Anyone keeping a full grown Derasa in a 55?

piscivorous · #1 01/18/2007, 10:34 AM

subject says it all...just wondering if anyone is actually keeping a full or near fully grown Derasa in a 55 gallon?? Pictures would be interesting too if that is the case.....

critterkeeper · #2 01/18/2007, 04:19 PM

Derasas can go over 20" in shell length and have a large girth. With the mantle extended they're several inches larger in all directions. Going to be tough to fit that in a 55...

piscivorous · #3 01/18/2007, 08:35 PM

Yeah....if you start off with one that is like 4"....under ideal conditions, is it going to outgrow that 55 in a year or two??? Or would one have a few years to upgrade??

ChickenCannoneer · #4 01/18/2007, 10:20 PM

It is going to be many many years before it gets to that size. I wouldn't worry about that right now. HTH, Tim

JamesJR · #5 01/18/2007, 11:05 PM

It may take a long time for it to get big, but IME moving larger/adult clams is very risky and it is worth it to just wait till you get a larger tank if you want to try the more dellicate species.

I've known many an expert aquarist who has lost their big clams trying to move them to larger tanks.

piscivorous · #6 01/18/2007, 11:46 PM

I was under the impression that the Derasas were actually one of the more hardier species.......once I had my tank established I had really hoped for a Crocea and a Derasa, but it will be at least three or four years before I upgrade tanks. I was thinking of actually leaving a big gap in my rockwork right acrossed the middle of my tank for a growing space on the sandbed for a Derasa....but.....growth rate is of course a factor....and whatever else....

markey · #7 01/20/2007, 04:28 AM

my deresa is 18 inch plus

but it has taken 10 years to get there

it was recently moved ,about a 20 minute drive it was wrapped in a wet towl and put in a poly box , its been fine since

Krazy · #8 01/20/2007, 09:23 AM

That clam is amazing !!!

one of the LFS that is some what local to me, they have a dersa (I assume) that's about the size of a basketball, simply amazing all around to see any clam bigger then your fist

piscivorous · #9 01/20/2007, 11:51 AM

THAT CLAM IS THE REASON I WANT A DERASA!!! That is just AMAZING!! WOW!!!! Nice clam!!

markey · #10 01/20/2007, 01:57 PM

thanks guys

its fairly easy getting derasa's over here ,

but impossible to get a gigas at the mo

2crazyreefers · #11 01/20/2007, 08:55 PM

I have a 7 year old derasa thats about 14 inches, It is awsome.

BonesCJ · #12 01/23/2007, 05:46 PM

I do not know how old mine is but Since I added him 2 mo ago he has put on 1/2-3/4 inch of shell growth under T-5's