Clam won't stay put!

Delphinus · #1 01-12-2010, 11:26 PM

I find they really need to be fenced in. I think it's best if they go on the rockwork, there's some debate over this point, but without getting into it too much I still think it's better if they are on the rock ... but they need to be a bowl/depression in the rock so that they can't roll out of there (ie., they won't roll uphill). I usually end up epoxying rubble and small rocks around them. Once they're secure they usually end up attaching on their own. They won't attach if there is too much movement possible (ie., they still need to open and close obviously) but too much rocking motion from the the current is enough to prevent them from laying down those byssal glands and then they'll be constantly on the move.

pelle31 · #2 01-12-2010, 11:31 PM

I agree but.......I tried the same with mine and the larger of the two still managed to move.
It did attach itself to the rock and the whole bit I was happy. Then after a couple weeks he let go and started moving again. I moved all the rubble and he went back down to the sand and has been pretty much in the same place since. Maybe my clams are different

Delphinus · #3 01-12-2010, 11:46 PM

Hmm no pretty normal I think.

That's why I say there's some debate over this - you HAVE to go to silly lengths to ensure the bowl/depression is deep enough otherwise they will eventually fall off - most people don't go that far, and thus you end up with the school of thought that "it's fine on the sand" because it's just easier than rearranging your whole aquascape. And yeah, it's sort of fine .. but it sort of isn't, either. It's better in that they can't fall off and get injured, but if you ever see tridacnids in the wild - with the exception of maybe gigas, squamosa and derasa, who are sand dwellers - they are always embedded in rock. IMO this is where they belong, because that byssal opening is pretty big and it's an area that pests and predators can get into if it's not attached to rock. It's not a guarantee that there will be problems if not on the rock but it IMO it does help a little.

Part of the problem is they shoot water out with such force that it moves them. So if the attachment point isn't 100% secure, they'll move. I don't think they really intend to move this way or that, I think it's more of a random result of their water "surges".

Another thing to keep in mind if on the sand is that they might still attach to the first hard thing they find - the bottom glass - and it can be very difficult to remove them in that case. You can remove clams after they are attached but it takes a lot of practise and it's a risky move, there is potential for injuring them this way.

I realize I'm firmly in the minority in this recommendation, but, it IS my recommendation and I'm sticking with it.

Since adopting this approach myself I've had way better clam longevity than I ever did when I just let them sit in the sand. My oldest clam is a crocea around 7 years old right now.

pelle31 · #4 01-12-2010, 11:52 PM

Tony

I'll try it again with the little one and post here again and update. Better sticking the little bugger on a Rock then having him attach to another clam.

whatcaneyedo · #5 01-13-2010, 12:23 AM

Both of my crocea are up in the rocks 18" directly below 250W MH. They've been in that kind of placement for several years.

i have crabs · #6 01-13-2010, 12:27 AM

crocea's never live on the sand in the wild and should be places on something hard, thay also need the most light of all the clams so depending on your lights, probably higher up in the tank on a rock somewhere would be best, flow also matters so the clam could be moving for all kinds of reasons.

don.ald · #7 01-13-2010, 12:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by i have crabs

crocea's never live on the sand in the wild and should be places on something hard, thay also need the most light of all the clams so depending on your lights, probably higher up in the tank on a rock somewhere would be best, flow also matters so the clam could be moving for all kinds of reasons.

what type of flow do others try and keep with their crocea?
had my crocea just over one year and its always been on the bottom (bare bottom) and it has never attatched. everytime i put it in the rockwork it ends up on the bottom...cups and all. it may take it some time to work its way down but it always has. i event tried to keep it on rock on the bottom and it would always find a way to get off the rock.