by AquaNerd | Nov 10, 2014 | Conservation, Science
Tridanca ningaloo by Acro Al Here’s some exciting news for us self-professed clam junkies. Acro Al, obviously a clam junky in his own right, has unveiled that he may have bred the newly discovered but yet to be officially named Tridacna ningaloo clam at his facility in Australia. Al, who has been breeding all sorts of clam species, broke the news with this photo via Facebook, and it’s exciting news not only for the aquarium community, but for the scientific community as well. This event may mark the first time the species has even been bred in captivity by AquaNerd | Jun 25, 2014 | Fish, Science
Oceans Reefs and Aquariums is known mostly for their aquacultured fish and frags, but they’ve also got some awesome Tridacnid clams, and they’re reminding us all of this fact in a huge way. Announced yesterday on the their Facebook page, ORA has just made their highly prized ORA Turquoise Squamosa clams available to stores nationwide. These clams are breathtaking, sporting the typical “squammie” patterns but draped in a vibrant turquoise color with a bright blue rim around the mantle. There’s only one catch though. The clams will be extremely limited in a one-time special offer, and so rare in fact that there are only four individuals available. This extremely limited availability will definitely lead to a super high price tag, which will most likely come from the vendors selling the clams and not so much ORA themselves. We’ve heard rumors of $300 price tags, but who knows if that is anywhere close to being an accurate number. by AquaNerd | Apr 23, 2014 | Conservation, Eye Candy, Invertebrates, Photography
Daniel Stoupin is determined to win the internet. He has already shown us how corals can make for some terrific subjects of time lapse photography, and his latest video shows how freshwater life can be just as interesting when displayed in a similar high def format. The clip shows an amazing world full of life, some of which looks like it would be right at home in the oceans or in our aquariums. It focuses on bryozoans, water fleas, mayfly nymphs, mosquito larvae, water mites, ostracods, and the amoeba…which looks extremely menacing in this video. To view this tiny pond life, Daniel used microscopy techniques and macro photography. Unlike the coral video, which used hundreds of thousands of still images to create a breathtaking time lapse, this video was made from a week’s worth of videography coupled with years of experience in finding and videoing these interesting critters. We don’t need to dive into the deep ocean to find the most unusual lifeforms. This short clip is a journey into a bizarre world of microscopic inhabitants of pond water. You will see water fleas, bryozoans, water mites, mayfly nymphs, ostracods, and, of course, hydras by AquaNerd | Jan 10, 2014 | Science
Here’s a bit of a surprise from EcoTech Marine. They just announced the imminent release of the 3rd generation of the wildly popular XR30w and XR30w Pro LED fixtures. The fixtures will be available to the public starting next week, via your favorite authorized retailer of course, and there are plenty of new features for us to gush over. The big updates come in both form and functionality. The XR30wG3 and XR30wG3Pro will come with an updated look that is sleeker than previous generations, and part of that visual updates is illuminated tactile buttons, which make them a lot easier to see. In terms of performance, the new generation Radion XR30w will now include indigo/UV LEDs that will allow for greater output and a wider spectrum. by AquaNerd | Dec 15, 2013 | Corals, Science
Blue Tridacna Maxima Clam I still vividly remember my first Tridacnid clam. It was a very nerve-racking time in my journey through the hobby, as I was just starting to dabble in the realm of corals and, like most hobbyists, I wanted to do things the right way the first time around. As I became a little more comfortable with corals, I was strangely drawn to the “giant” clams, prompting me to research the available species for a significant amount of time. From everything I read, clams appeared to present a unique challenge; animals that had all of the same requirements as SPS corals, but with a whole slew of diseases and parasites that could cause some mysterious and untimely death. Being a new coral keeper at the time, this was very scary for me, as thoughts of dosing and light requirements flooded my thought process. My fascination eventually overcame my fears and concerns, however, leading to my first clam purchase and a complete shattering of the notion that clams are difficult to care for. In fact, my experience was so positive that I filled my growing mixed reef with several species clam, oftentimes with each species being represented multiple times. Over the years, I continued to grow my clam collection, hoping to, at some point, house one of each species readily and even not-so-readily available in the aquarium trade.
