Crocea Clam

[Live Rock]

Why are crocea clams more difficult to maintain than other tridacnids?

 

[Sir Alex]

"Tridacna crocea are relatively hardy clams, and require intense lighting and good water flow in the home aquarium."

From what I've read they're not any harder than other clams.

 

[Smitty]

I believe, imo, that they are natural "rock boring" clams, and we as hobbyist place them on the sand bed, which pisses them off already, but not enough to kill them. But because they are always out in the open, they may not feel comfortable enough to open all the way and absorb all the light they need to thrive. Especially if the lighting isn't strong enough for them already. Just a thought. :)

 

[chuck78]

Smitty has some good insight on this subject to consider, but from my experience I think that it mainly has something to do with where the clam was harvested. Some croceas were on rock [wild caught], some are raised on a sandbed [from clam farms]. I only reseached the matter b/c I bought two crocea clams, both were from different locations. @ 1st, they both were on the sandbed. One fully opened & the other would only half open. After 2 months I decided to relocate the closed clam. I placed it in some tonga branch towards the top of the tank. It attached itself & has been happy ever since. The clam from the farm is still very happy @ the bottom on the sandbed. Croceas are'nt harder than any other clam that I have. I have Maximas,Croceas & Derasas. Derasas are the easiest IME.

 

[jzaso]

Croceas are considered the most demanding the the giant clams because of several reasons, have a very limited range in the wild found in the shallow high flow zones, also have the largest bysal opening (they have the strongest attachment of the giants because of the high flow zones they inhabit keeps them from blowing away!) in nature they melt them selves into sps colonys-bysal opening protected-place them on a sand bed and all sorts of critters can invade and problems occur.

 

[Northstar24]

They're also the clams that need the most light, I've read in several places that since they live so shallow in the ocean naturally, you basically can't give a crocea too much light )as long as its adjusted appropriately to the light) I have mine about 6 inches from the surface under the center of an AI LED module and its happy as can be

 

[jzaso]

Yep, the most demanding light wise-I also keep mine up on the reef- I,m about 7.5" from T-5 Led combo-soon to be all Led!! 416w T-5 and 120w led on 120gl

 

[jzaso]

Northstar, what are useing for your leds?

 

[Northstar24]

AquaIllumination Sol Super Blues - 3 of them over my 180