Settling a Derasa Clam

newtosps

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 23, 2021
Messages
8
Reaction score
2
Location
East Midlands
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hi All,

Having now had my 650L system for coming up to 4 years and have managed to grow some good SPS I decided to take the plunge into clams.

I purchased a crocea and desara. The crocea is about 3” and is up on the rock work about half way up the tank. PAR is relatively high in my tank and so I have been running a gradual acclimatisation on my LEDs. The crocea seems to have settled well. It moved around a little adjusting itself to flow and light direction I think and now has firmly attached and well open. The desara is not so straightforward however.

The desara is smaller, just over 2” and I know smaller clams are difficult and I have been feeding phyto. The clam is on the sand bed in low-moderate random flow. It’s sitting in sand but with some rubble underneath as I know they like to attach when younger. It has been in the tank for around 2 weeks and does open during the day, but not fully. Checked for snails before placement etc. The problem is it seems to start to attach and point upward but then every 24 hours will have fallen onto its side. I know they cannot right themselves so I do then move it so it can get light to the mantle, but I also know they hate being fiddled with and moved. So what to do? Just leave it be??? I know they like to shift into flow/light, but just worried it will starve from lack of light when its on its side.

When its open mantle looks fine, not pinched, no gaping, no bleaching. Parameters below.

Any advice/tricks to try would be really appreciated.

Temp 78
pH 8.1-8.2
Alk 9 (calcium reactor minimal swing +/- 0.1 at most)
Calc 420
Mg 1360
Nit 8.5
Po4 0.15 (nutrients have increased a little recently as been feeding clams so feeding heavier).
Recent ICP test clean

Many thanks

John
 

vetteguy53081

Well known Member and monster tank lover
View Badges
Joined
Aug 11, 2013
Messages
90,823
Reaction score
200,063
Location
Wisconsin -
Rating - 100%
13   0   0
Start on bottom on a rock to form a cradle and moderate light and water flow
 

vetteguy53081

Well known Member and monster tank lover
View Badges
Joined
Aug 11, 2013
Messages
90,823
Reaction score
200,063
Location
Wisconsin -
Rating - 100%
13   0   0
Thank you - will try directly on a hard surface
I’m away for business, but also note:
Salinity not to exceed 1.026
Ph not to exceed 8.3
CA not to exceed 460
Alk not to exceed 11
Temperature not to exceed 80
Nitrate not to exceed 10

Inspect clam for tulip shaped snails known as pyramid snails which will take them down
 
OP
OP
newtosps

newtosps

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 23, 2021
Messages
8
Reaction score
2
Location
East Midlands
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Thank you. Appreciate the time taken to reply. I did check around upper margin and around byssal opening for them and giving it a bit of a brush before introduction but will have a look again as I know eggs very difficult to see. Will keep those parameters in mind and see how it does over next couple of days and update.
 

A worm with high fashion and practical utility: Have you ever kept feather dusters in your reef aquarium?

  • I currently have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 78 38.0%
  • Not currently, but I have had feather dusters in my tank in the past.

    Votes: 69 33.7%
  • I have not had feather dusters, but I hope to in the future.

    Votes: 26 12.7%
  • I have no plans to have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 30 14.6%
  • Other.

    Votes: 2 1.0%
Back
Top