Captive-raised Tridacna Clams are relatively easy to care for in aquarium conditions. All clams in this genus harbor symbiotic algae called zooxanthellae. These algae provide most of the food and nutrients the clams need to live. It is important to provide the necessary amount of light to keep their symbiotic algae flourishing. Some species, such as T. Maxima and T. Corcea, prefer to be on rock surfaces high in the tanks under higher par. In contrast, T. Squamosa and T. Derasa are “sand” clams and prefer to be on a sand bed under lower Par. Some aquarists supplement feed with commercial phytoplankton cultures. Tridacna clams do filter feed on this type of plankton, but do not depend on it.
The Smokey LemonPeel is a hybrid of the Lemonpeel and Half Black angelfish (Centropyge flavissima x Centropyge vroliki). Since they’re a hybrid they vary incredibly from specimen to specimen but they have the bright yellow coloration of the lemonpeel with the muted black tail of a half black. They all have varying levels of blue throughout the body and on the edges of fins.
They are a reef safe with caution species so be sure to keep them fed on a wide variety of feeds that include both meaty and herbaceous offerings. One food we definitely recommend for these guys is the Hikari’s spirulina enriched brine shrimp.
Acreichthys tomentosus – Aiptasia Eating Filefish aka Matted Filefish are an incredibly helpful species of filefish. They are called the Aiptasia Eating Filefish because of their propensity to eat nuisance anemones which plague most home aquariums like Aiptasia, majano anemones, and some types of hydroids. They do not require Aiptasia and will eat most aquarium foods. These interesting little filefish have the ability to change coloration and blend in with their surroundings rapidly, making it fun to watch them roam around the tank.
This species is reef safe with caution, as some individuals may nip at soft corals, zoas, SPS polyps, fleshy LPS corals, clam mantles, and/or tiny ornamental shrimp. They do well in tanks 30 gallons or larger and are peaceful toward other fish species. They are territorial with their own kind, but can be kept in pairs. It’s easy to sex these fish as adults because the males have clear bristles on the caudal peduncle near the base of the tail, giving this fish its other common name of Bristletail Filefish.
ORA’s captive bred Mandarin Dragonets do NOT require live foods. Ours readily feed on pellet and frozen foods, making them an easier to keep and ethical alternative to difficult wild caught Mandarins!
Synchiropus splendidus – Mandarin Dragonets are inarguably one of the most beautiful species on earth, which makes them very popular aquarium fish. Our mandarins have a mix of blue-green and red coloration on the body and deep blue accents on the fins. The coloration may appear different in varying lighting spectrums. These photos show what our mandarins typically look like.
Unfortunately, the natural diet of wild caught mandarins is live food, which can be tedious and costly for many new hobbyists to provide, especially in immature or small tanks. Even if provided the best captive conditions, wild caught mandarins often succumb to wounds inflicted by spear guns or toxic cyanide used during the wild collection process. An overwhelming number of wild caught Mandarin Dragonets die in captivity for these reasons.