Trying Again, Maxima #4626

Shigshwa · Jan 2, 2018

I visited a new LFS today, after calling about clams (that's just about all that I call a LFS for nowadays;Woot). They had a nice 5 inch Maxima that's been around for about 3 months, mouth nice and closed, mantle nice and open, and new shell growth. Those were all checks for a good clam, so I decided "heck, let's try this again".

I noticed that because it had been sitting on the sand for so long, it actually grew new portions of the shell to cover up the byssal opening, it is more or less nearly closed up with shell material.

It must have not liked my h2o2 scrub on the shell, I may have gotten some onto the mantle by accident. Mouth is a tad wide, but it is as reactive as it was at the store. The tang was picking at the shell edge and scaring the clam all day, so the mantle is not as open as it should be.

Hopefully with some luck and 300 PAR on the sandbed, I may succeed this time around? I am really hoping that I did not mess up and hurt the clam on the cleansing procedure, but I never skip a scrub with h202, because aiptasia and other nasty algae are so common on these clams.

Paullawr · Jan 3, 2018

Aiptasia won't die from a H202 scrub. In fact scrubbing Aiptasia will ensure it rapidly reproduces either by releasing Plania or via bits to the cells. Being scrubbed... So bad method.

Algae can live in clam so again the outside scrub is ill Effective.

300 par is not needed to support clams healthy. Though that figure is good. If you have killed. A. Number in the past I'd be checking what you have done.

Shigshwa · Jan 4, 2018

Paullawr said:
Aiptasia won't die from a H202 scrub. In fact scrubbing Aiptasia will ensure it rapidly reproduces either by releasing Plania or via bits to the cells. Being scrubbed... So bad method.

Algae can live in clam so again the outside scrub is ill Effective.

300 par is not needed to support clams healthy. Though that figure is good. If you have killed. A. Number in the past I'd be checking what you have done.

I haven't had any microfauna survivors ever by using h202. Either the aiptasia dies, or just falls off.

As for the PAR, I'm curious as to whether I've just been unlucky with my Maximas. I've only gotten them from one particular store so far, and they can't even keep them alive in their own in-store SPS display tanks (running Radions), and they sit at the top of the tank. I'm thinking that their Maximas may either be neglected, or just a bad batch. If I lose this one, then I will be sure that it will be an error on my part and not an issue with a particular store.

Paullawr · Jan 4, 2018

Probably unlucky. Some say to stay away from smaller ones as more likely to die but did well for me.

Good. Luck. This time around as they. Are Beautiful.

jda · Jan 4, 2018

Put something under it for it to attach to, if you have not already. You can submerge it in the sand.

I keep my clams near 500 PAR and they have resisted pyram snails and all kinds of other tank issues over the years when they die for some folks. I am a firm believer that even if lower light can keep them alive, they will not be as hardy if something bad happens. This is just my own opinion - I have discussed it with a few clam experts at various MACNA and they agree, but have no way to quantify this either. They can digest extra zoox, so once acclimated, more light just means more energy and more energy means better health.

I know that this does not help now, but try and buy clams that just made it to the store. You have no way of knowing if they are starving, or not, unless there is significant new shell growth, so I like to get them from the ocean as fast as I can.

Shigshwa · Jan 4, 2018

jda said:
Put something under it for it to attach to, if you have not already. You can submerge it in the sand.

I keep my clams near 500 PAR and they have resisted pyram snails and all kinds of other tank issues over the years when they die for some folks. I am a firm believer that even if lower light can keep them alive, they will not be as hardy if something bad happens. This is just my own opinion - I have discussed it with a few clam experts at various MACNA and they agree, but have no way to quantify this either. They can digest extra zoox, so once acclimated, more light just means more energy and more energy means better health.

I know that this does not help now, but try and buy clams that just made it to the store. You have no way of knowing if they are starving, or not, unless there is significant new shell growth, so I like to get them from the ocean as fast as I can.

I've placed a frag tile underneath for it, but there it little to no opening for the gland to poke through. I believe that it should be fine on sand, because it has shell growth to protect the opening, but I left one under just in case.