Maxima Clam - Expelled Foot/Byssal Threads?!?

minus9 · Oct 25, 2022

Chee-tomorpha said:
I am watching something I've never seen before happening and don't know what to do or what it is!

Is the tongue thing the clams foot? If so, can the clam upright itself? Or should I intervene?

It’s trying to right itself, so give it a hand.

Chee-tomorpha · Oct 25, 2022

minus9 said:
It’s trying to right itself, so give it a hand.

I helped it back onto the rock edge it was attached to prior to it bailing. It keeps moving though. Should I wait and see where it goes?

Maxima clams prefer rock vs sand right? Not sure it it got kicked off by the snail but it moved off the rock I placed it on an hour ago and is back on the sand.

minus9 · Oct 26, 2022

I would find a place in the rock work that has a crevice that the clam can snuggle into, which will cradle it and give it a better opportunity to attach and bore in a little. How is the flow in the area where you put it? If it’s constant, then it’s probably trying to find a better place. They usually align themselves to be parallel with the flow, as this will keep the mantle even and wide open. If the mantle is being pinned back or constantly flipped up, then it’s going to find a better place. And yes, other tank inhabitants can knock them off, which why they need a suitable/secure place to attach to. You can keep them on the sand if they have a solid piece of rock to attach to and you can provide enough light at that depth? In nature, maximas and croceas (and noae) are found on solid rock/structures, even within coral colonies. Only the “big” clams reside/prefer sand or flat areas of the reef.

Chee-tomorpha · Oct 26, 2022

So I came home to the clam about 8" from where I had it last. Surprisingly it was parallel with the flow in that spot!

However it was sitting on the sand and getting knocked down by passing snails and hermits. So I took an old Rick housing my dead Rainbow Goniopora, dug out a crevice and placed the clam into it. Placed some clumped sand to keep it snug.

The flow here is random, I'll have to monitor it to see how it likes it or if it tries to move out of the crevice.

Does this stress out the clam? I'm afraid it'll stress out by me moving it so much. Hate to lose this one since it's blues look to be intense when fully open.

minus9 · Oct 27, 2022

Try to keep moving it to a minimum, but hopefully it’ll settle down soon? As long as it’s getting enough light, it should be fine.

vetteguy53081 · Oct 27, 2022

Chee-tomorpha said:
So I came home to the clam about 8" from where I had it last. Surprisingly it was parallel with the flow in that spot!

However it was sitting on the sand and getting knocked down by passing snails and hermits. So I took an old Rick housing my dead Rainbow Goniopora, dug out a crevice and placed the clam into it. Placed some clumped sand to keep it snug.

The flow here is random, I'll have to monitor it to see how it likes it or if it tries to move out of the crevice.

Does this stress out the clam? I'm afraid it'll stress out by me moving it so much. Hate to lose this one since it's blues look to be intense when fully open.

This clam is too deep in the pocket of the rock. I assume you have the light brighter during the day ?
They need good lighting and medium flow as lighting helps zooxanthellae production and photocells and flow to deliver food and keep debris off of them.

minus9 · Oct 27, 2022

vetteguy53081 said:
This clam is too deep in the pocket of the rock. I assume you have the light brighter during the day ?
They need good lighting and medium flow as lighting helps zooxanthellae production and photocells and flow to deliver food and keep debris off of them.

I agree with you on the lighting, but maximas are found half buried (bored) in rock, so its position within the rock/crevice is perfectly fine. As long as the clam has free range of motion and can extend its mantle completely, it's perfectly fine.

vetteguy53081 · Oct 27, 2022

minus9 said:
I agree with you on the lighting, but maximas are found half buried (bored) in rock, so its position within the rock/crevice is perfectly fine. As long as the clam has free range of motion and can extend its mantle completely, it's perfectly fine.

Free range- Yes. Pic was dark but seemed wedged in there

minus9 · Oct 27, 2022

vetteguy53081 said:
Free range- Yes. Pic was dark but seemed wedged in there

Yeah, the heavy blue pics are always hard to see the details, especially when I’m on my phone.

Chee-tomorpha · Oct 27, 2022

Sorry for the blue pics. As for light, the spot is probably the brightest spot at the bottom, center of the AP700. The fixture is at 30% power.

It keeps moving around or getting moved in the crevice. I repositioned it again today and has a gap under it's foot. Doesn't seem happy and not opening fully.

But it seems to have this fleshy extension at the bottom. It extended it's foot to feel around a few times and hasn't moved from the spot in over an hour. Does it look happy?

minus9 · Oct 27, 2022

So a couple of things, I wouldn’t keep moving the clam, but you’re going to have to find a better place with higher light. I know you had it higher in the rocks, right? 30% isn’t going to cut it, even if that was only in a couple inches of water, that’s not enough light. Judging by the lack of new shell growth, the clam isn’t getting enough light. At that size, you should see a pretty large growth area at the top of the shell. The byssal organ is trying to find a suitable place to attach to, so it’s going to keep searching until it’s satisfied. Regardless of where it resides, it simply isn’t getting enough light period and without sufficient light, it’s not going to be a promising outcome. I would beg, borrow or steal a par meter (don’t actually steal it, but you get my urgency) and map your tank ASAP. It’s starving, so you need to feed it light and lots of it.

Chee-tomorpha · Oct 28, 2022

I don't know what the PAR is at the bottom since I've never put a PAR meter to it. But this AP700 is over powered for this tank and at 30% I get good growth for acros from the top to middle and zoa/goni from the bottom to middle. 40% or above starts to bleach the acros and everything closes up including the LPS at the bottom.

Also the clam is a new addition. It's on it's third week in the tank. The mantle is a lot more colorful from when I received it. I hope it's a good indicator. I had tack a small amount of glue to the side of the shell to lock it down for the first two weeks and it attached to the spot it was on.

I decided to remove the glue this week and in doing so, I must have disturbed it too much as immediately abandoned the attachment.

At the time of this response. It still hasn't opened up much. Will keep an eye on it tomorrow and avoid touching it again.

I am hoping it takes a liking to this spot though as it hasn't moved away from it. Also the spot sits off-center from one of the LEDs of the AP700. I am also hoping the light overlap from the twin lamps will get more PAR down to the bottom as well.

minus9 · Oct 28, 2022

Chee-tomorpha said:
I don't know what the PAR is at the bottom since I've never put a PAR meter to it. But this AP700 is over powered for this tank and at 30% I get good growth for acros from the top to middle and zoa/goni from the bottom to middle. 40% or above starts to bleach the acros and everything closes up including the LPS at the bottom.

Also the clam is a new addition. It's on it's third week in the tank. The mantle is a lot more colorful from when I received it. I hope it's a good indicator. I had tack a small amount of glue to the side of the shell to lock it down for the first two weeks and it attached to the spot it was on.

I decided to remove the glue this week and in doing so, I must have disturbed it too much as immediately abandoned the attachment.

At the time of this response. It still hasn't opened up much. Will keep an eye on it tomorrow and avoid touching it again.

I am hoping it takes a liking to this spot though as it hasn't moved away from it. Also the spot sits off-center from one of the LEDs of the AP700. I am also hoping the light overlap from the twin lamps will get more PAR down to the bottom as well.

I had two AP700’s over my tank and they’re great lights, so I would allow the clam to attach to its current rock, then move that rock where the acropora reside and then you’ll know you have enough light for it. Also, what are your P and N levels? I find that corals bleach in low nutrient tanks much faster than slightly elevated levels.

Chee-tomorpha · Oct 28, 2022

I'll have to check them tomorrow and get back to you. The last time I tested was over two weeks ago.

minus9 · Oct 28, 2022

There seems to be a lot of spaces on the upper rockwork for the clam to attach to based on your pic. Make sure the clam is going with the flow (parallel to the gyres) and you can even set it next to one of your frags.

Chee-tomorpha · Oct 28, 2022

This is my parameters as measured using Red sea test kits.

Chee-tomorpha · Oct 28, 2022

Looks like it may have found a spot it likes. It has turned itself around a little but has settled in this spot since this morning and its mantle is extended out fully with visibility to the hole in front between the mantle.

Good sign right?

minus9 · Oct 28, 2022

Let it settle where it is and hopefully you can provide enough light? I would also bump up your N&P.

Chee-tomorpha · Oct 28, 2022

minus9 said:
Let it settle where it is and hopefully you can provide enough light? I would also bump up your N&P.

I had a NOPOX forward siphon happen at the beginning of this month. I have slowly increased both.

What would be a safe level for each?

Shirak · Oct 28, 2022

Your nitrate and phosphate are low. Have you watched the brs video on that lamp? Great info to get an estimate of par. How far off the water is your light and distance to the sand bed?