Miami‘s Clam and SPS Tank

MartinM · Dec 22, 2023

I had a queen angel eat a big hole out of the middle of one of my large maximas in a completely healed over several months.

i cant think · Dec 23, 2023

MartinM said:
I had a queen angel eat a big hole out of the middle of one of my large maximas in a completely healed over several months.

They really do heal quickly, it’s surprising how clams can be more difficult than SPS yet they seem to thrive and end up being the easiest animals once they get the perfect lighting conditions.

i cant think · Dec 23, 2023

I’m feeling a bit clammy today!

MartinM · Dec 24, 2023

i cant think said:
They really do heal quickly, it’s surprising how clams can be more difficult than SPS yet they seem to thrive and end up being the easiest animals once they get the perfect lighting conditions.

They’re much more complex organisms than coral, which actually should make them easier to keep. I certainly think they’re easier to keep than coral. They just tend to be underlit like you said, resulting in “mysterious clam deaths”. The only other difficult to detect reason for death is that they can carry a type of virus they can lay dormant for years.

i cant think · Dec 24, 2023

MartinM said:
They’re much more complex organisms than coral, which actually should make them easier to keep. I certainly think they’re easier to keep than coral. They just tend to be underlit like you said, resulting in “mysterious clam deaths”. The only other difficult to detect reason for death is that they can carry a type of virus they can lay dormant for years.

Also PMD can be quite hard to detect when it’s a minor case. I was lucky I caught that case of PMD on my main maxima rather early as it was curable. On the other hand, I only noticed PMD was what killed my Deresa after it passed as I was looking at older photos of him vs some of the last photos I got.

i cant think · Dec 24, 2023

This Maxima looks stunning!

i cant think said:
Now I’m torn… will my next clam be green or do I hold out for a few stripes.
I also love the ones that are almost like lightning in their mantles with the dark blue, almost black but then the bright colours in the centre.

Who would’ve thought, I didn’t just get a green clam, I got a stripey green clam!

Miami Reef · Dec 24, 2023

New acanthophyllia alert! It’s the orange one.

Looks like someone is nicking the orange.

Reeflix · Dec 24, 2023

Miami Reef said:
New acanthophyllia alert! It’s the orange one.

Looks like someone is nicking the orange.

I’m looking at that torch!!! Very nice!

Miami Reef · Dec 24, 2023

Thank you, Reeflix.

There’s just no way this coral is real. I can’t believe I actually have it in my tank.

i cant think · Dec 25, 2023

Miami Reef said:
New acanthophyllia alert! It’s the orange one.

Looks like someone is nicking the orange.

That guy is truly fluorescent!
Got any Scolys or do you focus mainly on Acanthos, Trachys (and maybe Welsos)?

Miami Reef · Dec 25, 2023

i cant think said:
That guy is truly fluorescent!
Got any Scolys or do you focus mainly on Acanthos, Trachys (and maybe Welsos)?

I have a scoly. It’s a super easy coral and looks good. It never caused me stress.

Took this photo right now with my iPhone camera flash

Older photo from 2 months ago, but the same scoly is there. This is what it really looks like.

I have a mantis shrimp in my tank. I’ve always known it was in the tank, but I never cared about removing it. I put a bottle trap tonight because I would like to catch it now before it gets bigger.

I caught one last year with the same bottle trap. The KP rocks I added last year brought them in.

MartinM · Dec 25, 2023

i cant think said:
Also PMD can be quite hard to detect when it’s a minor case. I was lucky I caught that case of PMD on my main maxima rather early as it was curable. On the other hand, I only noticed PMD was what killed my Deresa after it passed as I was looking at older photos of him vs some of the last photos I got.

Yep but PMD is so easily cured. I still think corals are much more difficult than clams. I can’t count the number of times I’ve had to dip, treat, frag, etc corals. In my 30 years of marine systems I’ve had PMD once and pyramid snails twice, and the only clam deaths were preventable (the snails or them getting overgrown in my sump) and happened because I was staying at one of my other residences for an extended period of time. Meanwhile I’ve had too many coral and anemones die over the decades than I want to remember

i cant think · Dec 25, 2023

Miami Reef said:
I have a scoly. It’s a super easy coral and looks good. It never caused me stress.

Took this photo right now with my iPhone camera flash

Older photo from 2 months ago, but the same scoly is there. This is what it really looks like.

I have a mantis shrimp in my tank. I’ve always known it was in the tank, but I never cared about removing it. I put a bottle trap tonight because I would like to catch it now before it gets bigger.

I caught one last year with the same bottle trap. The KP rocks I added last year brought them in.

Good luck! I caught a Eunice worm (Surprisingly it wasn’t a true Bobbit) with a bottle trap, that guy is now living in my 4’ tank’s sump as they are good CUC.