| REEF
SYSTEMS |
| THE
CORALS |
| THE
FISH |
| THE
INVERTS |
|
I
currently have three species of Tridacna clams growing in my main tank
including T. crocea, T.maxima, and T. squamosa. I find them to be even
more
interesting than corals and a real challenge to keep happy. If you
are
thinking of buying one of these bivalves I highly recommend you have
a
well established tank with plenty of live rock. I would say a tank that is
set
up for sps corals is the ideal environment for giant clams.
Yes
you can keep certain species like T. derasa and T. gigas under
fluorescent lighting but I guess it's all up to what you think "successful"
means
when it comes to keeping a clam alive long term. They can live
for
10 - 200 years so the typical six months to a year success rate in the
average aquarium pales in comparison. The vast majority of the species
that
you see for sale are now being farmed so don't feel too badly if your
new
tankmate expires.
The
big four "trouble signs" to watch out for when buying a clam are
bleaching of the mantle, gaping wide open, damage to the byssal organ
at
the base of the valve, and no reaction to light change. If you see a
clam
at a store that doesn't react when you pass your hand over it and
it
just sits there wide open with the mantle receding from the shell, then
its
near death. A quick reaction time and vibrant color are good signs
of a
healthy clam.
T.
crocea and T. maxima love a ton of light and the closer you can get
them
to a halide bulb the better. This is especially true with the blue or
green
color morphs. They also are a rock boring species so do not
put
them on sand or the bottom of the tank. T. squamosa and T. derasa
on
the other hand get much larger and live in deeper waters so placement
at
the bottom of the display is just fine. They still rely heavily on using
light
to manufacture food via the zooxanthellae they harbor in their mantle
so I
would still recommend using a halide lighting system. Also be sure
to
provide some kind of solid surface below the sand so the clam won't
attach to the glass. A shell or live rock rubble will do just fine.
Although photosynthesis provides the majority of the clams nutritional
needs
some kind of filter feeding is recommended. An established reef
tank
with plenty of live rock will provide some water born nutrients but a
liquid dose of phytoplankton or a rotifer culture is really the way to go.
Reef Nutrition makes a variety of
liquid food sources that are great for
sps
corals, clams, or any other filter feeders in your tank. The other
essential nutritional need is calcium. Just like you would for a dedicated
sps
coral tank the calcium levels need to be maintained at 400ppm.
Using
a high grade salt mix with the additional use of a calcium supplement
like
kalkwasser and trace mineral additives is the perfect combo. I use
Reef
Crystals, Kent Kalkwasser, Kent Coral-Vite, and Kent Essential
Elements for my critters and the growth rate for my clams has been
phenomenal. You can see this growth in the form of "scutes" which look
like
fingernails that the mantle drapes over. If you see this growth then
its a
sign your clam is doing well. The opposite applies if you don't see
any.
Clams can be slow growing so give it a month before you start to
get
worried. Usually I'll feed them three times a week.
There
are five species within the Tridacna genus that are available to you
as a
hobbyist. Here's a basic rundown of each species.
T.
crocea - max size is 6" and needs a ton of light (halide only), its
considered to be the most difficult to keep. A rock boring species.
T.
maxima - max size 10" and also needs a ton of light. Slightly more
hardy
than the crocea and is also a rock boring species.
T.
squamosa - max size 16" and can do with less light but halides are
still
recommended. Should be placed in sand at the base of the tank.
It's
relatively hardy but still not a good clam for beginners.
T.
derasa - max size 20" and can also do with less light. Long term
success with fluorescent lighting has been achieved with this clam.
Considered to be the easiest to keep out of all five. Loves a sandy
substrate so the bottom of the tank is the best bet.
T.
gigas - max size 4 feet and also can survive with fluorescent lighting.
Unless you have a massive tank (200 - 1000 gal) I would not buy this
clam.
Although its considered to be very hardy what are you going to
do
with it once it's too big to pick up? Ash tray, candy dish? It
also
loves
a sandy substrate.
Also
you'll notice a mucus or slime coming from the clam that may cause
you
to worry, but don't. It's perfectly normal as the clam exudes waste and
also
wards off parasites such as pyramid snails. If you really want detailed
information regarding the care of clams check out "Giant Clams in the Sea
and
the Aquarium" by James Fatherree. It's the most recent publication
on
the subject and is loaded with great photos of Tridacna species.
Good
luck with those clams!
|
Here you can see
my T. crocea and
T. maxima from
above the tank.
|
|
My "teardrop" T.
maxima is firmly
attached via its
byssal strands.
Reef Nutrition
liquid mixtures are my
favorite food
sources for young clams.
My T. squamosa
kickin' it on the bottom
of the tank happy
as a "clam".
You can see fresh
growth in the form of
white scutes that
look like fingernails.
