Growth rates?

[MCsaxmaster]

Hi,

I was wondering what most people are experiencing as average growth rates with the various species. Anyone that has had a lot of clams from small sizes or especially anyone that grows them out and sells them, please respond.

What I'm wondering is, how fast do T. derasa, T. maxima, T. crocea, and T. squamosa grow. That is, if I got 1" individuals of all these, how long would it take for them to reach 3-4"? Obviously this can vary greatly, but if they are fed heavily with phytoplankton what could I expect.

Btw, I've got a T. derasa. It's the only clam I've had, though I'd like to get more of all the species I listed. I've had it almost a year and a half and it has grown about 3-4". For half that time I was not feeding it with phyto and it grew about 3/4". In the six months or so that I've been using phyto it has grown around 3".

Anyway, thanks so much.

Cheers,

-Chris

[AttackDonut]

Started at ~3", and in 6 months has grown one new inch and a pair of new scutes. 29 reef, 220 watts PC lighting (mix of 10K and actinic), protein skimmer, weekly water change (about 6 gallons) with Instant Ocean and R.O. water.

[graffyn01]

Squamosa:

4 months in a 90 gallon reef under 220 pc = 1/16" growth if that.

Upgraded lighting to 2 X 150 HQI MH and kept 130 PC CSL Smartlight (50/50)

App 2-3 months after lighting upgrade = additional 1/4" growth with new schutes.

Max: Same results except about 1/16" growth after MH upgrade.

Gigas: Same results except about 1/2" growth after MH upgrade.

Amazing what Metal Halide can do for a Reef Aquarium


Just my personal experience with clam growth rates........

[firechild]

One of my squamosas grew around 3" in about 15 months with no phyto feedings. In this time it has been moved from a 25G with very little Ca additions and 150W DE MH to a 80G with regular kalk dosing and 400W sakis. The growth rate ha been faster under the sakis.
Another squamosa has grown about the same over the same period but showed almost no growth for about 8 months then really took off.
My maxima has grown only 1" maybe under the same conditions as the first squamosa.

[graffyn01]

Gigas Growth picture:

[SEAMONSTER]

Hey guyz!

I have read the threads in this subject and I was wondering if pc lighting is enough for clams. If it is, what species? How much success do you have with pc lighting and clams? Survival rate? Wattage? I currently have a 60 gallon long acrylic, 18 " deep, 220 watts Hamilton pc. They are on a morning-day-evening cycle (1 hour of blue, 10 hours of blue and white, 1 hour of blue, then shutdown.)

Thanks!

[speedy5200]

ive had my small 2 1/2" maxima about a month, and has laid down one new set of scutes. pretty fast imo. thtats about 1/4" growth. i feed dt every other day, and my calcium reatctor keeps myalk at 3.5, and calcium at 420. lighting consists of 2- 250w10k Mh, and 2- 110w vho actiinic on my 75 gallon. i change 7 gallons of water every 2 weeks.

[Eduardo cavalcanti]

my crocea had grown more than 1cm in just 2 months. i dose yeast every day to my nano.

[jackson6745]

I have a Derasa Clam for almost 3 years. I have the same 220w hamilton fixture as you do. This clam has grow from 4 to 8 inches during this time. The first 2 years it has been in the sand, the last year I moved it up on the rock work----and got better growth.

[jackson6745]

pic

[SEAMONSTER]

Thanks Jackson!

I was wondering about that! So i guess it is possible on 220 Hamiltons. My tank is 60 gallon size (50 gallons of water), so thats roughly 3.66666 watts per gallon. Is your tank the same size? Any other type of clams that you had success with in this type of lighting? growth rate? How many watts per gallon?

Thanks again! I really appreciate it!

da Monster

[jackson6745]

My tank is 65 gallons. I have the hamilton 220w fixture and also a dual 30w NO strip. The only clam I ever tried to keep was this derasa which is supposed to be more forgiving as far as light is concerned----------glad I could help