Is my clam slowly dying?

ekandler

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Got this maxima about a month ago. It’s my first clam and I have a thriving mixed reef, so I thought I’d be okay to give it a shot. Seems like over the past month he’s been opening less and less, two pictures attached are first day I got him and a few days ago when he was most open.

I do regular ICP tests and happened to do one last week, results are here. I read the sticky post on clam care and only thing that caught my attention was desire for 0 nitrates. I currently am struggling with 0 nitrates and trying to elevate them, I thought that could have been the problem but maybe not?

it is in the sand bed, so maybe PAR? I have 2 XR30s over a 4 ft tank at 45% intensity. Should be about 180-200 PAR in the sand, but I’m in the process of increasing with an acclimation period.

any thoughts?

as a side, I was really happy with my clam mania experience and highly recommend them.

C9DD0D46-85D0-42D5-9777-07D3264E2919.jpeg 515B03B1-2278-4AD8-8B3E-1F714400B967.jpeg
 

Dburr1014

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Got this maxima about a month ago. It’s my first clam and I have a thriving mixed reef, so I thought I’d be okay to give it a shot. Seems like over the past month he’s been opening less and less, two pictures attached are first day I got him and a few days ago when he was most open.

I do regular ICP tests and happened to do one last week, results are here. I read the sticky post on clam care and only thing that caught my attention was desire for 0 nitrates. I currently am struggling with 0 nitrates and trying to elevate them, I thought that could have been the problem but maybe not?

it is in the sand bed, so maybe PAR? I have 2 XR30s over a 4 ft tank at 45% intensity. Should be about 180-200 PAR in the sand, but I’m in the process of increasing with an acclimation period.

any thoughts?

as a side, I was really happy with my clam mania experience and highly recommend them.

C9DD0D46-85D0-42D5-9777-07D3264E2919.jpeg 515B03B1-2278-4AD8-8B3E-1F714400B967.jpeg
Yes, get that clam out of the sand.
Maxima clams attach to rock. They bore in them(melt the rock). While you pick it up, check for pyramid snails. They are small and conical, look like grains of rice. They also will kill a clam.
Place it on a flat rock, it should attach within a day. Make sure it doesn't topple. If you have a bowl shaped rock, perfect.
I have kept one in about 250 par but others here will say not enough. That should be your minimum par to shoot for.
 
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ekandler

ekandler

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par is not enough, it should be 300+. Maxima should be on a rock, its a rock boring clam.
Interesting. I was under the impression clams either wanted to be on rocks or in the sand, so I asked that question when I got him but the clam mania guy said sand was fine.

well, I don’t have much space on my rock work ha so I guess I’ll try to find somewhere to put him higher
 
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ekandler

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Yes, get that clam out of the sand.
Maxima clams attach to rock. They bore in them(melt the rock). While you pick it up, check for pyramid snails. They are small and conical, look like grains of rice. They also will kill a clam.
Place it on a flat rock, it should attach within a day. Make sure it doesn't topple. If you have a bowl shaped rock, perfect.
I have kept one in about 250 par but others here will say not enough. That should be your minimum par to shoot for.
Well, as the second person to point that out it’s annoying the guy I got it from didn’t tell me that ha but okay, I’ll work on that. I’m in the process of trying to increase the PAR in my tank overall, so maybe I can put him back down in the sand eventually, but I’ll elevate him for now.

Just don’t have much space on my rock, I bought him to go in that place in the sand so now not really sure what to do.
 

Dburr1014

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Well, as the second person to point that out it’s annoying the guy I got it from didn’t tell me that ha but okay, I’ll work on that. I’m in the process of trying to increase the PAR in my tank overall, so maybe I can put him back down in the sand eventually, but I’ll elevate him for now.

Just don’t have much space on my rock, I bought him to go in that place in the sand so now not really sure what to do.
If you want it on the sand put it on a rock.
Simple.
The sand will irritate the clam. It gets in between the shell and will kill it.
 
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ekandler

ekandler

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Just moved a rock to sit it on. Hopefully this helps but you can see how open (or not) it is.
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Miami Reef

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Stick the clam all the way up. No need to acclimate maxima clams to light in most cases IMO. The sooner the better. Maximas need more light than acropora.
 

FishOkay

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Imo I wouldn't have said it being on the sand bed is the problem many people successfully keep maximas on the sandbed myself included. I could be wrong but I thought it was only croceas that were rock boring clams maximas dont bore in to the rock. I agree lighting though probably isn't sufficient at 180 - 200 par
 

FishOkay

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I was half right lol

"This muscular foot slowly burrows into the reef at the place where the clam settled during its larval stage. These clams do not burrow in captivity. Because they do not burrow when tiny, they wont do it at all, and will use their byssus (foot) to attach to hard surfaces"

&

They occur on limestone substrates, coral rubble, or on top of living corals. When they are very tiny, just settling into a reef, they will chemically borrow and make a small divot that their shells fit in perfectly. They will have bored themselves slightly into the coral rock or substrate on which they sit and will be firmly attached by their byssus glands. They lose their desire to burrow, however, when raised in captivity, and only use their byssus (foot) to attach to hard surfaces.

My source
 

minus9

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There’s barely any new shell growth so your clam is starving (for light). Crocea, maxima and noae are generally not found on sand in nature, but embedded within rock or coral. They need a nice solid structure to attach to and slowly bite into. Maxima and noae usually don’t bore a deep as crocea, but I saw a bunch of maximas in Tahiti that were only showing the upper margins of the shell and the mantle, the rest of the animal was bored into the coral and rock. They all need lots of full spectrum, intense lighting, crocea needing the most. Now that you have a solid piece of rock under the clam, move it up at least 6” higher in the rock, then each week move it up a little bit until it’s at the top. It needs at least 8hrs of intense lighting a day and if you’re not seeing new shell growth (white upper margins of the shell) soon, then you’re not providing it with enough light.
I works also recommend that you buy James Fatherree’s new book if you’re going to keep clams.
 
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ekandler

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I made some room higher on my rock and placed the clam higher, but as soon as it opened it rolled over some. It’s not the best base, it’s a thin piece of branch rock, so I need to figure out a way to give it a good base.

I’m assuming gluing the small pebble it’s foot is attached to onto the rock would be a bad idea? It’s a really small piece of rubble, maybe 1/4” round, so I’m afraid if I try putting glue down it’ll get on the foot. I could also glue down a frag tile but i don’t know if that’s good for the clam. I can try gluing another Piece of rubble up there too.

Any suggestions on keeping the clam stable up on the rock?
 

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Miami Reef

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Don’t glue the foot. Glue the side of the clam to the rock. They will stay put this way. All my 7 clams are mounted with glue because if not they will keep falling.

edit. don’t do this. That was bad advice.
 
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Miami Reef

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You don't have a flat or cup shaped rock?
IMO, don't glue at all. They move to light, current, whatever. They can shift and when the foot is attached, they won't fall.
I agree that is most ideal, but my clams kept falling until I glued them because my flow is very strong. As long as they are positioned up they should do fine IMO.

Of course, if you can avoid the glue all together, that’s great!
 

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Never glue a clam via its byssal opening or shell! Just go to your LFS and look for a piece that’s slightly concave and put the clam on it. Branch rock isn’t going to cut it for clams, they are found on sturdy solid rock or within a coral colony. Only the larger species are found on sand or flat areas of the reef.
If a clam is being blown off a rock because of flow, it doesn’t belong there.
 

Miami Reef

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Never glue a clam via its byssal opening or shell! Just go to your LFS and look for a piece that’s slightly concave and put the clam on it. Branch rock isn’t going to cut it for clams, they are found on sturdy solid rock or within a coral colony. Only the larger species are found on sand or flat areas of the reef.
If a clam is being blown off a rock because of flow, it doesn’t belong there.
Explain why you can’t glue a clam by the side of its shell? Clams need to be up top and adult clams won‘t attach with their foot.

A quick sure fire way to kill a clam is by having it fall down every time.
 

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