My @#%$ Crocea

[meagan_myers]

Can you please tell me if you think my blue crocea seems to be alright. I got it over a month ago. I put it on the sand bed when I first got it with a scallop shell under it to attach. It appears to me to be doing good. The mantle is extended out very nicely and reacts etc. like a healthy clam should. I had planned on moving it a little upwards towards where my maxima hangs out. It just can't decide if it wants to attach to the scallop or not and keeps scooting around a tiny tiny bit. It was attached one day, but I was too busy to mess with moving it upwards. Then a few days later, it wasn't attached to the scallop but it started attaching to bits and pieces of shells and corals in the sand. So I try to get him to attach to the scallop again and he is half-a$$ attached to it but mostly to the rubble! He's driving me nuts!

My lighting is 250watt DE HQI 14K Aquaconnect in PFO mini-pendant and ballast. The clam is ~36" from the pendant. Should I bother moving him up if he appears fine for the moment?

I am a little confused on if a fully expanded mantle is a good thing or an indication that it is not getting enough light. I have read both.

Any opinions would be greatly appreciated. Sorry, no camera.

[iCam]

Hey. A fully extended mantle is a good sign. If it looks healthy, and responds quickly to disturbances, then it probably is healthy. It is normal for clams to move around a bit,looking for an ideal spot.

[meagan_myers]

That's what I always figured until I seen some post that if it's really extended it's stretching for light.

He's looking good to me. I thought I would place him a little higher but not until he gets completely attached to the shell. He just keeps scooting around a bit.

So is ~36" from a 250 HQI too far even if his mantle is expanded and color looks good?

[szesteve]

Originally posted by meagan_myers
That's what I always figured until I seen some post that if it's really extended it's stretching for light.

He's looking good to me. I thought I would place him a little higher but not until he gets completely attached to the shell. He just keeps scooting around a bit.

So is ~36" from a 250 HQI too far even if his mantle is expanded and color looks good?

Hi meagan_myers,

Any particular reason why u want it to attach to the shell? IMO, as long as it's attaching to something, i would just leave it alone. :)

[meagan_myers]

Well, I wanted it to be attached to the shell for easy moving if need be. It has attached to some rubble but I'm afraid if I put it up on a rock it will attach to that too.

Should I just leave him as is on the sandbed?

[szesteve]

Originally posted by meagan_myers
Well, I wanted it to be attached to the shell for easy moving if need be. It has attached to some rubble but I'm afraid if I put it up on a rock it will attach to that too.

Should I just leave him as is on the sandbed?

Well, alot of ppl suggest that croceas and maximas be placed on LR since that's their nature.

I would suggest placing small pieces of LR and placing it on the sandbed. What kind of rubble are u refering to? Big pieces or small pieces?

[meagan_myers]

Putting him up in the rocks is what I wanted to do. I just didn't want him to attach to the rock work. That's why I wanted him to attach to the shell first. He's attaching little pieces of broken off coral/rock and shells by a few strands which gets in the way of him attaching to the scallop. I'm afraid he could still attach to the rock work if I put him up there the way he is now.

[szesteve]

Originally posted by meagan_myers
Putting him up in the rocks is what I wanted to do. I just didn't want him to attach to the rock work. That's why I wanted him to attach to the shell first. He's attaching little pieces of broken off coral/rock and shells by a few strands which gets in the way of him attaching to the scallop. I'm afraid he could still attach to the rock work if I put him up there the way he is now.

Okay, you could try the half shell or pieces or LR again.

My maxima has hopped off the LR for the 10th time since i brought it back...argh!

[mikeo1210]

Same clam, same lighting, same questions..

I like your reasoning of letting him attach to LR before moving him up.
Mines just on the sand and not open as far as he was in the store.

How big a piece of LR are you using? I tried a small piece but he wouldn't attach.

[meagan_myers]

I've been attempting for him to attach to a scallop shell. He semi-attached once but he started to scoot around a little. He is completely extended (hopefully not in an unhealthy way). I had planned on moving him up higher but I didn't want him to attach to a large piece of liverock. I've now just put some shells and bits around him and the scallop under him. I hope he feels like he is in liverock and will attach.

He's 36" from a DE 250w. I hope he's getting enough light.