ID, Placement and Gapping of Clam

[chrisyew]

1. ID;

Is this a Croceas or Squamosa?

2. Positioning;

- If this is a Squamosa, is placing on the sandbed the only way?

- Anyway, can this clam be placed on the LR so that it can get more lights? I'm using 3xT5s over a standard 2ft tank, where height of tank is 11" and minus sandbed thickness it should be less than 10".

- If I place it on a LR, will it drop down?

I've placed it on a sandbed vertically yesterday with the little rock attached to it burried in the sand, but this morning itself moves out and shifted to one side as shown below;

- Do I need to move it back to vertically again?

3. Gapping;

After reading thru this forum and others, I still do not fully understand the true meaning of gapping.

2 main description of gapping I found;

- Same if the clam is gaping... ie. when you touch them, they don't close up tight but gape.

http://www.sgreefclub.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=254

- gaping means the that the siphon hole is very very enlarged... and the tissue is stretched so tight, it looks like it's gonna tear.

The mantle would usually be receded.

http://www.sgreefclub.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=10611

So does Gapping means that the clam don't close up tightly but leave a gap in between the shells or the bigger hole in between as shown in below (arrow pointing);

Sorry for asking so many questions. Thanks in advance.

[veliferium]

its a crocea,try placing them on LRs

[veliferium]

make sure the LRs are stable and it will attach itself on the rock...

[chrisyew]

make sure the LRs are stable and it will attach itself on the rock...

Thanks for the advise. It already attached to a small piece of rock when I bought it and will it attach to the LR again? If yes, that means I got to think carefully where to place as once attached, believed I can't remove it again.

BTW any idea on Gapping?

[aStRoBo|]

i used to have a crocea too. If u place it in between LRs, it will eventually stick on the LR, as in if u observe the bottom part, that will be some tissue growing and sticking itself on LR.

[chrisyew]

i used to have a crocea too. If u place it in between LRs, it will eventually stick on the LR, as in if u observe the bottom part, that will be some tissue growing and sticking itself on LR.

Thanks for the info.

How long does it takes for a clam to stick to a LR in terms of weeks?

[blueheaven]

That's the incurrent siphon, its not gaping

[chrisyew]

That's the incurrent siphon, its not gaping

That's a great relief! But any pic to show what is gapping? Thanks.

[limbssg]

this is a maxima which shows the inhalant siphon gaping, thus exposing the gills.

[limbssg]

Healthy clams should look like this, mantles extending wide and normal looking inhalent siphon.

[kareen]

When clam does show gaping sign, does it mean 'bye bye' to it? Or the situation can be reversed? Pls enlighten.....

[chrisyew]

this is a maxima which shows the inhalant siphon gaping, thus exposing the gills.

Sorry I'm a bit confused now. Isn't your hole the same as my hole - so this hole is called Gaping?

[barnacle]

Sorry I'm a bit confused now. Isn't your hole the same as my hole - so this hole is called Gaping?

i think u mean the clam hole...not your hole... LOL

sorry bro just joking....

[barnacle]

bro...if your observe the pic properly....u notice

first pic the 'hole' is much more bigger then the 2nd

pic. but i see your clam looks healthy....

[blueheaven]

Sorry I'm a bit confused now. Isn't your hole the same as my hole - so this hole is called Gaping?

This "hole" is the incurrent siphon

[chrisyew]

Thanks guys. Guess I think what Limbssq refers that 'incurrent siphon hole' as 'incurrent siphon gaping' that makes me worried as Gaping...So it's just a hole for the water inlet right?

Can I said my clam (as shown in the photos) shows no sign of gaping?

[thioeh]

Dont worry, your clam look healthy to me, just to add on, where you brought this clam, it look like Squamosa to me, but if squamosa than it should be quite rare to had such a nice colour.

[kareen]

Dont worry, your clam look healthy to me, just to add on, where you brought this clam, it look like Squamosa to me, but if squamosa than it should be quite rare to had such a nice colour.

That is not a squamasa clam for sure. Look at the clam shell, it is smooth without the 'edge'.

BTW, can anyone tell me how serious is this inhalant siphon gaping in clam?

[chrisyew]

Dont worry, your clam look healthy to me, just to add on, where you brought this clam, it look like Squamosa to me, but if squamosa than it should be quite rare to had such a nice colour.

I really have no idea how to differentiate the various species even after reading up. I'm one that takes a longer time to digest and worst when I look at the real specimen, I'm all excited up and get confused hehe.

BTW I bought it recently from Iwarna. They have 3 tanks of it but wonder if they alre all the same - cos it looks the same to a newbie like me haha.

[limbssg]

T. crocea clams are the ones most known for gaping whether it's stressed or not. Give them sufficient lights and make sure no fishes are nipping at the mantles. Keep Cal, Alk, SG and pH in proper range.

If u see bleaching near the inner-center area of the mantle, then it's not having enough lights. Place the clam high up on the LR and position it such that it's facing the light directly, rather than facing the front of the tank.

The worst case is when the clam is retracting badly, pretty much can't save it already.

Pic of a Clam Retracting

[chrisyew]

T. crocea clams are the ones most known for gaping whether it's stressed or not. Give them sufficient lights and make sure no fishes are nipping at the mantles. Keep Cal, Alk, SG and pH in proper range.

If u see bleaching near the inner-center area of the mantle, then it's not having enough lights. Place the clam high up on the LR and position it such that it's facing the light directly, rather than facing the front of the tank.

The worst case is when the clam is retracting badly, pretty much can't save it already.

Pic of a Clam Retracting

Seems like I really have to get rid of my dragonet (or mandarin) fish as it already nibbled my blue sponge and yellow polyps.

Thanks for the infos.

[thioeh]

Hi

There are few point that dont look like crocea.

1) the siphon is very long

2) the shell is not smooth as you can see clearly the pattern between each chute

3) the mantle shape and colour pattern look more like squamose and maxima than crocea.

I may be wrong, but this clam to me sim to fall in between all the three clams family but as i see it fall more toward squamose family with maxima colour pattern.

[limbssg]

Identifying The Tridacnid Clams - Reef Keeping Online

Selection and Placement of Clams

Tridacna squamosa

Tridacna maxima

Tridacna crocea

Tridacna derasa

[Dispar_Anthias]

ERM.. thats neither a crocea nor maxima... its always a misconception that all maxima have scute on the shells.... Anyway that maxima looks ok but monitor closely.. Oh ya if you think that its a crocea cos its attach to rocks, FYI maxima do live on rocks too Its a maxima cos it has a very butterfly liie mantle, more curvy and also its shell is not as "fat" as those of a crocea.. nevertheless, they need strong lighting to do well...

PS:those not sure abt the clam ID try not to say... You are leading ppl wrongly

[chrisyew]

ERM.. thats neither a crocea nor maxima... its always a misconception that all maxima have scute on the shells.... Anyway that maxima looks ok but monitor closely.. Oh ya if you think that its a crocea cos its attach to rocks, FYI maxima do live on rocks too Its a maxima cos it has a very butterfly liie mantle, more curvy and also its shell is not as "fat" as those of a crocea.. nevertheless, they need strong lighting to do well...

PS:those not sure abt the clam ID try not to say... You are leading ppl wrongly

Hi, thanks for the infos.

But I'm rather confused about your posting "thats neither a crocea nor maxima" and then you mentioned "that maxima looks ok but monitor closely". So is mine a Maxima?

I thought Maxima is expensive and usually more than $50?

So what am I now? Maxima?