Reactivity to light?

[clown and friends]

Always wondered if this was actually a good test for whether a clam is healthy or not. Any consensus? I have two clams sitting next to each other (maxima and crocea) and they're both wide open but the crocea reacts quickly and strongly to light and the maxima barely at all. Is this a sign the maxima isn't doing well or is that just a myth?

 

[DSC reef]

It's not a sign of death, clams can get used to shadows, fish swimming, ect, while being in the tank. Our large squamosa would not even react to the lights coming on or going off. New shell growth is what I would look for to determine the health of a clam.

 

[clown and friends]

Welp, the maxima clam that wasn't reactive to light bit the dust this morning...I am worried the crocea is next though it still looks good and is reactive. The maxima looked okay before going to bed last night and looks like the picture now (expensive snack for the CUC). I had it 2 months to the day. I made a change last monday in lighting from a hydra 26 to an XR 30 gen 4 pro so I am wondering if it is maybe light shock. However, I put it on acclimation mode and everything else in the tank looks great. I did a water change last night but I do those all the time so it would surprise me if that did it. Parameters are as follows:
Salinity 1.024
Alk 9.2
Ca: 430
Mg: 1350
NO3: 5 ppm

Any thoughts???

 

[Phycodurus]

sorry to hear about the loss. (>__<)’

any hint of new shell growth within the two month span?

do you run activated carbon regularly?

 

[clown and friends]

sorry to hear about the loss. (>__<)’

any hint of new shell growth within the two month span?

do you run activated carbon regularly?

Not much in the way of new shell growth. When I got them they both had signs of it but none new on either now including the one that is still alive. This was actually one of my motivations for getting the new light cause I was worried they were slowly light starving which I am starting to suspect is what happened. Below are pics of the crocea before the lights came on and after. Pretty clear there is no new growth on the shell.

As for activated carbon I do run it and change it usually monthly or so. Did you ask in case of PMD?

 

[Joel B.]

Inclined to agree not enough light, esp maximas sitting at the bottom of the tank.

 

[Joel B.]

Duplicate

 

[Joel B.]

Duplicate

 

[clown and friends]

Inclined to agree not enough light, esp maximas sitting at the bottom of the tank.

My tank is only 12" (innovative marine lagoon 25) deep so I didn't think the sand would be an issue but I guess so. Should I move the crocea that is leftup the rock work? If so how do I get it to detach? I think it has attached to the bottom glass.

 

[reef lover]

I would wait to see how it reacts once the lights arw at peak. Might be ok down there being that shallow. If needed to be removed cut byssal threads as close to the glass as possible and i would let him attatch to an appropriate shaped rock and then move him up the rockwork slowly.

 

[clown and friends]

I would wait to see how it reacts once the lights arw at peak. Might be ok down there being that shallow. If needed to be removed cut byssal threads as close to the glass as possible and i would let him attatch to an appropriate shaped rock and then move him up the rockwork slowly.

Thank you for the reply. I will see how it is doing after it hits the peak. On another note how often should I see new growth? I know crocea's are reallllllly slow growers in general

 

[clown and friends]

Just wanted to update everyone, after getting the new light I see new shell growth on the remaining clam from the original purchase!! Hallelujah

As a result I may have bought two more lol might have an addiction.