Got a clam question? We've got you covered right here.

[KSUChemist]

It will continue moving until it is happy. That includes moving right off the ledge.

 

[FloridaGal762]

I really want to get a crocea clam. However, I also really want a goby/pistol shrimp pair. I haven't purchased either yet in case I must choose one over the other. My question is will the pistol shrimp bother the clam? Are they not compatible in the same tank? (I have the IM Nuvo 40 AIO (about 32 in tank and 8 in back).

 

[OrionN]

I really want to get a crocea clam. However, I also really want a goby/pistol shrimp pair. I haven't purchased either yet in case I must choose one over the other. My question is will the pistol shrimp bother the clam? Are they not compatible in the same tank? (I have the IM Nuvo 40 AIO (about 32 in tank and 8 in back).

Goby/pistol shrimp pair will not bother the Crocea Clam. The question is do you have enough light for Crocea Clams? These guys are light hogs. Normally they are at the surface of the reef, sometime expose to air when the tide is low, so they require highest of light. Not all Crocea exposed to air in the wild, but this is the type of light they thrive under.
Smallest and most colorful of all clams.

 

[FloridaGal762]

Goby/pistol shrimp pair will not bother the Crocea Clam. The question is do you have enough light for Crocea Clams? These guys are light hogs. Normally they are at the surface of the reef, sometime expose to air when the tide is low, so they require highest of light. Not all Crocea exposed to air in the wild, but this is the type of light they thrive under.
Smallest and most colorful of all clams.

Thanks for your reply. I have the AI Prime 16 HD. I think it would be bright enough. Open to feedback and suggestions.

 

[KSUChemist]

Thanks for your reply. I have the AI Prime 16 HD. I think it would be bright enough. Open to feedback and suggestions.

A prime is probably sufficient, but if you're not sure what your PAR numbers are rent a meter and be sure. Crocea need SPS levels (200+)

 

[TheStrangler]

How long does it typically take for a new Maxima to open up? I got one on Friday, seems very healthy, inspected it, scrubbed it down, and placed it into my tank. I tried placing it on a piece of rubble down in the sand bed but snails and hermits kept bulldozing it over onto its side, so I moved it up in the tank to where I figured it'd want to be most. Good amount of light (for a Hydra 32 so not crazy strong) and nice constant indirect but gentle flow. It attached pretty quickly, reacts well to light, but its not opening all of the way. I'm a little concerned that I didn't acclimate it to the light well enough, but I imagine it was kept in much stronger lighting 8 hours before I got it. If thats the case, I can dim the lighting and acclimate it in place. I've just got zoas and acans so nothing that'll get too upset.

I should mention that my parameters should be acceptable
SG 1.025
Temp 79.7
Ammonia/Nitrites 0
Nitrates ~20 I was trying to raise from 0 and overshot my target a bit and am gradually bringing it down to ~15. Nitrate change wasn't while the clam was in the tank.
Phosphates undetectable (trying to raise them a tad)
Cal ~400
Mg ~1400

 

[DSEKULA]

How long does it typically take for a new Maxima to open up? I got one on Friday, seems very healthy, inspected it, scrubbed it down, and placed it into my tank. I tried placing it on a piece of rubble down in the sand bed but snails and hermits kept bulldozing it over onto its side, so I moved it up in the tank to where I figured it'd want to be most. Good amount of light (for a Hydra 32 so not crazy strong) and nice constant indirect but gentle flow. It attached pretty quickly, reacts well to light, but its not opening all of the way. I'm a little concerned that I didn't acclimate it to the light well enough, but I imagine it was kept in much stronger lighting 8 hours before I got it. If thats the case, I can dim the lighting and acclimate it in place. I've just got zoas and acans so nothing that'll get too upset.

I should mention that my parameters should be acceptable
SG 1.025
Temp 79.7
Ammonia/Nitrites 0
Nitrates ~20 I was trying to raise from 0 and overshot my target a bit and am gradually bringing it down to ~15. Nitrate change wasn't while the clam was in the tank.
Phosphates undetectable (trying to raise them a tad)
Cal ~400
Mg ~1400

If everything else is acceptable (seems to be) and the clam is healthy it should be fully open in a week or two ime. I wouldn't change anything in the tank personal it will adjust if it's happy.

 

[DennistheMenace]

Pretty sure this is PMD. Did a 30 minute FWD 2 days ago. Should I do it again?

 

[stanleo]

I bought a large (soft ball size) maxima clam on Tuesday. The first place I put it wasn't good because it moved slightly and feel off. So I put it on the other side of the tank where it won't fall. It has yet to open up fully or attach itself. How long does this usually take?

Also, where I put it there are a lot of Kenya trees and Xenia. I trimmed them away from the clam. Would they be aggressive towards the clam? How much do I have to worry about them touching?

 

[OrionN]

I bought a large (soft ball size) maxima clam on Tuesday. The first place I put it wasn't good because it moved slightly and feel off. So I put it on the other side of the tank where it won't fall. It has yet to open up fully or attach itself. How long does this usually take?

Also, where I put it there are a lot of Kenya trees and Xenia. I trimmed them away from the clam. Would they be aggressive towards the clam? How much do I have to worry about them touching?

Clams normally can take a few days to recover from the stress of shipping, but they should get better every day. Many open fully right away. 5+ inches clams are usually wild caught. Wild caught clams often come with Pyram parasite snails. If you know about this, great, if not your clams will succumb to it. These parasites are easily treated. If you don't know about them please read my article link below.

Kenya Tree and Xenia won't bother clams other than shade them.
Pictures? Good luck with our clams.

How to recognize and deal with the common Tridacna's parasites: the Pyram snails

 

[stanleo]

Clams normally can take a few days to recover from the stress of shipping, but they should get better every day. Many open fully right away. 5+ inches clams are usually wild caught. Wild caught clams often come with Pyram parasite snails. If you know about this, great, if not your clams will succumb to it. These parasites are easily treated. If you don't know about them please read my article link below.

Kenya Tree and Xenia won't bother clams other than shade them.
Pictures? Good luck with our clams.

How to recognize and deal with the common Tridacna's parasites: the Pyram snails

Thank you for the article. The LFS had the clam for several weeks while I decided if I wanted to spend that much on one animal. I have looked it over very closely and never saw any of the snails you describe in the article, but that probably doesn't mean much. Several times at the LFS it was open fully and gorgeous. In the pics, this is as open as he has been, maybe a little more sometimes.

 

[KingTideCorals]

Morning fellow clam people!

Had a question in regards to one of my Maximas.. the other day it seemed as though its foot (the white at bottom on photo) was pulled out and torn up... The clam since this night about a 4 day period has passed and seems active/mantle retracting and less damage to said "foot?" Feeding live phyto to tank daily for my clams and christmas tree worm rocks

Reaching out to hopefully hear from you all thanks!

 

[OrionN]

Thank you for the article. The LFS had the clam for several weeks while I decided if I wanted to spend that much on one animal. I have looked it over very closely and never saw any of the snails you describe in the article, but that probably doesn't mean much. Several times at the LFS it was open fully and gorgeous. In the pics, this is as open as he has been, maybe a little more sometimes.

Rather than place the clam in the precarious position like that, I would put him of a small flatish piece of rock and move the rock to where you think the clam need to be. Bright light and stable with mantle facing up. Consider put a spot light on him. Consider put him on the bottom of the aquarium for stability and view. He should not be facing forward to the front, even if this give the best view. Health of the clam, IMO, is most important.

 

[SMSREEF]

Thank you for the article. The LFS had the clam for several weeks while I decided if I wanted to spend that much on one animal. I have looked it over very closely and never saw any of the snails you describe in the article, but that probably doesn't mean much. Several times at the LFS it was open fully and gorgeous. In the pics, this is as open as he has been, maybe a little more sometimes.

I wonder if the GSP and/or Xenia are too close and bothering the clam...I would move this guy so it has more room to open up.
I bet it’s gonna be awesome in your tank!

 

[stanleo]

Rather than place the clam in the precarious position like that, I would put him of a small flatish piece of rock and move the rock to where you think the clam need to be. Bright light and stable with mantle facing up. Consider put a spot light on him. Consider put him on the bottom of the aquarium for stability and view. He should not be facing forward to the front, even if this give the best view. Health of the clam, IMO, is most important.

This is the best I can do. I don't have any place in the sand that it would get enough light unless I do a major rescape. That spot on the rock is pretty flat. I moved the Red Sea Reef LED90 over a couple inches so he is in the middle of the light.

 

[stanleo]

I wonder if the GSP and/or Xenia are too close and bothering the clam...I would move this guy so it has more room to open up.
I bet it’s gonna be awesome in your tank!

I hope so, thank you. I considered that and pulled a lot out so they weren't him. I am going to keep an eye on that.

 

[FloridaGal762]

A prime is probably sufficient, but if you're not sure what your PAR numbers are rent a meter and be sure. Crocea need SPS levels (200+)

Thanks- another question. I really need some cleaner shrimp for the sand bed. It needs help but I know some shrimp may pick at a clam (haven't ordered it yet. Waiting for tank to get a little more stable and mature.) What kinds of sand cleaning shrimp are safe?

 

[OrionN]

Thanks for your reply. I have the AI Prime 16 HD. I think it would be bright enough. Open to feedback and suggestions.

I am not a gadget enthusiasm so I do not know the specs of equipment. Crocea require as much light as the highest requiring light SPS.

 

[OrionN]

This is the best I can do. I don't have any place in the sand that it would get enough light unless I do a major rescape. That spot on the rock is pretty flat. I moved the Red Sea Reef LED90 over a couple inches so he is in the middle of the light.

This place, physically, looks a lot better, but I of course cannot judge the amount of light by the picture. Try to not disturb him and let him recover. Normally, healthy clam recover quickly after shipment, 3 days at the most. You got your clam locally, so there should not be any "stress" to the clam going from LFS to home. The one indication that of your clam have not been healthy for a while is the lack of growth on the shell. When buy clam, I always avoid clam that have no growth on the shell, in addition to those that do not have good mantle extension.
Good luck with him.

 

[stanleo]

This place, physically, looks a lot better, but I of course cannot judge the amount of light by the picture. Try to not disturb him and let him recover. Normally, healthy clam recover quickly after shipment, 3 days at the most. You got your clam locally, so there should not be any "stress" to the clam going from LFS to home. The one indication that of your clam have not been healthy for a while is the lack of growth on the shell. When buy clam, I always avoid clam that have no growth on the shell, in addition to those that do not have good mantle extension.
Good luck with him.

Today is water testing day. I bought a new Red Sea KH, cal, mag test kit. My salinity was 33ppt after calibrating my refractometer, and I am not sure why. I usually run 35 ppt which it read last week but its possible the refractometer was off because it was today when I checked its calibration. Could the lower salinity be the reason this clam hasn't fully opened? The corals don't seem to be bothered at all.

My other results were KH 7.8 Calcium 480 and Magnesium 1480. Calcium and magnesium didn't change from last week but KH was 9.8 last week. I didn't do any dosing this week which I believe is the reason KH went down, yes?

My PO4 was .03 and NO3 was 2 ppm same as always. I use Salifert for those tests.