Maxima clam cleaning help!

[faiz_latif]

Hey guys I have a maxima here who’s getting covered in sponge. Is it okay to regularly clean their shell? The sponge is getting quite thick I’m worried it’ll bother him down the road, let me know what yall think :) I have scrubbed him clean once before but it comes back really fast which is why I’m asking. (Should be visible in pics) I used a toothbrush but noticed he wiggled a bunch after I cleaned him so don’t wanna keep disturbing it.

 

[minus9]

Is it attached to a rock and where is the sponge coming from, the clam shell or the attached rock? Pull the clam completely out of water and brush the sponge using RO water. Hopefully the brush combined with RO will kill the sponge.