Small Maxima

TonyT · Jun 20, 2011

I just got a small blue maxima about 1 1/2". I have never had one quiet this small and have heard that they need to be fed to keep them alive. Was told this is more important than lighting at this early stage. Now for my questions:

1. What should I feed it?

2. How often should I feed it?

3. How much should I feed it?

Thanks

reefkoi · Jun 21, 2011

1. nothing

2. never

3. none.

Seriously this is a myth that started on RC or some forum LOL read any book on clams or talk to anyone that has kept small clams and not fed them and you'll find thats all just BS :)

I sell hundreds of little clams per year, I never feed mine anything but light and I have probably 50 of them here now, rarely ever lose one and never see any sign that they need anything but light.

C

skinz78 · Jun 21, 2011

reefkoi said:
1. nothing

2. never

3. none.

Seriously this is a myth that started on RC or some forum LOL read any book on clams or talk to anyone that has kept small clams and not fed them and you'll find thats all just BS :)

I sell hundreds of little clams per year, I never feed mine anything but light and I have probably 50 of them here now, rarely ever lose one and never see any sign that they need anything but light.

C

I agree 1000000000 percent!!!! LOL I couldn't have said it any better myself!

Honestly I think the whole problem with small Maxima's is getting them to stay in a spot they like. Moving them around very much is super stressful on them and it seems that if they move people insist on placing them where they want them to be rather than where the clam wants to be.

TonyT · Jun 21, 2011

I had read that on RC and several other places. Just wanted to make sure. This guy is a beauty and dont wanna see it perish because I dont care for it properly. Right now I have it on my frag rack at the top of my 120 that is lit with 2 250 14K MH. Should I leave it there or move it down? Seems to like the spot for now. Thanks for the advice.

bsagea · Jun 21, 2011

With a clam that small - mainly 2" or less, you need to feed the tank with phytoplankton a couple times a week. They filter this in the ocean and do need it for survival as well as the high lighting. Our tanks are fed a couple times a week and we currently have 30 clams between our two tanks ranging in size from 1 3/4" - 6". I would never attempt to feed the clam directly as some say to do by placing it in a container with phyto. This will cause a great deal of unnecessary stress on the animal.
With regards to location, if he does not open fully each day, he may be adjusting to the light. If he was not under MH, he may need to adjust to them gradually.
Good luck with your new acquisition. I'm sure all would love to see a pic!

elegant_reefer · Jun 21, 2011

Calcium nom nom nom

engineeronh2o · Jun 21, 2011

I have purchased a couple tiny maximas. I have placed them in the sand bed with a rock below for them to attach their foot too. Keeps them upright and stable and that means they will be happy as a clam.

xgame2k · Jun 21, 2011

i vote "light only".

skinz78 · Jun 21, 2011

I've never seen my clams do any better or worse with or without the addition of Phyto. I quit wasting my money on it a long time ago.

bsagea · Jun 22, 2011

More thoughts on the subject - an excerpt from the attached link.
"The colorful, fleshy part of Tridacna clams that is displayed when the shell is open is called the 'syphonal mantle.' This mantle contains both an incurrent (intake) and an expelling orifice (opening). The clams use these openings to move water through their internal organs, where nutrients and plankton are filtered out and consumed by the clam."
Discover the Beauty and Benefits of Giant Clams (Tridacna maxima, crocea, squamosa, derasa)
You need to do what works best for you.

reefkoi · Jun 22, 2011

Our tanks produce enough micro algae for them but hey buying phyto certainly isn't gonna hurt em just don't think it's needed to keep them alive. I'll tell you what I personally heard a guy that works for probably the largest producer and seller of phyto say clams get 95% of what they need from light. So the other 5% they filter and it's gotta be small particle size like micro! Anyway I won't beat a dead horse but I think about 95% of the people on RC that post about feeding clams are speaking from lack of experience or knowledge or both :)

skinz78 · Jun 22, 2011

I agree, find whatever works for you and run with it. I am convinced that when I scrape my glass "every 2 days" I release a pretty wide variety of sized pieces of microalgae's from the surface of the glass. And FWIW I remember back in the day when the clam feeding craze came about, what started it all was a study paid for by one of the mass producers of phyto..... I don't remember the link to the study so I can't link it.

I am friends with Barry Neigut, one of the most knowledgeable clam keepers in the world, and one of the only people I trust for clam knowledge. He just wrote an article for the July 2011 issue of Aquarium Fish International magazine on giant clams. I cannot find it online so I will quote what he has said in regards to clam feeding. I think it sums clam feeding up quite nicely.

Barry Neigut Aquarium Fish International July 2011 said:
Tridacnids are indeed filter feeders, and they will capture and eat a variety of particles. These include various sorts of phytoplankton and zooplankton, as well as minuscule bits of detritus.
Detritus is typically plentiful in aquariums, as it is primarily composed of fish waste and tiny bits of uneaten food. There are several products available to hobbyists that contain preserved or even live phytoplankton.
These products can be used to feed specimens, but tridacnids also have their zooxanthellae and can absorb dissolved nutrients directly from seawater, as well. Thus, feeding giant clams is unnecessary in well-stocked tanks. As long as there is a good number of fish, there will always be detritus, and the ammonia given off by fish as a waste product can be absorbed and used by tridacnids. Many hobbyists successfully kept numerous tridacnids of all sizes in aquaria before any sort of Phytoplankton products became popular or even available in the hobby.
Still in the case of one or more tridacnids being kept in a very sparsely populated aquarium, there may not be enough food and dissolved nutrients present, making feeding a requirement. This would be an unusual situation, though.
Basically, if all other conditions are acceptable, a specimen should grow, which can be seen when new white shell material is added to the edge of the shell. If it does not and you have a very small fish population, use a quality food. Follow the manufacturer's directions for use, and see if it makes a difference.
Conversely, you could also use food from the start, and then if you can see shell growth, you may want to cut back on the amount of food being used and see if the specimen continues to grow. If it does, you can cut back more and more until you are satisfied that no food is needed, then quit using it altogether.

dmorazan · Jun 23, 2011

skinz78 said:
I agree, find whatever works for you and run with it. I am convinced that when I scrape my glass "every 2 days" I release a pretty wide variety of sized pieces of microalgae's from the surface of the glass. And FWIW I remember back in the day when the clam feeding craze came about, what started it all was a study paid for by one of the mass producers of phyto..... I don't remember the link to the study so I can't link it.

I am friends with Barry Neigut, one of the most knowledgeable clam keepers in the world, and one of the only people I trust for clam knowledge. He just wrote an article for the July 2011 issue of Aquarium Fish International magazine on giant clams. I cannot find it online so I will quote what he has said in regards to clam feeding. I think it sums clam feeding up quite nicely.

nice , good reading.

TonyT · Jun 23, 2011

Thanks for some great info. I really appreciate everyones input. It seems to be doing great, fully open and retracts quickly when I pass my hand over it. I don't believe I will be feeding anything. Will just go with lighting for now and see how it goes.

Thanks again for all the info.