Mollusk of the Week (Tridacna crocea) Crocus clam

herefishiefishie · 03/07/2001, 10:15 AM

Every week I will be posting a new mollusk for discussion. Please post everything you know about this week's mollusk, to include pics, care and feeding habits, optimal environment, common names, and anything else you can think of.

This week's mollusk is the Crocus Clam (T. crocea), often referred to as the "jewel of the reef" for its wide range of spectacular colors. This is the most light-loving clam of the genus, and requires particularly intense light. Also, it has the srongest byssal attachment (because of its usual place at the top of the reef where it can be buffeted by strong currents), thus it requires a hard substrate. Among the Tridacnid clams, the crocus clam can withstand the highest current, low-to-medium current as compared with the very low-to-low current required by other clams. In the wild, it tends to burrow into the rock upon which it finds itself, being almost entirely encased in rock by adulthood.

Here's mine (next to a brown maxima):

[Edited by herefishiefishie on 03-07-2001 at 11:21 AM]

Sea Dragon · 03/07/2001, 04:19 PM

This is my crocea. It's burrowed into a little concrete disk which sits on the bottom of my 29 gallon tank. Lighting is one 250 watt MH that used to have an iwasaki bulb that has recently been replaced by a 12K sunburst.

temp - 80F
SG - 1.025
drip kalk every day but haven't tested calcium or alk for a long time

MtnDewMan · 03/07/2001, 07:02 PM

Here are both of mine ... Both on the sandbed (attached to reef plugs) in a 29 Gallon with one 250W 6500K Iwasaki supplemented with two 75W VHO Actinics.

0dan0 · 03/07/2001, 07:55 PM

Those are very nice crocea clams. I am wondering where you got those clams (MO/Locally) and what the price was on those clams?

-Dan

MtnDewMan · 03/07/2001, 08:48 PM

I am not sure if you are talking to me or not about where the clams came from, but I will chime in. The one on the right I got from Steve Tyree at Dynamic Ecomorphology for around $60 and the one on the left I got from one of our LFS here in the Seattle area (Aquarium Concepts) for $80 ... Not cheap, but I thought they were worth it. They are pretty in the tank, that's for sure.

Sea Dragon · 03/07/2001, 09:48 PM

My crocea was purchased at Harbor Aquatics in IN for $40.

herefishiefishie · 03/16/2001, 01:50 PM

Last call for info on the crocea clam before the thread goes to the archive. If you have any info to share, now is the time to do it.

03/16/2001, 01:50 PM	#7
herefishiefishie Premium Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Hatfield, PA Posts: 323	LAST CALL Last call for info on the crocea clam before the thread goes to the archive. If you have any info to share, now is the time to do it.

03/07/2001, 10:15 AM	#1
herefishiefishie Premium Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Hatfield, PA Posts: 323	Every week I will be posting a new mollusk for discussion. Please post everything you know about this week's mollusk, to include pics, care and feeding habits, optimal environment, common names, and anything else you can think of. This week's mollusk is the Crocus Clam (T. crocea), often referred to as the "jewel of the reef" for its wide range of spectacular colors. This is the most light-loving clam of the genus, and requires particularly intense light. Also, it has the srongest byssal attachment (because of its usual place at the top of the reef where it can be buffeted by strong currents), thus it requires a hard substrate. Among the Tridacnid clams, the crocus clam can withstand the highest current, low-to-medium current as compared with the very low-to-low current required by other clams. In the wild, it tends to burrow into the rock upon which it finds itself, being almost entirely encased in rock by adulthood. Here's mine (next to a brown maxima): [Edited by herefishiefishie on 03-07-2001 at 11:21 AM]

03/07/2001, 04:19 PM	#2
Sea Dragon Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2000 Posts: 407	This is my crocea. It's burrowed into a little concrete disk which sits on the bottom of my 29 gallon tank. Lighting is one 250 watt MH that used to have an iwasaki bulb that has recently been replaced by a 12K sunburst. temp - 80F SG - 1.025 drip kalk every day but haven't tested calcium or alk for a long time

03/07/2001, 07:02 PM	#3
MtnDewMan Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Mukilteo, WA Posts: 2,904	Here are both of mine ... Both on the sandbed (attached to reef plugs) in a 29 Gallon with one 250W 6500K Iwasaki supplemented with two 75W VHO Actinics.

03/07/2001, 07:55 PM	#4
0dan0 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2000 Posts: 56	Those are very nice crocea clams. I am wondering where you got those clams (MO/Locally) and what the price was on those clams? -Dan

03/07/2001, 08:48 PM	#5
MtnDewMan Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Mukilteo, WA Posts: 2,904	I am not sure if you are talking to me or not about where the clams came from, but I will chime in. The one on the right I got from Steve Tyree at Dynamic Ecomorphology for around $60 and the one on the left I got from one of our LFS here in the Seattle area (Aquarium Concepts) for $80 ... Not cheap, but I thought they were worth it. They are pretty in the tank, that's for sure.

03/07/2001, 09:48 PM	#6
Sea Dragon Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2000 Posts: 407	My crocea was purchased at Harbor Aquatics in IN for $40.