Clams and some Growth Shots

[Samw]

Some new growth on the Squamosa and Derasa as seen on the tips of the shell.

http://www.hyperdream.com/~samw/reef/Clams/140-4062_img_std.jpg

http://www.hyperdream.com/~samw/reef/Clams/140-4063_img_std.jpg

http://www.hyperdream.com/~samw/reef/Clams/138-3839_img_std.jpg

[Dez]

Is your Squamosa attached to a rock or anything? How about your Maxima's? I have both my Squamosas in the substrate like that, I tried to get them to attach but they won't, and when in the substrate, it moves around alot. One of my Squamosa's has tripled in size, it's about 8 inches now, but aren't they supposed to be attached to a hard surface? Just wondering what your experience is. My maxima is in the substrate, but attached to a piece of coral rubble about an inch. Thanks,

Des

[CHEAPREEF]

Squamosa's do not attach to hard surfaces, they like to be on teh substrate.

Clinton

[Dez]

Squamosa Clam is often found living amongst Acropora coral, anchored by its byssal filaments (eTropicals.com)

Natural habitat
T. squamosa is normally found in deeper waters in its natural habitat, most often on reef walls or on the bottom of the reef, attached to coral rubble (Aquarium Frontiers Online - Daniel Knop)

COMMON NAME: Squamosa Clam
FAMILY: Cardiacea
GENUS: Tridacna
SPECIES: Squamosa
RANGE: Indo and south pacific, Indian Ocean and Red Sea

This is a very interesting clam with highly variable patterns and colors. Although not usually bright green or blue, the different patterns with various earth tones, along with very decorative shells make them fun clams to collect. They grow to a maximum of 16 inches, with large scales or “scutes” all over the shells. Lighting requirements are lower than crocea or maxima clams and can be placed lower in the aquarium under strong lighting conditions. A rock substrate is best for these clams. (reefstore.com)

As you can see, in nature they are attached. I do not have rock substrate, sugar sized sand would not be considered rock substrate.

Des

[CHEAPREEF]

Dez, you can quote as many books as you like :rolleyes: , i'm just speaking from my own experiance and what i've read on others. I never had any luck with my Squamosa on a rock surface way happier on the substrate, i've never read of oe being happy anywhere else.

Clinton

[Dez]

hey Clinton, I'm just trying to learn here. Daniel Knop has been dealing with clams a lot more than I have. My Squamosas are apparently doing fine on the substrate, but I want to mimic as close to what I can what their environment is in nature. I was just seeing if other hobbiests had any luck with theirs on the rock. Mine was attached on my rock for a couple of months, then detached. Anyway, didn't your Squamosa just die? And wasn't it on the substrate? Maybe if it was attached, then the parasitic snail or whatever couldn't have gotten in from underneath? Who knows. Your experience with the Squamosa was only a year, was it happy? I'm seeking advice from more experienced hobbiest than myself.

Des

[Samw]

Is your Squamosa attached to a rock or anything? How about your Maxima's?
Des

At the moment, none are attached to rock. I haven't seriously tried to let them attach yet. I need to get some extra rubble first. A tip is find a flat piece and 2 bigger pieces and then place the clam on the flat piece and put the taller pieces on each side of the clam until it attaches. I did try to place a maxima on a flat piece once but one of my fish kept pushing it off so I gave up on that idea. But the eventual goal is to get them on a rock so they don't move around too much on the sand.

[Dez]

Thanks Sam,

Has anyone on this board had their clams for more than a few years (The clams that are recommended to be attached, like Maxima's and Squamosa's) without having them attach to a hard surface and just stuck in the sand? This would be interesting to know. Of course I'd rather just stick it in the sand, it's much easier to place and position. Thanks so much.

Des

[CHEAPREEF]

Anyway, didn't your Squamosa just die? And wasn't it on the substrate? Maybe if it was attached, then the parasitic snail or whatever couldn't have gotten in from underneath? Des

Het Des why not be an Ahole about it. The snails that killed my clam came from your store, he was fine for over a year before i desided to buy a little more rock from your store. :evil:

Clinton

[Dez]

I'm sorry...I just felt really attacked. I'm just trying to learn. I take everything back. Still looking for opinions on the clam attaching thing. Apology to all in the public :redface:

Des

ps.... every store in the city has the same supplier of live rock as us

[Delphinus]

Come on guys, please keep it civil. Disagreements are fine, but tempers are not.

Dez, I never got mine to attach to rock either. I read the Knop book to my clam, but he ignored me completely. He checked out after a month or so in my tank .... but I had another clam perish prior to that, and it seems that if one goes in your tank, the tendency is for all of them to eventually go. :cry:

Generally speaking, I don't feel right about it if something isn't acting as it would in the wild. If it's supposed to attach to rock, and it doesn't, then I'm tempted to beleive that there is something that "isn't 100% right." It may be trying to find the right combination of substrate, texture of substrate, flow conditions, lighting, etc.

When I had asked around about my squamosa, I was generally advised to not worry about it. If it stays put in the sand, then let it be. I guess one other thing I've noticed about clams is, the less they are pestered, the better. Constantly adjusting this or that, because you think something might be better off for it, isn't necessarily the best course of action ... better to go slow. Actually, the ideal situation is that it gets put into the final spot as soon as possible, and get the stress of being handled over with.

So I guess, ultimately, go with what seems to be working. If it stays put, then that's probably good enough. But if it's scooting about, then it's probably looking for something, which means it's not getting something that it's currently looking for, and some sort of corrective action should be considered.

[Dez]

Thanks Tony,

I have considered putting my squamosa on a half clam shell so that it could attach to that, but I want to see whose had one for years. I know that Maximas do well when attached. Hmmmm.... any other opinions?


Des

[Aquattro]

Just to add a bit here....even the maximas and croceas apparently expel their foot when they get large enough for their own weight to hold them in place, so they end up not anchored at all.
And I have never ever seen a squamosa or derasa attached to a rock(YMMV)

[sumpfinfishe]

Great images as always Sam :exclaim:

cheers Rich :mrgreen:

[Canadian]

The clam on the left was a T. squamosa that remained attached to the rock it was on for well over a year (it was only about about 3.5" however)

http://www.jlaquatics.com/images/gallery/aquarium/large/andrewg2.jpg

[Samw]

Updates:

The Squamosa is really taking off. Here's a pic with its shell closed.

http://www.hyperdream.com/~samw/reef/Clams/143-4343_img_std.jpg

And Derasa

http://www.hyperdream.com/~samw/reef/Clams/143-4337_img_std.jpg