Any tips on how to care for baby maxima clam?

[rowenaad]

I have bought a maxima clam online that was said to be 2-3”, but yesterday evening I collected it from airport and found its only 1.5”. It has jumped off the rock i placed it on and moved around on sand bed all night. This morning I put it back to the rock after light came out and it seemed to be attached (looks like it attached to a deep hole…….i guess i will never be able to move it in the future unless it let go?)

The spot its at gets ~150 PAR. Is that gonna be enough? I have read mixed comments on target feeding, but given its baby size would it be beneficial if I target feed phyto (I currently broadcast phyto daily in the morning) or maybe red sea ab+? And any other suggestions on how to keep it healthy? TIA

 

[Macdaddynick1]

I have bought a maxima clam online that was said to be 2-3”, but yesterday evening I collected it from airport and found its only 1.5”. It has jumped off the rock i placed it on and moved around on sand bed all night. This morning I put it back to the rock after light came out and it seemed to be attached (looks like it attached to a deep hole…….i guess i will never be able to move it in the future unless it let go?)

The spot its at gets ~150 PAR. Is that gonna be enough? I have read mixed comments on target feeding, but given its baby size would it be beneficial if I target feed phyto (I currently broadcast phyto daily in the morning) or maybe red sea ab+? And any other suggestions on how to keep it healthy? TIA

Some people say to feed phyto at that size. I was recently watching a video about clam farms, and they done ammonia to speed up the growth of these guys. I don’t know your reefkewping knowledge and level, so perhaps I’d start by making sure your nitrates are at least at a decent spot and dose some phyto. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Nice clam. Good water and high light are all it needs. You can feed phyto if you like but not necessary. Good water and good light are much more important than phyto

 

[rowenaad]

Some people say to feed phyto at that size. I was recently watching a video about clam farms, and they done ammonia to speed up the growth of these guys. I don’t know your reefkewping knowledge and level, so perhaps I’d start by making sure your nitrates are at least at a decent spot and dose some phyto. Just my 2 cents.

Thanks, do you still have the link to that video? I might wanna check it out as well

 

[Macdaddynick1]

super old but the guy has a couple of awesome videos on clam farming and raising small clams

 

[MartinM]

350+ par, proper calcium and alkalinity is all it needs, it should grow quickly (make sure it is growing, otherwise something is wrong, typically light, calcium, or alk). I recommend James Fatheree’s book if you’re new to clams. Have fun! I have 11 maximas and love them. Yours is beautiful!

 

[rowenaad]

350+ par, proper calcium and alkalinity is all it needs, it should grow quickly (make sure it is growing, otherwise something is wrong, typically light, calcium, or alk). I recommend James Fatheree’s book if you’re new to clams. Have fun! I have 11 maximas and love them. Yours is beautiful!

Thanks. Since its now attached in a way i cant really separate it or move it without damage, do you know of any good spotlight i can add to it to the desired PAR level? How fast should it grow in a healthy condition?

 

[minus9]

Leave it in the rocks, which is probably the best place for it to be. But you'll have to up your lighting to keep it happy and growing. No need to feed the clam, just make sure you keep stable parameters and that you have measurable N&P. I would slowly increase your lighting until you get to 300-350 micromoles. If you're seeing new shell growth underneath the mantle, then you're fine. Pick up James Fatherree's new book on clams.

 

[minus9]

Thanks. Since its now attached in a way i cant really separate it or move it without damage, do you know of any good spotlight i can add to it to the desired PAR level? How fast should it grow in a healthy condition?

What is your current light?

 

[MartinM]

Thanks. Since its now attached in a way i cant really separate it or move it without damage, do you know of any good spotlight i can add to it to the desired PAR level? How fast should it grow in a healthy condition?

Don’t move it if it’s attached itself, it can cause damage to the clam’s foot. If the lighting where it is isn’t sufficient, you’ll want to swap out your lights and/or add new ones, or perhaps move the rock it’s attached to, but don’t do that yet if you decide to try that, since it’s new to the tank. What’s the current PAR where it is now?

 

[minus9]

When clams are just a few mm long, they have all they need to survive providing the right amount of light. All the zooxanthellae is present in the mantle (along with other things), which provides the clam with all of necessary energy, minus nitrogen and phosphorus which it can consume/utilize from the available N&P in the water or from filter feeding particulates. Feeding phyto made provide it with some extra nitrogen, but if you're feeding your fish, then that's probably enough. The key is light energy and stable parameters. Buy this book if you're serious about keeping clams.

 

[Miami Reef]

When clams are just a few mm long, they have all they need to survive providing the right amount of light. All the zooxanthellae is present in the mantle (along with other things), which provides the clam with all of necessary energy, minus nitrogen and phosphorus which it can consume/utilize from the available N&P in the water or from filter feeding particulates. Feeding phyto made provide it with some extra nitrogen, but if you're feeding your fish, then that's probably enough. The key is light energy and stable parameters. Buy this book if you're serious about keeping clams.

Just ordered!!

I’m a clam freak. I love clams.

 

[rowenaad]

What is your current light?

Don’t move it if it’s attached itself, it can cause damage to the clam’s foot. If the lighting where it is isn’t sufficient, you’ll want to swap out your lights and/or add new ones, or perhaps move the rock it’s attached to, but don’t do that yet if you decide to try that, since it’s new to the tank. What’s the current PAR where it is now?

Its at 150 PAR. The max i have in tank is ~250 where the hammers and torches sit at. (idk why but i cant upload a photo of my aquascape...

Basically the rock its attached to is a big base rock and houses the pistol shrimp so moving together wouldnt be viable, that means changing the light and bring the spot to 350 will likely burn the torches and hammers…….thats why i was asking for a spot light recommendation so it can boost up the light for the clam but wont kill other stuff in tank

 

[Miami Reef]

Clams and torches are complete different ball games. Clams need excessive light while torches tolerate minimum light.

It appears the most logical solution is to place the torches lower and increase the intensity of you light.

 

[rowenaad]

Clams and torches are complete different ball games. Clams need excessive light while torches tolerate minimum light.

It appears the most logical solution is to place the torches lower and increase the intensity of you light.

Yea i agree but my tank is a 20 gallon nano so i dont really have too many options I think light up the specific spot the clam is at would work the best for the current situation. ill search a bit to see how i can achieve it

 

[Miami Reef]

I think most people can agree that maxima clams are about as difficult (if not, more) as acropora.

If I had a 20 gallon tank with a maxima clam, I would most likely make it an SPS/clam tank. There’s not much real estate to get a diverse amount of high demand/low demand corals. I think we need to narrow the broad range of species.

Derasa clams can tolerate LPS level lighting, but they often grow huge after a while.

 

[MartinM]

You could grab a screw-in LED spotlight or something like a Kessil A150 with a gooseneck and you should be set!

 

[minus9]

T. maxima grows to 12”, so regardless, a 20g isn’t going to cut it for very long. Maybe a couple years or more.

 

[rowenaad]

T. maxima grows to 12”, so regardless, a 20g isn’t going to cut it for very long. Maybe a couple years or more.

yea will swap out for a smaller on or upgrade to a bigger tank or out of hobby lollll

 

[Dburr1014]

350+ par, proper calcium and alkalinity is all it needs, it should grow quickly (make sure it is growing, otherwise something is wrong, typically light, calcium, or alk). I recommend James Fatheree’s book if you’re new to clams. Have fun! I have 11 maximas and love them. Yours is beautiful!

I'm assuming 350+ Par becuase the clam is a baby?
I got my maxima at about 4" and have never had that much par. It's always been at about 225 par, at least in the 3~4 years I've owned it.