New maxima clam

[Dr RBG]

New maxima clam. About 2.5 inches.

Right now it is on the clam bed which is large particle sand. the tank is about 2 feet high wit aqua illumination lights Do they need to be on rock?

Should it be moved higher up?

Could it be placed a few inches from a hammer coral?

Thanks

 

[PicassoClown04]

New maxima clam. About 2.5 inches.

Right now it is on the clam bed which is large particle sand. the tank is about 2 feet high wit aqua illumination lights Do they need to be on rock?

Should it be moved higher up?

Could it be placed a few inches from a hammer coral?

Thanks

I’d scoot it away from any potentially harmful corals, they do not need to be on a rock but that is preferred because I’ve had clams attach through the sand to my bottom glass and they also tend to fall over without a rock, their natural environment is embedded in the rocks. Is it a very blue maxima or more brown? Keep the blue ones in high light so they retain their color

 

[Dr RBG]

BLUE

 

[PicassoClown04]

BLUE

Then definitely keep it very well lit! I’ve gone diving in Thailand and the Red Sea where you see maximas naturally, the ones in 10 ft of water and above are very blue whereas the ones deeper than that are mostly brown. Once a clam is brown, i don’t think it can revert back to blue so keep it lit!! Keep it away from anything potentially harmful (like stinging euphyllia and anemones) and make sure it’s got a nice place to wedge it’s foot. I saw some nice clam cradles on algae barn the other day, those are perfect if you’d like to keep it on the sand bed

 

[Dr RBG]

Thanks that is really helpful. I have 2 spots that would work. One is near a rock anemone and the other some goniporia. If needed how I move the anemone. The coral could be easier. :)

 

[DHill6]

New maxima clam. About 2.5 inches.

Right now it is on the clam bed which is large particle sand. the tank is about 2 feet high wit aqua illumination lights Do they need to be on rock?

Should it be moved higher up?

Could it be placed a few inches from a hammer coral?

Thanks

Suggestion on clam cradle. I have a mimosa clam, when I first received it I placed in on a clam hammock. It couldn’t open up the way it wanted to, the clam did not like it. To get around the clam attaching itself I made a flat piece of Marco cement, placed the clam on it and haven’t had a problem since. I can move it when needed. If the clam out grows it, I’ll make a larger piece and glue this one on top, remedy for clam placement. Clam is on the bottom of a BB tank.

 

[PicassoClown04]

Thanks that is really helpful. I have 2 spots that would work. One is near a rock anemone and the other some goniporia. If needed how I move the anemone. The coral could be easier. :)

If the rock anemone is only touching the shell, you should not have a problem. I have had RBTA living on the shell of massive gigas clams with no issue. Just do NOT let anything touch the mantle

 

[OrionN]

New maxima clam. About 2.5 inches.

Right now it is on the clam bed which is large particle sand. the tank is about 2 feet high wit aqua illumination lights Do they need to be on rock?

Should it be moved higher up?

Could it be placed a few inches from a hammer coral?

Thanks

Then definitely keep it very well lit! I’ve gone diving in Thailand and the Red Sea where you see maximas naturally, the ones in 10 ft of water and above are very blue whereas the ones deeper than that are mostly brown. Once a clam is brown, i don’t think it can revert back to blue so keep it lit!! Keep it away from anything potentially harmful (like stinging euphyllia and anemones) and make sure it’s got a nice place to wedge it’s foot. I saw some nice clam cradles on algae barn the other day, those are perfect if you’d like to keep it on the sand bed

Maxima are light hogs and can do well and looks their best with a lot of light. It is unlikely that a usual Reef Tank can provide too much light for a Maxima. Of course they need to adapt to the new light level if it is a great increase from before.
Colors from clams come from 2 general group. The golden brown color in the tissue are from the zooxanthellae, unless the clam completely bleached, then there is no color, just milky whitist tissue in bleached clams. Normally, the color is lighter in very high light to much darker gold brown in low light. This is because the density of the Zooxanthellae is lower in very bright light and higher in low light. When light is too low, then the zooxanthellae cannot live, then the clam bleached.
The other source of color om the clam mantles are the pigments which result in the pattern and other colors of the clams. It is though that these pigments are use by the clam to protect the zooxanthellae from excessive light. These pattern and colors are genetic base, and does not change. Blue clam stays blue and brown clam stays brown. These change will lighten when the clam is in poor health, also with not enough light, these color will fade, only to return when the clam return to optimal health and with good light. IMO, the color of the Maxima does not dictate how much light they should get. Rather, it is the zooxanthellae population of the clam is what determine the light requirement. The thing is that each clam have a numbers of different species and strains of zooxanthellae. Which population dominate depends of the amount of light. That is why clams can adapt from lower to higher amount of light and continue to grow well. Their zooxanthellae population just change.

Here is a picture of my Maxima (and three Crocea). Regarding the Blue Maxima, the Blue and White coloration of the Maxima are genetic base, while the brown coloration in between is non genetic base, but have to do with the zooxanthellae population. The black or dark brown spots on the edge of the mantle is the "eye spots" which is a feature that can be use to ID Maxima.

 

[Dr RBG]

Great info, I moved him about 12 inches toward the light on a nice shelf. I put a cage (small deep fryer basket over him so he doesn't jump. I will give him a day or 2 to attach. He does look more open than before. Thanks again for the support.

 

[Dr RBG]

pictures

 

[PicassoClown04]

Looks good!! Not sure if that cage is reef safe tho, may have heavy metals. I melt holes into a plastic cup, has worked great no issues. Like this

 

[OrionN]

Make sure that metal basket does not have nay brass or copper in it. I would not have put a metal basket in salt water unless it is Titanium, which is highly unlikely.

 

[Dr RBG]

will get the cage out thanks

 

[Dr RBG]

picture

 

[PicassoClown04]

picture

Beautiful clam! Make sure that hammer stays far enough away from it as it grows