First signs?

[NanaReefer]

Anyone able to tell me what the first signs may be that my Clam may not be getting enough light?
T.Maxima, seems healthy, open, light reactive. Mantle appears to have darkened thus hiding original design.

 

[jsker]

@DSC reef or @Lovemyreef2015 can help you out

 

[DSC reef]

New white shell growth will tell you if its healthy and growing. Mantles can actually look bleached from to little light. What lighting is it under and do you know how much par it's getting by chance? Maximas are very light demanding.

 

[Lovemyreef2015]

What he said lol^^

 

[jsker]

New white shell growth will tell you if its healthy and growing. Mantles can actually look bleached from to little light. What lighting is it under and do you know how much par it's getting by chance? Maximas are very light demanding.

What he said lol^^

Thank you guys

 

[NanaReefer]

Oh it’s growing wonderfully. Running a Radion Gen3 at 75% intensity. Just recently raised the Clam up a bit so now it’s 22” from the light. Hopefully this will help. As for par I’m not sure. Last I checked it was getting around 350 on the SB. I’d have to dig out my Seneye to check where it’s at now, closer to the light an all.

Thank you for your help [emoji16]

 

[DSC reef]

Sounds like plenty of light and if its growing that's good. Different intensity/spectrum can affect the color and pattern. Our large squamosa turned darker with more intense blue spots when it had more light.

 

[Garbonzo]

Will an high range of potassium darken mantles the way it darkens coral due to an over production of zoanthellae?

 

[DSC reef]

I'm honestly not sure, haven't read anything like that.

 

[Bryce M.]

I believe that's normal acclimation of the clam? The darker mantels

 

[jda]

Just like anything with dinos (zoox), color can shift with spectrum... clams included. If you want the color that it had when you got it, then it will need the spectrum that it was grown under (probably 6500k daylight in very shallow water), but even then, there are no promises. The mantle patterns in my clams shift some too.

Also, just like in corals, you can have excess zoox from increased levels of building blocks.

That photo looks really good to me... open, but not stretched too far out like it is searching for light. Attached and holding is also a good sign.

Like said above, the only true positive is new shell growth and without it, you are never really sure if it is healthy. They can live for a long time without growing while looking good the whole time and then all of a sudden waste away in a few days. Since your is growing, then you are all set.