Healthy clam?

[Madison Reef]

The remaining Hippopus (k26) I got is doing way better than the first few days. I will be putting them in a cradle with sand soon, but how does it look to you? It is very responsive but I am still quite worried.

 

[dansyr]

that looks like my hippopus in terms of openness, it's been that or slightly more. Only 2.5 weeks on mine so far though so no long term knowledge on this batch for me yet.

The remaining Hippopus (k26) I got is doing way better than the first few days. I will be putting them in a cradle with sand soon, but how does it look to you? It is very responsive but I am still quite worried.

 

[JoJosReef]

The remaining Hippopus (k26) I got is doing way better than the first few days. I will be putting them in a cradle with sand soon, but how does it look to you? It is very responsive but I am still quite worried.

So are you laying yours down on the flatter side? Looks like it. I've had mine "cradled" with the point into the sand, but it keeps falling over. Maybe I should put the flat side down on the sand?

 

[JoJosReef]

I definitely need a par meter. I do not know the par they are getting but I am using t5 6bulbs. I have an option to provide them more lights with MH. The DT they will be in is currently lit by metal halide.
I should get a Fatherree's book and take some time to read it through.
Thank you for your kind words and suggestion!

Wow it is such amazing to see its response to PacPods. I do feed phyto everytime when I get new clams but I never knew about feeding pods. Do you only feed pods? what about phyto?

I'm broadcasting only. Phyto (dead, Reef Nutrition) is already in my liquid autofeeder mix, and I was dosing live phyto into the powerhead every few days, too, but just ran out.

 

[JoJosReef]

@minus9 here is my clam today. I note that the mantle spots are a bit more sunken in (given, I came in and found the clam on its side). I put it upright where it was yesteday, but my question is, could I be giving the clam too much light?

 

[Madison Reef]

that looks like my hippopus in terms of openness, it's been that or slightly more. Only 2.5 weeks on mine so far though so no long term knowledge on this batch for me yet.

I'm trying to feed them every day with phyto and reef roids to make them more open and happier. Let's keep this going. I want to know how many clams thrive vs perish.

So are you laying yours down on the flatter side? Looks like it. I've had mine "cradled" with the point into the sand, but it keeps falling over. Maybe I should put the flat side down on the sand?

Yes just like my maxima right next to it. It DID attached to the plate so I suppose it's happy where is at? I am not sure if it would be wise to move it to craddle while in qt but I might consider removing the clam and put them on sand bed. I am not sure because my knowledge on this clam is very limited. I am about to order the book lol.

I'm broadcasting only. Phyto (dead, Reef Nutrition) is already in my liquid autofeeder mix, and I was dosing live phyto into the powerhead every few days, too, but just ran out.

What else is in your liquid autofeeder mix?

 

[JoJosReef]

I'm trying to feed them every day with phyto and reef roids to make them more open and happier. Let's keep this going. I want to know how many clams thrive vs perish.

Yes just like my maxima right next to it. It DID attached to the plate so I suppose it's happy where is at? I am not sure if it would be wise to move it to craddle while in qt but I might consider removing the clam and put them on sand bed. I am not sure because my knowledge on this clam is very limited. I am about to order the book lol.

What else is in your liquid autofeeder mix?

Used to be a blend of PhytoFeast/OysterFeast/PacPods/ArctiPods/ROE, but now it's mostly ROE. I make a tube of 30-35mL ROE + 5mL Oyster Feast + 5mL PhytoFeast, and that lasts a good 4-5 days. I manually add PacPods now. ArctiPods wasn't as big a hit in the tank as PacPods are. Mysis Feast is too big for the doser, kept getting clogged, and the fish seem to prefer the ROE in any case.

 

[minus9]

@minus9 here is my clam today. I note that the mantle spots are a bit more sunken in (given, I came in and found the clam on its side). I put it upright where it was yesteday, but my question is, could I be giving the clam too much light?

That doesn't look good to me. When they're drawn in that much, it's usually not something they recover from. I would love to be wrong and see it recover, but it doesn't look good.

 

[minus9]

I definitely need a par meter. I do not know the par they are getting but I am using t5 6bulbs. I have an option to provide them more lights with MH. The DT they will be in is currently lit by metal halide.
I should get a Fatherree's book and take some time to read it through.
Thank you for your kind words and suggestion!

Wow it is such amazing to see its response to PacPods. I do feed phyto everytime when I get new clams but I never knew about feeding pods. Do you only feed pods? what about phyto?

I don't think you need a par meter, just monitor the growth and all should be fine. White shell on top, good, no white shell, bad.

 

[JoJosReef]

That doesn't look good to me. When they're drawn in that much, it's usually not something they recover from. I would love to be wrong and see it recover, but it doesn't look good.

How about light? There's a spot under that spotlight that's getting up to 500 PAR, and I had it under a mid-400s spot. I can also move it to a high 300s spot. Or lower if needed, but I didn't think they need to be in lower PAR. For best chances of a recovery, how much light would be best?

 

[JoJosReef]

I sat the clam on its flat side. Hopefully will stop falling over.

Dosed some PhytoFeast/OysterFeast and it started pumping. Don't know if I can count that as a plus or not.

 

[Madison Reef]

Used to be a blend of PhytoFeast/OysterFeast/PacPods/ArctiPods/ROE, but now it's mostly ROE. I make a tube of 30-35mL ROE + 5mL Oyster Feast + 5mL PhytoFeast, and that lasts a good 4-5 days. I manually add PacPods now. ArctiPods wasn't as big a hit in the tank as PacPods are. Mysis Feast is too big for the doser, kept getting clogged, and the fish seem to prefer the ROE in any case.

Wow your clams/filter feeders are lucky! I only have pods and phyto from a member on reef2reef.

I don't think you need a par meter, just monitor the growth and all should be fine. White shell on top, good, no white shell, bad.

This is what I do for maxima in DT. I had a baby maxima that grew so fast, I was always able to see white shell on top. Now that it grew a bit, I still see white shell on top but it doesn't grow as fast. Thus, I wanted par meter to monitor exactly the best spot for the clam.

How about light? There's a spot under that spotlight that's getting up to 500 PAR, and I had it under a mid-400s spot. I can also move it to a high 300s spot. Or lower if needed, but I didn't think they need to be in lower PAR. For best chances of a recovery, how much light would be best?

I am talking about maxima, but when above maxima was in qt, I tried to increase par with metal halide after couple days with LED. I posted a thread on reef2reef

New Maxima clam not opening fully. Getting adjusted to new light?

I got a clam 4 days ago on May 27th. It was placed on the bottom of the tank receiving small amount of light from black box light. Its foot attached to frag tile 2 days after, so I moved it up and I set up 150watt double ended metal halide to provide it with more light. It's been 2 days and ever...

www.reef2reef.com

Probably it's the best to not mess with light intensity too rapidly. It survived 45 days qt under blackbox led and it is thriving in dt as of now.
I'm slowing ramping up my t5 everyday this time.

I hope the best for your hippopus. Keep us posted please.

 

[minus9]

Wow your clams/filter feeders are lucky! I only have pods and phyto from a member on reef2reef.

This is what I do for maxima in DT. I had a baby maxima that grew so fast, I was always able to see white shell on top. Now that it grew a bit, I still see white shell on top but it doesn't grow as fast. Thus, I wanted par meter to monitor exactly the best spot for the clam.

I am talking about maxima, but when above maxima was in qt, I tried to increase par with metal halide after couple days with LED. I posted a thread on reef2reef

New Maxima clam not opening fully. Getting adjusted to new light?

I got a clam 4 days ago on May 27th. It was placed on the bottom of the tank receiving small amount of light from black box light. Its foot attached to frag tile 2 days after, so I moved it up and I set up 150watt double ended metal halide to provide it with more light. It's been 2 days and ever...

www.reef2reef.com

Probably it's the best to not mess with light intensity too rapidly. It survived 45 days qt under blackbox led and it is thriving in dt as of now.
I'm slowing ramping up my t5 everyday this time.

I hope the best for your hippopus. Keep us posted please.

Clams grow at different rates throughout their lives, so as long as you see new growth you should be okay.

 

[JoJosReef]

Wish I had something better to report, but I came into the office today and found the hippo laying on its side. Righted it up so that it could get some light. Looking more sunken in than yesterday:

As you can see, the crocea is also laying on its side, and I can't easily move it because it's got byssal threads holding tight to the corner of that rock.

The hippo is still reactive when I target some diluted OysterFeast/PhytoFeast toward it:

But I'm not holding any hope that it will bounce back. Track record not so good--will focus on keeping the crocea alive and well and keep nursing the hippo while I can.

 

[Madison Reef]

Wish I had something better to report, but I came into the office today and found the hippo laying on its side. Righted it up so that it could get some light. Looking more sunken in than yesterday:

As you can see, the crocea is also laying on its side, and I can't easily move it because it's got byssal threads holding tight to the corner of that rock.

The hippo is still reactive when I target some diluted OysterFeast/PhytoFeast toward it:

But I'm not holding any hope that it will bounce back. Track record not so good--will focus on keeping the crocea alive and well and keep nursing the hippo while I can.

I'm so sorry to hear this happened to you. What was date you got this? Mine has been in QT for 7 days now, still not fully opened. Perhaps not a good batch to even begin with? The maxima on the right is doing just fine tho.

 

[dansyr]

Wish I had something better to report, but I came into the office today and found the hippo laying on its side. Righted it up so that it could get some light. Looking more sunken in than yesterday:

As you can see, the crocea is also laying on its side, and I can't easily move it because it's got byssal threads holding tight to the corner of that rock.

The hippo is still reactive when I target some diluted OysterFeast/PhytoFeast toward it:

But I'm not holding any hope that it will bounce back. Track record not so good--will focus on keeping the crocea alive and well and keep nursing the hippo while I can.

ah dude i'm sorry. Waiting and worrying sucks

 

[vetteguy53081]

Wish I had something better to report, but I came into the office today and found the hippo laying on its side. Righted it up so that it could get some light. Looking more sunken in than yesterday:

As you can see, the crocea is also laying on its side, and I can't easily move it because it's got byssal threads holding tight to the corner of that rock.

The hippo is still reactive when I target some diluted OysterFeast/PhytoFeast toward it:

But I'm not holding any hope that it will bounce back. Track record not so good--will focus on keeping the crocea alive and well and keep nursing the hippo while I can.

This clam is unfortunately done and sorry to see

 

[JoJosReef]

This clam is unfortunately done and sorry to see

Yes, I have to wonder if it was destined to end this way (already on the way out) or if there was something more I could have done for it. It wouldn't open all the way from day 1.

Lights - check
Stability - check
Flow - think so
Phyto/other planktonic foods - not required, but check

Maybe overhandling (it kept falling on its side needing to be righted up and wouldn't send out any byssal threads)?

Not placed correctly? I realized late that they seem to like sitting on their flat end and not cradled into substrate.

Too much light? Maybe it really did need more acclimation?

Wish I knew. I will eventually try again, but for now going to focus on the crocea which is now sitting a bit sideways in the high beam area (~425-500 PAR).

 

[vetteguy53081]

Yes, I have to wonder if it was destined to end this way (already on the way out) or if there was something more I could have done for it. It wouldn't open all the way from day 1.

Lights - check
Stability - check
Flow - think so
Phyto/other planktonic foods - not required, but check

Maybe overhandling (it kept falling on its side needing to be righted up and wouldn't send out any byssal threads)?

Not placed correctly? I realized late that they seem to like sitting on their flat end and not cradled into substrate.

Too much light? Maybe it really did need more acclimation?

Wish I knew. I will eventually try again, but for now going to focus on the crocea which is now sitting a bit sideways in the high beam area (~425-500 PAR).

My favorite clam species are crocea and maxima clams for ease of care but they also require more light. Clams generally dont fall down quickly unless something is off with water quality. they can be sensitive specimens. never allow ammonia or nitrates to build up in there setting and its best to perform 20% water changes weekly. Changes in temperature, oxygen levels, pH, or alk will make lams unhappy as well as insufficient lighting which clams need to promote photosynthesisby the zooxanthellae inside their mantle. Without proper light, most clams will starve.
A few numbers to keep in mind with them (ranges) :
Temperature not to exceed 80
Ca not to exceed 450
Ph not to exceed 8.3
Alk not to exceed 11
Salinity best at 1.025
Nitrate not to exceed.8
Moderate water flow
Good lighting

Again - These are ranges and not absolute. If you learn nothing today yet, remember this rule: The more colorful the clam, the more light it requires.

 

[Madison Reef]

My favorite clam species are crocea and maxima clams for ease of care but they also require more light. Clams generally dont fall down quickly unless something is off with water quality. they can be sensitive specimens. never allow ammonia or nitrates to build up in there setting and its best to perform 20% water changes weekly. Changes in temperature, oxygen levels, pH, or alk will make lams unhappy as well as insufficient lighting which clams need to promote photosynthesisby the zooxanthellae inside their mantle. Without proper light, most clams will starve.
A few numbers to keep in mind with them (ranges) :
Temperature not to exceed 80
Ca not to exceed 450
Ph not to exceed 8.3
Alk not to exceed 11
Salinity best at 1.025
Nitrate not to exceed.8
Moderate water flow
Good lighting

Again - These are ranges and not absolute. If you learn nothing today yet, remember this rule: The more colorful the clam, the more light it requires.

Hi vetteguy53081, thank you for your wisdom and advice. It's very nice of you that you are always willing to help others.
So I understand "clams generally dont fall down quickly" but for this batch of hippopus clams, I lost one of two hippopus overnight. The water parameter is not off, I have maxima doing fine and other sps corals in that qt as well.
Could it be shipping stress? Do small clams handle and survive well with the shipping stress?

Another time I placed 3 clams from petco (supposedly dropped shipped from ORA but it came in cold). They all died within couple days. Again water parameter was fine. I did not mess with lighting this time. Any potential reason or reasons why this might have happened?