clams

I guess I have seen maximas around foot long, in the wild and the tank, while croceas will get to 9". Either way they will outgrow a 55g tank, especially a 12" deep one. Croceas will need a lot more light than a maxima will though.

Lately there have been more croceas for sale versus a year or 3 ago, but a maxima will cost less usually compared to a crocea of the same size. Until these croceas were being collected/ imported as of late, the only "small" tridacnas available were maximas. Since ORA won't sell croceas anymore, and many LFS's get their clams from ORA, so a maxima will probably the easiest to get, and the cheapest. I know locally I can get a gold maxima around 30 dollars. The gold ones may not be the prettiest, but many will say that the gold ones need less light than a more vibrant colored one, and they are cheaper, so it is a better "test" clam than an expensive ultra grade blue maxima.

 

yea i know i'll be waiting at least 6 months for mine. Maybe catz will be lucky and be able to get hers sooner

 

i have a crocea in my 30 gal that i thought I ripped the foot off, but I was wrong.. Its under T5 lights and happy as a clam.. lol.. he has attached very well to the rock work and takes his daily feedings of phyto like a champion. I love my clam, and I think that if you want one and are wiling to dose it phyto daily and set it up high in the tank, you will be fine.. good luck..

 

As for size, the average adult Tridacna crocea in Samoa (a species introduced there for mariculture) and the average adult T. maxima are about the same size. Many of the adult T. crocea are in the 9- to 10-inch range, and some a bit larger I think. A really huge T. maxima might be around 12 inches, but the vast majority of them are 10 inches or less. I don't think it makes much difference which species you choose, just get the one you like best. There are usually lots of spectacular T. maxima on the market. Good luck!



Don

 

They're called giant clams for a reason If you've got a small tank, be prepared to have to supplement calcium because once these clams start growing, they will suck a heck of a lot of it out of your system.

 

Sorry, Just got home Pack, I have two sets of T-5's. That should be enough light I would think?

 

What size? Brand? Bulbs? Wattage?

 

Nova extreme and Odyssea 156 total w. both are 36" sets