Clams Appearence
- Thread starter clamfoot
- Start date
Hi Davelin315,
It can be tough to tell the two apart when only looking at the mantles. Maximas are more likely to have small protruberances (bumps) along the edge of their mantle, but that isn't a very safe way to tell as some do and some don't. Also, the Croceas tend to have finer incurrent siphon tentacles than Maximas, but again that is kind of shakey and you need two to compare. I don't think anyone can guarantee an accurate ID when only looking at the top of these clams.
The best way is to look at the shell. Here are pics of a Crocea shell. Notice the relatively smooth shell with practically no scutes (ridges) on the side of the shell. It is also fairly symmetrical in shape. The abyssal gland opening of a Crocea is also larger than a maxima.
Below is a picture of a Maxima shell. Notice that it has larger scutes along the top edge of the shell (but not as large as a squamosa) and the shell is elongated toward the side with the abyssal gland and the abyssal gland opening is smaller than on the Crocea. The scutes may be worn down on the bottom half if the Maxima has been boring into a rock.
jdeets, I have no problem with Knop or you. But certainly you must realize that reading a book on clams does not make you an expert on clams anymore than reading a book on golf makes you an expert golfer.
I'll leave you with this picture of a gapping Derasa from a couple of years ago that is currently happily spawning in my tank. Guess he didn't know Knop said he was gonna die.
Oh, and here is a 2' long Gigas on his deathbed
... Ok, I'm done now.
--- Ken
It can be tough to tell the two apart when only looking at the mantles. Maximas are more likely to have small protruberances (bumps) along the edge of their mantle, but that isn't a very safe way to tell as some do and some don't. Also, the Croceas tend to have finer incurrent siphon tentacles than Maximas, but again that is kind of shakey and you need two to compare. I don't think anyone can guarantee an accurate ID when only looking at the top of these clams.
The best way is to look at the shell. Here are pics of a Crocea shell. Notice the relatively smooth shell with practically no scutes (ridges) on the side of the shell. It is also fairly symmetrical in shape. The abyssal gland opening of a Crocea is also larger than a maxima.
Below is a picture of a Maxima shell. Notice that it has larger scutes along the top edge of the shell (but not as large as a squamosa) and the shell is elongated toward the side with the abyssal gland and the abyssal gland opening is smaller than on the Crocea. The scutes may be worn down on the bottom half if the Maxima has been boring into a rock.
jdeets, I have no problem with Knop or you. But certainly you must realize that reading a book on clams does not make you an expert on clams anymore than reading a book on golf makes you an expert golfer.
I'll leave you with this picture of a gapping Derasa from a couple of years ago that is currently happily spawning in my tank. Guess he didn't know Knop said he was gonna die.
Oh, and here is a 2' long Gigas on his deathbed
... Ok, I'm done now.
--- Ken
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by KenH:
<STRONG>...Or you can listen to someone who has kept a one 2" clam and read a book.
-- Ken</STRONG><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Uhhhh, I believe Mr. Knop has kept much more than one 2" clam and he wrote the book... Argue with him... Maybe he doesn't know what he's talking about after all.
<STRONG>...Or you can listen to someone who has kept a one 2" clam and read a book.
-- Ken</STRONG><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Uhhhh, I believe Mr. Knop has kept much more than one 2" clam and he wrote the book... Argue with him... Maybe he doesn't know what he's talking about after all.
Ken,
I totally agree with you!!! I have two derasa clams and they are both very very healthy and growing rapidly as evidence by the lighter colored area on the shells. Sometimes, my clams have their incurrent syphons open soooooo far that you can see ALL OVER INSIDE THEM!!!!!!! No way are they unhealthy!!!!!!! Oh, and by the way....beautiful pictures Ken....Thanx!
Dennis
I totally agree with you!!! I have two derasa clams and they are both very very healthy and growing rapidly as evidence by the lighter colored area on the shells. Sometimes, my clams have their incurrent syphons open soooooo far that you can see ALL OVER INSIDE THEM!!!!!!! No way are they unhealthy!!!!!!! Oh, and by the way....beautiful pictures Ken....Thanx!
Dennis
- Location
- Virginia
Ken, very nice clams! I am jealous of your ability to put your pics on the post, I can't do that with mine. Alas, they'll remain on my website for people to view, but again, I can't get pictures as good as yours! On looking at my clams again, I think maybe I have a mixture of croceas and maximas.... but then again, maybe I don't. I'll just be happy to call them Tridacnids and say that they appear healthy to me! Keep on posting!
You can not tell the differnce between croceas amd maximas by if they have scutes becouse tank raised croceas have scutes. Wild ones loose their scutes becouse they burrow.
I had bought 4 wild caught clams and they all died. I bought a tank raised crocea and it has doubled in size in only 5 months. I think the tank raised croceas are much easier to keep.
I had bought 4 wild caught clams and they all died. I bought a tank raised crocea and it has doubled in size in only 5 months. I think the tank raised croceas are much easier to keep.
- Location
- Virginia
Post some more! I don't have a problem with anyone's opinion, but I sure do like the pictures of your clams. Thanks for the help in ID by the way, my guess is that mine are crocea clams, as I had originally thought. Also, no pimples on the mantle. They don't have extended scutes, and their byssal gland opening is fairly large, and their shell is symmetrical, not elongated.
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