Nipping or too much flow?

[KMench]

I've had a 2" Maxima I purchased off divers den for about ten days now. I had initially placed it on the rockwork and it opened up. A few hours after I noticed it was not open as much. Ever since then it hasn't fully extended its mantle. I do have a yellow longnose butterfly, but have not seen it nip at the clam yet. Today I was feeling frustrated that it wasn't opening like it should be still and moved it to the sandbed since I could provide safety there and I covered the clam with a coke bottle top that has holes drilled in it for flow and it's only been a half hour and it's the most open I've seen since putting it into the tank. Would that fast of a reaction imply theres too much flow in the tank? Seems a bit fast for a reaction to not being nipped at when I watch the tank quite frequently. All params are good... Alk 8.3 Calcium 450, 1.026 SG, Temp 78. I have 3 Hydra 26's for lighting on my 75G.

Thoughts or suggestions?

 

[Dr. Reef]

Normally if there is too much flow you can tell by it mantle flapping around and most clams will using its foot move away from the flow or atleast change its direction.
I would check its shell for parasites and clean them off if any. See what it does for next few days maybe its thr nipping too.

 

[Dr. Reef]

Double post

 

[KMench]

Well, it moved several times when it was on the rocks, but ended up laying on it's side or falling over. Could it also be too much light when I had it on the rocks since it was higher up under my Hydras? It never really opened enough for me to see the mantle flapping honestly, it has typically been more of a slit with just a little mantle extension.

I should also add that I have two MP40s at about 75% on reef crest for flow in my tank.

 

[Dr. Reef]

How far below the water line? What intensities are Hydra at? Is it HD?
PAR?
Most likely flow was the problem or nipping.

 

[hotashes]

Did you burp the clam when submerged in your tank?

A.

 

[KMench]

I never let the clam touch the air. Should I try to burp it just as a precaution? It seems much happier now that it’s been covered for an hour or so. Here’s my hydra setting. They are HDs. Where I had it initially placed I would ballpark it at 300 par.

 

[Dr. Reef]

Lights and PAR looks fine. it think its either flow or nipping by fish as you mentioned under coke bottle its doing fine that means either its flow or fish.

 

[KMench]

Ok, that’s kinda what I figured. I did see the butterfly nip on the first day, but haven’t seen it since then

 

[KMench]

Looks right as rain under that coke bottle lol

 

[jda]

These clams are very, very difficult. I have the best luck putting a thin layer of substrate in a small tupperware container and then placing it up high in the rockwork. When they start to grow and get more like 2.5-3" of shell, then I have them attach to a clam holder thingy. For it to have any chance, it will need a LOT of light and also adequate flow so that it can filter ammonium, nitrate and phosphate out of the water.

 

[KMench]

Well, I took the cover off today and did some videoing. I found my answer. Is there any way to deal with this? Or pick one to hit the road.... I would almost rather keep the clam covered and keep them both lol. Is it possible that once the clam gets bigger, it will be more able to deal with an occasional nip?

 

[TheSchwenkster]

Well, I took the cover off today and did some videoing. I found my answer. Is there any way to deal with this? Or pick one to hit the road.... I would almost rather keep the clam covered and keep them both lol. Is it possible that once the clam gets bigger, it will be more able to deal with an occasional nip?

Based on this thread going on in parallel, I'd say the answer is no. That clam is HUGE and still being harassed to the point it appeared in a bar place.

Derasa too much light?
https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?sh...s/Derasa-too-much-light?.429878/&share_type=t

 

[Shigshwa]

I'm the owner of that clam. Basically, once you have a fish that has learned that they're tasty sitting ducks, either the fish or the clam has to go. I don't think it's possible to shake the habit either. My Dusky Wrasse and Tomini Tang were both taking swipes at my clam, and since removing them, the clam has bounced back almost immediately.

Unique Wrasses and Tangs come and go at the LFS all the time, a 10 inch clam is a hard to replace living art piece.

 

[Shigshwa]

These clams are very, very difficult. I have the best luck putting a thin layer of substrate in a small tupperware container and then placing it up high in the rockwork. When they start to grow and get more like 2.5-3" of shell, then I have them attach to a clam holder thingy. For it to have any chance, it will need a LOT of light and also adequate flow so that it can filter ammonium, nitrate and phosphate out of the water.

I've yet to succeed with a Maxima either. Aside from not being hardy, I'm led to believe that Maximas need as much light as a Crocea. I think it's a hardiness issue for me though, because Hippopus apparently needs Crocea levels of light, yet I can keep one just fine on the sand, but Maximas fizzle out after a week or two.

 

[KMench]

Just looked at your thread. Crazy that a clam that big was being harassed to the point of looking so poor. Guess that rules out the option of letting it sit in protection until it gets larger.

 

[hart24601]

At least you found the problem, sad that it involves getting rid of live stock. As I said in the other thread I feel watching forums over the years, plus personal experience that fish end up killing a lot of clams, and most the time we never see it happen as it can just take a couple nips a day. There are exceptions of course, and lots of tanks running with a _____ fish and no issues, but I suspect there are many more cases of it not working out and it's just another mystery clam death.

FWIW in James Fathertree's book he says that in many areas where clams are found there are not many fish present and where clams are found clam density is very high. With many clams per fish a nip isn't a big deal when the fish can travel miles if it wants, but aquarium is a different story.

 

[KMench]

Yeah, one clam in a closed system is an easy target. Too bad. The butterfly doesn’t nip at any other corals... lps,sps, or softies. I may try to just protect the clam. I do like both of them ;Blackeye

Took me two hours of videoing to get one nip. I was hopeful it wasn’t his fault.

 

[jda]

You can build a little canopy out of the netting that BRS sells for jumping fish. I would hurry or get rid of it. If you build something, make sure that it is large enough so that the long beak is neutralized.

I have never heard of a nipper that stopped. Sorry.

 

[KMench]

It’s covered now with the coke bottle. It still gets flow, but is safe. I’ll work on a netting style cover later. I have spare netting from making screened tops a few weeks ago.