Crocea Clam Not Attaching

[Zakary2003]

I got a crocea clam from clammania at reefapalooza Orlando yesterday. It is being a bit stubborn though. I've placed it on a clam rock on my frag rack and it keeps flopping of the rock, then off the rack, and then it falls down onto the sand below. Last time it landed on a rock flower anemone and I'm really worried it is going to get stung.

Does the clam not like the current location? It is medium flow and high (250 PAR) light, which is what I was told it would like. The final spot i want to put it in has even high light (350 PAR)...

What do I need to do to encourage the clam to attach instead of moving around?

If the location is the problem, should I try somewhere with lower light? Do I maybe need to put the rock and clam onto the sand until it attaches?

Also, how long should attachment take?

 

[Tahoe61]

1. Move to area of lower flow.
2. Clams falling is a very bad sign, don't place the clam in an area where it can fall onto areas with corals or anemones below.
3. Clams may or may not attach.

For now put the clam in the clam cradle in an area with the most par lower on the tank and let the clam acclimate.

Good Luck.

 

[Zakary2003]

1. Move to area of lower flow.
2. Clams falling is a very bad sign, don't place the clam in an area where it can fall onto areas with corals or anemones below.
3. Clams may or may not attach.

For now put the clam in the clam cradle in an area with the most par lower on the tank and let the clam acclimate.

Good Luck.

The highest PAR at the bottom of my tank is around 150 PAR. Is that enough for a crocea clam?

 

[Tahoe61]

The highest PAR at the bottom of my tank is around 150 PAR. Is that enough for a crocea clam?

No. But the clam needs to acclimate first and foremost. The clam absolutely needs a stable area where it cannot fall, and an area of higher par. Clams are very motile when they are not happy with placement.
Being under 150 par for a day or two is not going to kill it. Falling repeatedly will.

Clams are frustrating, they need advanced planning.

 

[Zakary2003]

No. But the clam needs to acclimate first and foremost. The clam absolutely needs a stable area where it cannot fall, and an area of higher par. Clams are very motile when they are not happy with placement.
Being under 150 par for a day or two is not going to kill it. Falling repeatedly will.

Clams are frustrating, they need advanced planning.

Thanks for the advice. The spot I have picked out for it should be pretty safe from falling (it is a small bowl shaped indent in my rock structure), but I didn't want to immediatly stick it there in case it is too much light to start with.

What would you recommend with that being said?

I'm just worried that if it is happy at the bottom and attaches to the cradle, then it will just detach as soon as I move it and we will be back here again.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

They don't really like flow. I would just put it into the highest possible par, you don't need to acclimate it to 250 then 350. 350 is already less than it would than it would get in nature. But I find that flow is the hardest part to get it right

 

[Tahoe61]

Thanks for the advice. The spot I have picked out for it should be pretty safe from falling (it is a small bowl shaped indent in my rock structure), but I didn't want to immediatly stick it there in case it is too much light to start with.

What would you recommend with that being said?

I'm just worried that if it is happy at the bottom and attaches to the cradle, then it will just detach as soon as I move it and we will be back here again.

Sounds good.

Too much light is not an issue.

:)

 

[twentyleagues]

I agree with what is said above.

If the clam is unhappy with one or more "parameters" it will try to find a more happy place. A clam may move to a spot that has at least one of the things it is happy about and attach this could be good or bad depending on how you can adjust the other "parameters". Flow is a big one if it does not like the flow It may try and move to a place of flow it does like but that may mean the lighting is not good enough for its longevity it does not know that at the time though. Try to find a spot that gets low to medium low flow and lots of light it will probably attach very quickly if its healthy. Its pretty hard to give a crocea or maxima too much light in our tanks. Too much flow is typically way easier to have. 250 par is more likely to be a minimum number with 350 being better but still low comparatively speaking.

 

[Zakary2003]

I agree with what is said above.

If the clam is unhappy with one or more "parameters" it will try to find a more happy place. A clam may move to a spot that has at least one of the things it is happy about and attach this could be good or bad depending on how you can adjust the other "parameters". Flow is a big one if it does not like the flow It may try and move to a place of flow it does like but that may mean the lighting is not good enough for its longevity it does not know that at the time though. Try to find a spot that gets low to medium low flow and lots of light it will probably attach very quickly if its healthy. Its pretty hard to give a crocea or maxima too much light in our tanks. Too much flow is typically way easier to have. 250 par is more likely to be a minimum number with 350 being better but still low comparatively speaking.

If 350 is still low, I have a spot in my tank that gets around 470 PAR. It isn't as fall-proof though. Maybe I could let it attach in the safe spot and then move it to the higher par? Both spots have relatively low flow because the flow is blocked by SPS corals