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

[Reeflogic]

Dave were your maximas "blotched" or "spotted" when the colors started returning? After getting my system back on track, the excurrent siphon was the first region of the clam to start showing color, then I started noticing these blotched areas appearing, as several months have passed the blotched areas have somewhat grown together, forming a richer blue color, with little blotches of brown still remaining. It's been pretty cool to watch and I couldn't be happier that I woke up and snapped out of my reefer slump... in time to save this beauty, and of course, the rest of my corals and fish. Tank is doing VERY good now, no more slacking here!

 

[Davesgt]

Well now that you mention it I do remember that it started to get its color back around its incurrent siphon then it was kind like a spot there and there from what I can remember. I know my white and black zebra maxima was the last to full heal. Yea it sucks getting into a slump, been there before many times lol. I'm getting ready to downgrade / upsize some of my reefs so hopefully that boost the moral a bit, especially with getting to start another tank thread lol.

 

[Reeflogic]

Good news, I was hoping this was normal and what I was witnessing was in fact, him recovering. At first, I wasn't sure because it was too spread out, but once the colors starting forming together, I felt he was going to be ok! I think part of this hobby requires us to tinker, build new, something...anything... to keep us from slumping. Watching SPS grow really tests our patience as humans lol. Good stuff, I will be looking forward to your new build!!

 

[Reeflogic]

Ok, so this is not the greatest picture and it certainly doesnt reflect the true beauty of this clam, but it's an iPhone pic and I did some post editing to remove some of the blue LED and to exaggerate the "blotches", as best I could. You can see the darker patches along the outer mantle and through his middle region near the siphons. The pale coloring between the mid section and outter mantle is how he looked roughly 3 months ago. He has teal highlights which really cannot be seen in this image, but the darker patches are his true dark blue and I guess it will take another 3-6 months to be fully recovered. Maybe this will help someone down the road in knowing a bleached clam can recover!!

 

[StephanieRodriguez]

Wow! I wish my iPhone pics came out that good!! Mine are always sort of blurry, what do you have on either side of your clam? Is that a Goni on the right?

 

[Reeflogic]

A little toadstool frag to the left and some GSP on a small island to the right. I do have a goni just out of range of this picture!! Oh and the clam is roughly 5" long, he's gained 3" since I first brought him home.

 

[Davesgt]

Very nice recovery, id say another 6 months and it will be better that new.

 

[rbraunberger]

How can you tell if your clam needs more light?

 

[Tsev03]

What is the minimum tank size for a large maximas?

 

[hart24601]

I don't see too many maximas greater than 7" or so, the real issue is dosing calcium and alk in a small tank. If growth slows levels alk rise way too fast in a short time or if growth picks up alk gets very low before you notice. Having doser with pH control help the overdose scenario, but I wouldn't be comfortable with under 30g personally for a 7" guy.

 

[Daniel@R2R]

What is the minimum tank size for a large maximas?

I agree with @hart24601. However, minimum tank size for clams is not the same as minimum tank size for fish. In the case of a fish, we're talking about the fish's need for space to move around without being stressed (a clam obviously doesn't have that kind of need). With a clam, it's about asking how small of a tank can you maintain adequately, and how much of a margin for parameter stability do you need personally. Like hart24601, I probably wouldn't do it personally in a tank of less than 25 or 30 gallons...but if you feel confident you can maintain your stable parameters in a 14g, there's no issue with trying it.

 

[Payson]

Do clams loose their color as they grow? I havnt seen alot of big clams with any of the bright popping colors.

 

[UffnerReef]

Hi everyone. I just ordered this clam and the edges are "pulling" away from the shell. I am not sure if this is normal (never had a clam before) and if the tissue is just moving in the flow. Or is this something different like tissue recession or PMD?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

that looks normal to me.
if you wave your hand over it does it retract?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

PMD is not the mantle from the shell, its actually the mantle that becomes pinched.
https://www.google.com/search?q=pin...KEwjH1rqG393QAhUJVLwKHTS6DPAQ_AUIBigB#imgrc=_

We have called in some others for more opinions..

 

[Diesel]

That's normal, we call that growth lines.
Similar like with a tree but then growth rings, every ring is a year.
With clams it's not by years, it's calculated by how good you are with keeping up the calcium balance and salt level.
Most lines have the same distance between them, only when they lacking in calcium and swings in the salt level the distance between lines get bigger as the grow in slower rate.

 

[FLSharkvictim]

Going on day 5 and my claim will not extend fully open.

Alk 9dKH
CAL - 420PPM
MAG 1300ppm
Salinty 1.023
temp 77.1
p04 - 0.03



TANK INFO:
120 display
Ecotech M1 pump
Apex Classic
Apex ALD Module w/ 2 Leak Detector probes
Apex PM2 Module w/ Salinity probe
BreakOut box
Skimz 163 DC Montzer Series skimmer
Custom sump / Refuge
2 TUNZE Turbella 6055 Pumps
2 AI Hydra TwentySix HD LED Fixtures
Celestial C35W Maxspect Refuge Spotlight
Aqua UV Ultraviolet Sterilizer 25w
BRS Dual Media reactor
Eshoops IV Master & Slave Doser
Tunze 3155 Auto Top Off
BRS Peri Pump 50mls/pm
Avast Kalk Reactor
Vertex 1.5L Media Reactor

Fish:
1 Blue Caribbean Tang
2 Blue/Green Reef Chromis
1 - Flame Angelfish
1 - Kamohara Blenny
3- Kaudern's Cardinal
3 - Lyretail Anthias
1 - Ocellaris Clownfish
1 - Powder Blue Tang
1 - Purple Stripe Dottyback
2 - Spotted Cardinalfish
1 - Yellow Tang
2 Yellowtail Damselfish

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Going on day 5 and my claim will not extend fully open.

Alk 9dKH
CAL - 420PPM
MAG 1300ppm
Salinty 1.023
temp 77.1
p04 - 0.03



TANK INFO:
120 display
Ecotech M1 pump
Apex Classic
Apex ALD Module w/ 2 Leak Detector probes
Apex PM2 Module w/ Salinity probe
BreakOut box
Skimz 163 DC Montzer Series skimmer
Custom sump / Refuge
2 TUNZE Turbella 6055 Pumps
2 AI Hydra TwentySix HD LED Fixtures
Celestial C35W Maxspect Refuge Spotlight
Aqua UV Ultraviolet Sterilizer 25w
BRS Dual Media reactor
Eshoops IV Master & Slave Doser
Tunze 3155 Auto Top Off
BRS Peri Pump 50mls/pm
Avast Kalk Reactor
Vertex 1.5L Media Reactor

Fish:
1 Blue Caribbean Tang
2 Blue/Green Reef Chromis
1 - Flame Angelfish
1 - Kamohara Blenny
3- Kaudern's Cardinal
3 - Lyretail Anthias
1 - Ocellaris Clownfish
1 - Powder Blue Tang
1 - Purple Stripe Dottyback
2 - Spotted Cardinalfish
1 - Yellow Tang
2 Yellowtail Damselfish

Any #clamexperts that can help here?

 

[Reeferdude56]

Going on day 5 and my claim will not extend fully open.

Alk 9dKH
CAL - 420PPM
MAG 1300ppm
Salinty 1.023
temp 77.1
p04 - 0.03



TANK INFO:
120 display
Ecotech M1 pump
Apex Classic
Apex ALD Module w/ 2 Leak Detector probes
Apex PM2 Module w/ Salinity probe
BreakOut box
Skimz 163 DC Montzer Series skimmer
Custom sump / Refuge
2 TUNZE Turbella 6055 Pumps
2 AI Hydra TwentySix HD LED Fixtures
Celestial C35W Maxspect Refuge Spotlight
Aqua UV Ultraviolet Sterilizer 25w
BRS Dual Media reactor
Eshoops IV Master & Slave Doser
Tunze 3155 Auto Top Off
BRS Peri Pump 50mls/pm
Avast Kalk Reactor
Vertex 1.5L Media Reactor

Fish:
1 Blue Caribbean Tang
2 Blue/Green Reef Chromis
1 - Flame Angelfish
1 - Kamohara Blenny
3- Kaudern's Cardinal
3 - Lyretail Anthias
1 - Ocellaris Clownfish
1 - Powder Blue Tang
1 - Purple Stripe Dottyback
2 - Spotted Cardinalfish
1 - Yellow Tang
2 Yellowtail Damselfish

FLSharkvictim, I would be careful of the Flame Angel. They sometimes can develop a taste for clam and peck at the mantle trying to eat the slime off the clam. Also check for any algae on the side of the clam because your tangs might be pecking at the algae for food which is stressing the clam. If there is algae, I'd take a toothbrush and try to brush the algae off. Make sure the clam is in water while you do this.

It seems like the clam's mantle is extending just the middle of the clam (sorry I don't know the name of that part) isn't opening as much as it should. I really wouldn't worry, the clam doesn't look that bad. Some clams just open more than others.

Also that clam seems to be relatively small (smaller than 2 inches) which are notorious to be a little harder to take care of. My best advice is keep a careful eye on the flame angel and let the clam be. Don't try to move it to much as that can stress the clam even more.
Hope This Helps.

 

[Tahoe61]

Going on day 5 and my claim will not extend fully open.

Alk 9dKH
CAL - 420PPM
MAG 1300ppm
Salinty 1.023
temp 77.1
p04 - 0.03



TANK INFO:
120 display
Ecotech M1 pump
Apex Classic
Apex ALD Module w/ 2 Leak Detector probes
Apex PM2 Module w/ Salinity probe
BreakOut box
Skimz 163 DC Montzer Series skimmer
Custom sump / Refuge
2 TUNZE Turbella 6055 Pumps
2 AI Hydra TwentySix HD LED Fixtures
Celestial C35W Maxspect Refuge Spotlight
Aqua UV Ultraviolet Sterilizer 25w
BRS Dual Media reactor
Eshoops IV Master & Slave Doser
Tunze 3155 Auto Top Off
BRS Peri Pump 50mls/pm
Avast Kalk Reactor
Vertex 1.5L Media Reactor

Fish:
1 Blue Caribbean Tang
2 Blue/Green Reef Chromis
1 - Flame Angelfish
1 - Kamohara Blenny
3- Kaudern's Cardinal
3 - Lyretail Anthias
1 - Ocellaris Clownfish
1 - Powder Blue Tang
1 - Purple Stripe Dottyback
2 - Spotted Cardinalfish
1 - Yellow Tang
2 Yellowtail Damselfish

Have you considered letting the SG increase to 1.025?
Looks like an Euphyllia sitting above the clam? Beware of sweeper tentacles.
Being a new clam it can take some time for clams to acclimate and expand fully.
Clam may have also come from a lower par environment and may just need to acclimate to your specific lighting.