..i just set my timers for 4hours to start..and then ill kick it up to 6 later in the week and hopefully next monday i can run them 8hrs again..what do you think..

[smorrismi]

i got ya madreefer..i just set my timers for 4hours to start..and then ill kick it up to 6 later in the week and hopefully next monday i can run them 8hrs again..what do you think..

 

I just got one... acclimated it for about 15 minutes, put it in and it opened up within 5 minutes! I'm very excited about having a clam for the first time!

 

that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

[Funktastic Wint]

Tridacna clams are also filter feeders and constantly filter the water for small particulates. Derasa Clams larger than 2" do not require supplemental feedings, but smaller T. derasa that are less than 2" should be fed a phytoplankton or greenwater supplement several times per week if maintained in a nutrient poor reef aquarium.

 

Tridacna derasa are the hardiest and most adaptable of all the Tridacna spp., and require moderate to intense lighting and good water flow in the home aquarium. Proper water chemistry is very important, and they will thrive when calcium levels of 380- 450 mg/L, alkalinity level of 8-11 dKH, and magnesium level of 1280-1350 ppm are maintained.

[ThemadReefer]

Tridacna clams are also filter feeders and constantly filter the water for small particulates. Derasa Clams larger than 2" do not require supplemental feedings, but smaller T. derasa that are less than 2" should be fed a phytoplankton or greenwater supplement several times per week if maintained in a nutrient poor reef aquarium.

 

Tridacna derasa are the hardiest and most adaptable of all the Tridacna spp., and require moderate to intense lighting and good water flow in the home aquarium. Proper water chemistry is very important, and they will thrive when calcium levels of 380- 450 mg/L, alkalinity level of 8-11 dKH, and magnesium level of 1280-1350 ppm are maintained.

 

 

what book did you get that one out of smart guy??

 

I bet you can thank google for that one...... lol

[lessergeneration]

i had a derasa in my biocube for about a year before a tragic accident. but in that amount of time it grew about 2" and was very happy. they prefer to live on the sand and not rock. and IT IS true that clams >2" need supplemental feeding unless maybe they are in a NPS tank. the one sure fire way to know you have a super happy healthy clam is to put your hand over the light for a second and see if it closes up real quick.

[Alkomist]

QUOTE (Funktastic Wint @ Feb 9 2011, 03:38 PM)

Tridacna clams are also filter feeders and constantly filter the water for small particulates. Derasa Clams larger than 2" do not require supplemental feedings, but smaller T. derasa that are less than 2" should be fed a phytoplankton or greenwater supplement several times per week if maintained in a nutrient poor reef aquarium.

 

Tridacna derasa are the hardiest and most adaptable of all the Tridacna spp., and require moderate to intense lighting and good water flow in the home aquarium. Proper water chemistry is very important, and they will thrive when calcium levels of 380- 450 mg/L, alkalinity level of 8-11 dKH, and magnesium level of 1280-1350 ppm are maintained.

 

 

 

what book did you get that one out of smart guy??

 

I bet you can thank google for that one...... lol

 

 

 

^ lol

is it me or have you guys gona at it in other posts?

read the quote in my sig.....look familiar? lol

[lessergeneration]

^ lol

is it me or have you guys gona at it in other posts?

read the quote in my sig.....look familiar? lol

 

lol, nice sig

[Funktastic Wint]

QUOTE (Funktastic Wint @ Feb 9 2011, 03:38 PM)

Tridacna clams are also filter feeders and constantly filter the water for small particulates. Derasa Clams larger than 2" do not require supplemental feedings, but smaller T. derasa that are less than 2" should be fed a phytoplankton or greenwater supplement several times per week if maintained in a nutrient poor reef aquarium.

 

Tridacna derasa are the hardiest and most adaptable of all the Tridacna spp., and require moderate to intense lighting and good water flow in the home aquarium. Proper water chemistry is very important, and they will thrive when calcium levels of 380- 450 mg/L, alkalinity level of 8-11 dKH, and magnesium level of 1280-1350 ppm are maintained.

 

 

 

what book did you get that one out of smart guy??

 

I bet you can thank google for that one...... lol

 

 

 

^ lol

is it me or have you guys gona at it in other posts?

read the quote in my sig.....look familiar? lol

 

oh yay! i got signatured!

such an honor.

 

i see ur in cali too. sweet

[Sac_State]

Tridacna clams are also filter feeders and constantly filter the water for small particulates. Derasa Clams larger than 2" do not require supplemental feedings, but smaller T. derasa that are less than 2" should be fed a phytoplankton or greenwater supplement several times per week if maintained in a nutrient poor reef aquarium.

 

Tridacna derasa are the hardiest and most adaptable of all the Tridacna spp., and require moderate to intense lighting and good water flow in the home aquarium. Proper water chemistry is very important, and they will thrive when calcium levels of 380- 450 mg/L, alkalinity level of 8-11 dKH, and magnesium level of 1280-1350 ppm are maintained.

 

This coming from someone who doesn't have, and never has had, a clam. Didn't you just make a post asking all kinds of basic questions about clams? And know you're giving someone else advice? Wow...

[Alkomist]

oh yay! i got signatured!

such an honor.

 

i see ur in cali too. sweet

 

yea:) my 1st one!!!!!

 

im in Fontucky Cali

 

dude has it out for ya! i saw on another clam thread on here a cpl mins ago! lol