Tiny derasas grow fast

[dansyr]

Picked up this tiny guy 3.5 weeks ago from a local petco, this was initial photo:



and this is it today, 3 weeks later, - notice top band with different pattern is all new growth

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Awesome!!

 

[SaltyWalty]

That’s awesome! They are fairly fast growers and hardy clams absolutely love them!
I would note that derasas prefer as sandy lose substrate to a solid rock

 

[dansyr]

That’s awesome! They are fairly fast growers and hardy clams absolutely love them!
I would note that derasas prefer as sandy lose substrate to a solid rock

Yeah I'm a fan of derasas (tridacnids in general)! My other derasa just hit 5", grown from ~2" in about 18 months, they are rewarding for sure.

Agreed on sand, my other derasa is in sand bed tank but that system's going through a couple issues for now so this little guy is in my bare-bottom acrylic for now. Didn't want him attaching to BB and having to deal with cutting byssal threads as i imagine it'll still be a bit before this guy is ready to trust its weight. This was mostly a rescue-buy from petco, it was clearly starting to suffer from the lack of light and I figured it would prefer continued life on rubble for a couple months until I pass it off to someone else or figure out a long-term solution for it..

 

[SaltyWalty]

Yeah I'm a fan of derasas (tridacnids in general)! My other derasa just hit 5", grown from ~2" in about 18 months, they are rewarding for sure.

Agreed on sand, my other derasa is in sand bed tank but that system's going through a couple issues for now so this little guy is in my bare-bottom acrylic for now. Didn't want him attaching to BB and having to deal with cutting byssal threads as i imagine it'll still be a bit before this guy is ready to trust its weight. This was mostly a rescue-buy from petco, it was clearly starting to suffer from the lack of light and I figured it would prefer continued life on rubble for a couple months until I pass it off to someone else or figure out a long-term solution for it..

Well it definitely sounds like you are on top of it all! Keep it up and keep up posted on the clams/tank love seeing it!

 

[dansyr]

Well it definitely sounds like you are on top of it all! Keep it up and keep up posted on the clams/tank love seeing it!

For sure! Thanks for being a fellow clam enthusiast!

 

[dansyr]

and 2.5 weeks later (6 weeks total I think)


vs earlier:

 

[dansyr]

OK this is just turning into a growout thread :p I think it's officially doubled by now, around 3 months time?

 

[minus9]

Nice! What's the par level?

 

[backbayreef]

Impressive! I've never had a Deresa before given my tank real-estate challenge but no doubt will stock one soon. I currently have a Teardrop but it's not growing as fast, which is a good thing.

 

[dansyr]

Nice! What's the par level?

Par was 330-350 in early august, I slightly bumped down because I had bleached a couple corals higher up so don’t know exactly what it’s at now. Probably still around or slightly above 300. Oh and for anecdotes this guys never seen phyto since I got it. I like phyto for tanks in general but this tiny guy is clearly growing fast and happy without it.

 

[dansyr]

Impressive! I've never had a Deresa before given my tank real-estate challenge but no doubt will stock one soon. I currently have a Teardrop but it's not growing as fast, which is a good thing.

Teardrops are beautiful, nice score. I mean, I have my “big” derasa which is 5” in a 20L tank and this lil guy is in a 5gal. So I’m sure you got room haha. Aren’t you a big tank /big carpet anemone guy? You could squeeze in a derasa or two. Actually a Hippopus among Haddonis would be a great look.

 

[backbayreef]

Teardrops are beautiful, nice score. I mean, I have my “big” derasa which is 5” in a 20L tank and this lil guy is in a 5gal. So I’m sure you got room haha. Aren’t you a big tank /big carpet anemone guy? You could squeeze in a derasa or two. Actually a Hippopus among Haddonis would be a great look.

The teardrop is in the 150g SPS tank, sitting on a 4” tile so I can move it anywhere (attached image). However, there is no more room for a Deresa there.

The carpet nems in the 93g move around a lot and I’m afraid they might kill these clams. The big 450g tank is Angel-dominated so clams might get massacred in less than a day.

Therefore, I’m literally out of options! :(

 

[minus9]

Par was 330-350 in early august, I slightly bumped down because I had bleached a couple corals higher up so don’t know exactly what it’s at now. Probably still around or slightly above 300. Oh and for anecdotes this guys never seen phyto since I got it. I like phyto for tanks in general but this tiny guy is clearly growing fast and happy without it.

Cool, these little guys grow fast when they are this small.

 

[dansyr]

The teardrop is in the 150g SPS tank, sitting on a 4” tile so I can move it anywhere (attached image). However, there is no more room for a Deresa there.

The carpet nems in the 93g move around a lot and I’m afraid they might kill these clams. The big 450g tank is Angel-dominated so clams might get massacred in less than a day.

Therefore, I’m literally out of options! :(

That noae is awesome! And yeah angels in a tank does limit things. Carpets and hippopus might still be pretty compatible in a tank though, since they don't really do mantle extension, a hippo would need to get sat on / swallowed (or shaded but thats solvable).

 

[dansyr]

The growth continues! Let's call it 4 months, give or take. Colors are getting nice

 

[dansyr]

8 month update, still growing! Mantle color is really starting to pop now, the muted lines are coming in more. I caved and gave it a bit of sand in a cup, but it hasn't detached from its rock yet.

As best as I can tell, 4 months ago was around where that large vermetid is.

Quoting original photo for reference (flipped 90 degrees, left is right):

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

Looks good. Happy u placed in a sandy sub since ur a bb system.

 

[dansyr]

Looks good. Happy u placed in a sandy sub since ur a bb system.

Thanks. I really should have given it sand earlier but I didn't really know how long i'd have it. This was truly a rescue derasa, I've had mostly good luck (hope i don't jinx myself) with rescuing sad clams and had heard a lot recently about people having bad experiences with super tiny clams. I didn't really buy some of the reports but hadn't gotten a reaaaaally tiny one myself yet (all my other clams started closer to 2"). So I figured I'd try to save this guy from certain death at Petco, grow it a few months until it had active growth and filled out its shell again, and pass it off to someone else to recycle. But as things go, I've kept this little guy around awhile :)

I have a bad habit of letting "temporary" conditions stretch out and not recognizing when it's about to become long term. A bad habit in reefkeeping I know, and I'm working on it. It's truly remarkable how many things we blind ourselves to just by seeing it all the time. Anyway enough rambling. Thanks for noticing, the clam is certainly in a better habitat, and I'm happier too.

 

[Miami Reef]

Thanks. I really should have given it sand earlier but I didn't really know how long i'd have it. This was truly a rescue derasa, I've had mostly good luck (hope i don't jinx myself) with rescuing sad clams and had heard a lot recently about people having bad experiences with super tiny clams. I didn't really buy some of the reports but hadn't gotten a reaaaaally tiny one myself yet (all my other clams started closer to 2"). So I figured I'd try to save this guy from certain death at Petco, grow it a few months until it had active growth and filled out its shell again, and pass it off to someone else to recycle. But as things go, I've kept this little guy around awhile :)

I have a bad habit of letting "temporary" conditions stretch out and not recognizing when it's about to become long term. A bad habit in reefkeeping I know, and I'm working on it. It's truly remarkable how many things we blind ourselves to just by seeing it all the time. Anyway enough rambling. Thanks for noticing, the clam is certainly in a better habitat, and I'm happier too.

What’s your alkalinity and phosphate? You have some fantastic growth.