New clam question

[Maho.B]

Hey guys, wondering if any of you with clams could help answer a question. I just picked up a maxima clam from my LFS. It's about an inch and a half long. The store has had it for four weeks and it looks super healthy. They kept it in 350 par I'm the store. I live just 15 minutes from them. Question, do I need to acclimate it in lower light like everything online recommends? Or is that when they are shipped in dark for a day? Seems strange to take something out of 350 par and put it in lower light, maybe I'm wrong though, looking for advice. Thanks

 

[Tahoe61]

No you acclimate to higher lighting, not going to lower lighting.

Congrats on your new clam.

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

I wouldn’t if matching the PAR. 15 min ride home is like a real cloudy day. Good luck and post it up when it’s open.

 

[Maho.B]

Exactly what I was thinking, appreciate your input. Pic will come soon!

 

[rhitee93]

I agree with the others. Just put it on it's final lighting location. Love to see a pic when you get it home.

 

[BryanM]

Yeah, I would just try to match, that’s a quick trip

 

[Maho.B]

Acclimated and in his new home. Picture kinda sucks (I really need to figure out photography) but he's opening up some and I thought I'd share. You have to zoom in to see it, It looks amazing in person!

 

[BryanM]

Hmm, I never would have thought to have him so high.

As for photos, get an orphek orange filter for the cell phone - does wonders!

 

[Maho.B]

Orpheck filter, will do. When I mapped out PAR in my tank, that perch I put it on reads between 340 and 350 so hopefully it's a good spot given that's what it was in at the LFS. I have more flow then they did though, we'll see how he adjust.

 

[rhitee93]

My little Maxima is up high like that and has done well for a year now. I measured 380par with my SenEye at peak light level.

 

[Maho.B]

That's great to hear. I don't have the orange filter yet but tried adjusting my phone camera settings and got a little better pic of the new guy!

 

[Maho.B]

By the way Rhitee93 that's a cool eel!

 

[rhitee93]

By the way Rhitee93 that's a cool eel!

Thanks! I've had it a little over a year now. It's a bit of a bull in a china shop and the biggest problem I've had with the Maxima. I've had some issues with it knocking the clam off the rock when it's out hunting at night.

Your clam is a beaut. I like that light blue. Here is mine from the top down. It's all dark blues.

I've got a big derasa on the sand and got lucky with a Sunbeam hitting the tank a few weeks ago...

 

[Maho.B]

Nice shot with the sunlight!!! Derasa on the sanded is definitely next for me, just haven't been able to find any at my LFS. I can only imagine what that eel can displace when snooping around! We just got back from a trip to the Caymans and while snorkeling a reef saw a 5-6 foot green moray eel...was amazing. Our charter captain said it's been his territory for a couple years now and when barracuda come in to close the eel chases them away.

 

[Maho.B]

Hello. After a week in the spot I originally placed my new clam, I was surprised to see it moved over night and "jumped" down to the rock ledge just below, about 2-3 inches. I left it there and it is fully expanding it's mantle and looks great, seems to be attaching to the new spot. My question, the new spot has about a 1/4 if it's mantle shaded by the rock ledge above. Is this okay? If it's happy there and is your to stay, is the shading of part of it going to be an issue or are they "smart" enough to know the spot their in is adequate for their health. Thanks.

 

[rhitee93]

If it is attaching, I think I'd leave it alone and see what happens. If you don't see a bright white growth line in a month, you may need to intervene.

 

[Maho.B]

Great, thank you that sounds like a good plan.

 

[Maho.B]

If it is attaching, I think I'd leave it alone and see what happens. If you don't see a bright white growth line in a month, you may need to intervene.

By the way, do you feed anything specific for your clams, like phyto or anything? I currently use oyster feast and roti feast a couple times a week for my corals, maybe the clam can benefit from that as well?

 

[rhitee93]

I do not intentionally feed my clams anything.

My nitrates run around 30ppm and my phosphates around 0.18ppm which are on the high side of fashionable these days. I've seen some opinions that clams may like higher nutrients, but I don't know if it is true. I don't keep the tank at those levels for the clams, that just happens to be where the system seems stable.

Here is a pic of how much my derasa has grown since July. That is about 3/4" of new shell.

 

[Maho.B]

Thank you so much for the detailed info and the pic! My phosphate runs pretty steady around 0.1 to 0.13 lately, but I couldn't keep Nitrate up so started dosing ammonium bicarbonate a little over a week ago and it's starting to come up a bit now. Love the Derasa BTW!