Central Bleaching?

[Alex Carciofi]

Hello
I have a T. squamosa for almost 4 months now. Recently I noticed that the area of the mantle between both siphons is getting slightly bleached.
I've read Knop's book, and I'm afraid that the clam is with Central Bleaching, a desease caused by lack of light. I have 150 W metal halide bulbs, one of them just above the clam, about 70 cm above.
Do you thing this light is too low?
Is the Clam with central bleaching or it is just adapting to its new conditions, slowly?

Thanks

Alex

[DJREEF]

That's odd, everything I've read about T. squamosa suggests that they don't really like great gobs of light. I wonder if he's getting burned. What is the color temp of your bulb? How is the mantle extension?

DJ

[Alex Carciofi]

The colour temperature is 10000K.
The mantle expands normally, I think. See the picture bellow:

http://www.sonora.com.br/aquario/images/abertura2.jpg

I have to say that the central part is not white, but slightly discoloured when compared with the rest of the mantle.

Alex

[DJREEF]

Man, that's a good looking clam to me. I'd just keep an eye on it, but wouldn't worry too much. I know that the T. gigas develope little 'windows' in their mantles where the pigment simply drops out of the flesh. This, apparently, doesn't bother them any, but then again that's a lower light clam. Have you been suplementing any types of planktonic foods, like DT's or cryopastes, to your reef? This may help if, maybe, there is a deficiency of some sort.

DJ

[Alex Carciofi]

DJREEF: what is DT? Sorry, english is not my language :)
But I've been adding bread yeast in solution to the tank, everyday.
THis was hinted by Knop is his book as a possible source for clams.

Alex

[DJREEF]

Alex,
DT's phytoplankton is a product sold here in the U.S. I'm not sure if they distibute that far south, but you may want to do a search online for some, because a bunch of places carry it here, and would probally mailorder it to you. It's a blend of living Tetraselmis and Nanacropolis algaes that folks here have been using to feed their livesand beds. Clams reportedly like the suff, as well. Pretty good stuff.

DJ