Crocea advice please!

[Cetra324]

So yes, I -have- been keeping a crocea under PC. He's been in the tank for about five months now. Tanks stats are: <5 nitrates, 0 am, 0 nitrite, not sure of the calc, but at least 400. 130w PC. The clam is about an inch from the surface and is 4"+.

 

Now here's my question: At five months, there are -no- signs of bleaching, and no holes, and a healthy byssal attatchment, but the clam -does- gape. He isn't stretched wiiiide, but he's certainly extended a fair bit. Obviously, I've done the necessary reading, and know the -reasons- he's gaping, but I'm interested in the opinions of others who have kept corceas. Do you think he's under undue amounts of stress and should be moved to a home with higher lighting for its comfort and overall health? Or should I not worry about it, since he's five months in with no loss of color, and certainly no holes in the mantle?

 

Just curious - I really like the little guy, and would like to keep him, assuming he's gaping because he'd like more light, but isn't in danger without more.

[Caesar777]

Alkalinity. Gaping = not enough light. Croceas are THE most light-demanding clam, as well as the most difficult otherwise. NEEDS more light.

 

You at least feed it DT's, I assume?

 

And alk meq/L?

[RayWhisperer]

The older they get the more light they require. Or so was my understanding.

[bobioden]

You are keeping a Crocea under PC's and you are guessing what your CA level is? How do you know it is over 400? Are you dosing anything? When was the last time it was checked.

 

I say find it a home with MH. If it is gaping now, it will only get worse.

 

Bob

[Cetra324]

You are keeping a Crocea under PC's and you are guessing what your CA level is? How do you know it is over 400? Are you dosing anything? When was the last time it was checked.

 

I say find it a home with MH. If it is gaping now, it will only get worse.

 

Bob

 

I don't recall saying I was "guessing" my calc level. What I meant, and I suppose I should have been more clear, was that I haven't tested it in about two weeks, and it was around 400 then. It was at 400 when I checked it a few weeks before that, and before -that-, so I'm assuming it hasn't changed much.

 

I dose a drop of lugol's solution every week and a half or so. Apart from buffer as needed, I don't dose anything else. I have kalk on hand if I ever thought it was low enough to need it.

[Caesar777]

Again, alkalinity? The BALANCE between alk and cal is the most important factor next to the lighting.

 

You know Lugol's does nothing for a clam, right?

[Cetra324]

Alkalinity. Gaping = not enough light. Croceas are THE most light-demanding clam, as well as the most difficult otherwise. NEEDS more light.

 

You at least feed it DT's, I assume?

 

And alk meq/L?

 

Bah, I dunno why it deleted my reply to your post when I editted my reply to Bob. =\

 

Anyway, alk -was- a bit low last time I checked it, though I can't remember the number. Probably around 180ppm or so on the all-purpose strips I use? Added some buffer, haven't given it a follow up test just yet.

 

And actually, I don't feed it, but I don't believe it -needs- it, since it's put on a bit of length since I got it, so I assume it's getting enough nourishment? It was shorter than my cleaner when I got him, and is now very noticably longer, shell-wise.

 

And then the picture I added to give an idea of how much it is gaping:

 

 

You know Lugol's does nothing for a clam, right?

 

Obviously, but he asked if I dosed anything, and since I wasn't sure if he meant "to the tank" or "for the clam", I just listed everything I dosed.

[Caesar777]

Those dip-sticks are useless for anything except maybe nitrate/nitrite. Use a REAL test kit, like Salifert. For something like a clam, come on. Also, min knowledge on alk is measurements: dkh (carbonate hardness) or meq/L, the latter of which should be 3.5-4.5. Dkh would be around, what, 7-9? I don't use it.

[Cetra324]

Those dip-sticks are useless for anything except maybe nitrate/nitrite. Use a REAL test kit, like Salifert. For something like a clam, come on. Also, min knowledge on alk is measurements: dkh (carbonate hardness) or meq/L, the latter of which should be 3.5-4.5. Dkh would be around, what, 7-9? I don't use it.

 

Well, and this is pure heresay, but an LFS owner who I'm fairly friendly with (and who I do -not- BUY the dipsticks from) uses them in both his 250 and 100 gallon SPS reefs, because their "ideal" listings have always matched up more or less evenly with his expensive test kits, and they save him (and now, me) money. As I said, only heresay, but I've never had any water quality issues when using it for simple every-few-day status checks.

 

Of course, I use salifert for calcium, ammonia, phosphates and iodine(s). Also, I do have the minimum measurement knowledge (thanks) but since I don't have a test kit that gives results in either dkh or meq/L, I didn't quote you a number in either measurement.

[Caesar777]

Salifert tests will cost you less. $20 for a salifert alk test (100 per box) or $15 per bottle of dip-sticks (25 per bottle).

 

Go ahead and get the salifert. You need a meq/L measurement for such a sensitive, complex animal. And I didn't mean to offend--I realize it came off that way. (Didn't mean to, but I tend to do that a lot.)

[Cetra324]

Salifert tests will cost you less. $20 for a salifert alk test (100 per box) or $15 per bottle of dip-sticks (25 per bottle).

 

Go ahead and get the salifert. You need a meq/L measurement for such a sensitive, complex animal. And I didn't mean to offend--I realize it came off that way. (Didn't mean to, but I tend to do that a lot.)

 

No problem - I've read enough of your posts around here to know that you always -mean- well. Any recommendations on brands that make a good alk test that aren't salifert? After trying the tests made by Sali that I mentioned, the only one I can read easily (and have faith in my final ruling) is the calc test. All of the others seem very hard to read, so I'd like to avoid Salifert in the future, despite the fact that they're considered "the best".

[Caesar777]

Alk is the opposite of the calcium--add the reactant until the blue turns pink, instead of like the calc with pink turning blue. Take the pointy tip off, and it's easier. Keep swirling the test tube--if it flashes pink but goes away as you swirl, then it's only some that was titrated and not the whole thing. Keep adding till the whole thing turns pink.

[Kogut]

Well I am one of the non-PC fans here since upgrading to MH last year... It can be done w/ PC, we all know. However, it usually doesn't work unless everything is right (as has been discussed). If you can't make it work and aren't planning a major lighting upgrade in the near future, I'd look for another home for the guy. I usually suggest Hippopus and Deresa clams to people who want "a clam" and don't have the intense lighting. Maximas can work sometimes, but it's really not worth the risk in low-light settings. If you're somewhere around Los Angeles (I'm off the 5, next to Magic Mountain), I'll give you $20 for the clam and he can come live w/ my other blue crocea under 250watts of MH goodness.

 

I do, however, wish you good luck w/ your clam keeping. Many people wish ill on those who push the envelope. I've gotten some in the past, too. But if it works, cool.

 

AFWS:

Cheers,

Kogut

[Caesar777]

Yes - Derasa, Hippopus, and in addition, Gigas, are all good choices for PC (though you still need the stable water conditions, including calc/alk--but they're not nearly as sensitive as Crocea).

[Cetra324]

Yes - Derasa, Hippopus, and in addition, Gigas, are all good choices for PC (though you still need the stable water conditions, including calc/alk--but they're not nearly as sensitive as Crocea).

 

Well, half the point was to try a Crocea.

 

*edit* Also, there will be sort of a lighting upgrade available soon, assuming I ever get off my butt and install the fans into the hood of my totally home-made 30gal SPS project. *lazy* Of course, it'd be months before -that- was stable enough for the clam, so it's most likely that he'd be donated to the aforementioned LFS owner's 100 or 250 reefs, in the case of an ominous sign of distress.

[Wiggawam]

BTW Clams suck down calc like noooo other. So test it because I bet it has dropped alot more than you expect, I know mine did.