Very ambitious clam

[hawgman_98]

[OK, so about a week ago I got this killer deal on a 2" gold rim Maxima out at Planet Pet. One of those things that you couldn't pass up. Even though I wasn't exactly sure that the lights on my tank would support the little guy ( 4x96 PC + 4X30 fluorescent on a 135gal tank ), I figured I would give it a shot. After all, my little stag horn frag is happy, a clam should be in the same environment with proper placement. So, brought him home, acclimated him, and sit him in the bottom of the tank, then started reading ( mostly on this board, you guys are great! ) to see where in my tank would be the best home for him. After getting some basic ideas, I started searching for that perfect flat spot on a rock in the tank, plus a couple of others between the bottom and the final resting spot, so I could slowly work him up the tank. First day on the first step, he is open, mouth showing in the mantle, little tentacle tube sticking out. Figured he is happy so far. Next morning, he's back in the bottom of the tank! Thinking that maybe he might have gotten brushed by a fish or a crab or something, I place him back where he was, went to work. Come home, he's in the sand again. Open and happy, but not any where near where I left him. So, I guess that is just a busy spot for fish traffic, so I put him on the 2nd step up. He opened up fine ( maybe not as much as he does on the sand I am noticing ). Next morning, he's back in the bottom of the tank. GEESH...this guy covers more realestate than my Roteri! So, we repeat the game. This morning, he is back in the bottom of the tank, but kinda "wedged" into a little rock cove. He's probably not going to move any more from where he is at unless I move him. But, my question is, should I try to continue to place him higher in the tank, or just let him be? I don't really feel confident with leaving him in the sand because of my horseshoes. I figure they will crawl all over him, knock him over, etc.

Thanks for the input.]

 

[nvillacci]

[Def. try to find him a high spot.... if he stays in the sand he prob wont make it. Maximas are very high light clams. try to put him as high as you can, it wont hurt him. Best bet is to try to put some rocks around him so he wont jump. After a while he'll glue himself there with his Bisal(sp?) gland.
also feed your tanks DT's Phytoplankton if he is small(1-2.5 inches).

If your scared he'll die from too much light... I have double 250 Iwasaki Metal Halides and my clams love it... These guys are the tan beach babes of the reef.]

 

[hawgman_98]

[Much Kewlness...
I had him on a flat spot about the size of a salad plate in the top of the tank ( acutally about 3 or 4 inches below the water surface, but it is the highest point ), he lasted there about a day, and was back in the bottom. I will try to build some sort of barrier around him with rubble or something to allow him time to adhere to the rock.

I knew that he was going to be a light pig, so that was why I was working him up the tank. I just assumed that he was discontent with his placement and that was the reason behind the little excursions he was taking.
Already feeding DTs. 2 caps full every other day. But I may need to increase soon, the reef is getting pretty full.

Thanks again]

 

[Rick]

[You are right bout the movement, he is not happy with where he is. Try to find a place where he is happy and he will stay there. Sometimes it is just trying to move himself around in a circle to better face the light he is getting. They try to turn and it knocks them off of the rock you have them on. So it maybe not the spot you are putting him in, but the angle he is at or direction he is facing. They do like a lot of light though and suck more calcium than corals. Good Luck]

 

[melev]

[I would put him inside a clam shell in the sand, so he attaches to it. Then you can move the clam-in-shell to the newer location up high and he'll feel secure.

My maxima is in the substrate, about 12-14" from the light. I feed phyto every other day.]



Edited By Marc on 1057868106

 

[Kevin Trotman]

@Marc wrote:

[This is very good advice! The problem is that the clam probably didn't have any direct light at the pet store. PP does use some hallides, but they don't look to be more than 175watts, and nothing in their tanks seem to get much direct light. This guys is freaking out even from the PCs/flour. And that's not uncommon. Clams will become mobile in a tank even if they used to be under the same wattage, but different bulb temps IME. It can take a few weeks for maximas to sit still (other types are better). And your worst problem will be if he attaches his bysal gland in the meantime and THEN you try to move him. Once he's attached even one strand of that thing, which can happen in a matter of hours, moving him will probably kill him. Damaging their bysal gland is not good! When he's happy, move him up slowly, and he's still gonna be traveling man, so keep him on surfaces where he has plenty of room to move.

I love clams, and I encourage everyone to try one. There's nothing better (other than SPS :nod. This is mostly a rant about the place you bought this guy. Here's some general advice for folks considering one: VHO/PC combos aren't too bad for clams, they distribute light better than hallides even, but the wattage has to be pretty high and use some actinics to make a prety blue spectrum. The only clam I would discourage people from keeping under a *good* VHO/PC system would be croceas probably. For a maxima or crocea, the *easiest* way to keep them is on the sand DIRECTLY or ALMOST DIRECTLY under at least a 250watt MH. Keep in mind that for hallides, indirect light is useless. Anything that is more than a foot from the cylinder under it is gonna get at least half indirect light. More than two feet is absolutely useless, hallides aren't meant for that.

For an example of why, look at a street light sometime and notice where most of the light cylinder is concentrated. Even several feet above the pavement, there won't be more than a four foot circle under it.

I have kept 2 maximas, 1 deresa (now 2), and 1 crocea this way for about two years without a problem. :eyebrows:]

 

[Alf]

[Did some one say clams!! I love clams. Marc's suggestion is a great one. done this before and has worked for me. I keep quite a few Max's and Corcea's in the sand but they are under 400w MH. I have kept Max's under PC with no problem, even on the sand.{ alas the clam killer that was running around a few years back, got me in that tank. 6 died in a few days of a new arrival ] I now only keep one huge dereasa in there Now.HTH]