My New Maxima's Health Assessment?

[MrSkumfrog]

I've never owned a Clam, so I don't know what to expect or how long they take to adjust.

My system is a 21" Tall, 2year old SPS illuminated via 250w MH and T5s. My SPS are doing fine. The clam is a Maxima 5-6". I've had it for 2 weeks. The Mantle doesn't extend very far. I tried a different location with no luck. The clam does react to shadows. Any advice?

 

[4FordFamily]

I've never owned a Clam, so I don't know what to expect or how long they take to adjust.

My system is a 21" Tall, 2year old SPS illuminated via 250w MH and T5s. My SPS are doing fine. The clam is a Maxima 5-6". I've had it for 2 weeks. The Mantle doesn't extend very far. I tried a different location with no luck. The clam does react to shadows. Any advice?

So I hope I am wrong but I bought two clams about 8 months ago and they did this and died in a couple weeks. I had clams in the same system a year prior that thrived mantles open all the way all the time. It's not unusual for clams to take a few days to open up but this is not a good sign after a few weeks. Have you done a nitrate specific test? (Not the all in one test strip garbage)

Clams don't well handle high nitrates in my experience.

Above 4-5" these guys seem to be hardiest but that doesn't sound good. Some irritant must exist. You should post the rest of your water parameters as well:

 

[reefbeard]

Check for Pyramid snails around the byssal opening and around the edges of the mantle. They are hard to see because of their size and you will have to remove the clam from the water for close inspection. It doesn't take many to irrate the clam enough that it will not open completely.

 

[Eckolancer]

Following as I had one clam just die but he never opened up fully since I got him. 2 others in the tank have opened up fully since day one but my4th one is not fully opening yet but still alive. Trying to figure out what is going on as well.

 

[steve&mari]

2nd the snails or another pest bugging it to almost death. Shouldn't take long for it to open up fully. Ones we've had open within hours if not sooner. Was it transferred properly n acclimated properly. Trapped air will cause them to wither and die.

 

[MrSkumfrog]

Parameters
Calcium ~450
Alk 7.7-8.0 (it's a low nutrient system with carbon dosing)
Phosphates 0 (Hanna Checker)
Nitrates 0-1
Ive not seen fish attack the clam.

 

[steve&mari]

Might not be a fish. Was it kept underwater when transferred from bag to aquarium. They shouldn't be exposed to air it becomes trapped and can cause death of it. It won't open because it's unhappy with the air inside it. Not saying that's the case just another possibility. Tiny pyramid snails don't take many to harm it and be a problem.