I recieved 2 Maximas from clams direct 3 days ago. I acclimated them like I was supposed to and they were doing fine. I placed them at the bottom in the sand so not to shock them with to much light. They were doing fine until tonight I noticed one of my maximas wasnt open all the way. The other one is doing fine and so is the crocea I have had in there for while, I tested my water and everything is good except my calcium was a little lower than ussual 380. Do you think the lights are bothering it, I have 3 175 10k halides and 4 96watt pcs 2 white and 2 actinic. I have been running them for a total of 10 hours. The mhs are on for 8 and the pcs 10. My tank is 26 inches deep. I have 2 400 20ks also but I am not running them since the clams are new and barry from clams direct told me to hold off on them for a little while.
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Clams not opening all the way
- Thread starter Mikef1
- Start date
I don't think it's the lighting, but I'm hardly anything resembling an expert with clams. If Minh N hasn't seen this yet, hopefully this will give it a bump.
If he still doesn't see it, I'll advise you to send him a private message. He REALLY knows his stuff when it comes to clams.
If he still doesn't see it, I'll advise you to send him a private message. He REALLY knows his stuff when it comes to clams.
CLEANER WRASSES! Man, I can't believe I didn't think of that. They're known, and, even though they shouldn't really be kept in any but the largest aquaria, if you have them it could be the problem.
However, the question remains--why one clam and not the others? That doesn't make sense.
You need Minh.
However, the question remains--why one clam and not the others? That doesn't make sense.
You need Minh.
or you need gschwimer i hope i spelled it right 8O it shouldent be the lights i would kick them on. watch to see if something is bothering it and if not try feeding some dt's in a pipette near the clam. usually once they start to close up their doomed so hopefully you will recover. also get that calcuim up at least 400 min. you already know this and should be working on it.
I don't think your problem is light either. It could be a fish. Sit back from the aquarium for a while and keep an eye on the clam. Watch for any fish picking at it. Sometimes a particular clam is singled out by a fish.
I always recommend moving a clam if it's not doing well. Try moving it onto a piece of rock. Maxima clams don't live on sand and something may be irritating its byssal gland.
Check the clam for signs of parasitic tathrella snails. They look like small grains of white rice and are normally found just below the mantle or surrounding the byssal gland. Pick up the clam and look underneath it for these snails. Also check for a boring worm. The worms bore small holes right through the shell and kill the clam. They leave behind tiny tell-tale holes, which are difficult to spot on the outside of the shell.
I've heard that small clams need additional nutrition in the form of phytoplankton, but it's unlikely that your clam is starving in just a few days.
I hope your problem is not the clam plague that is common in some maxima clams. I believe it's a viral or bacterial infection and it spreads through clam populations quickly. The closing mantle is an early sign. Unfortunately, I don't know of a cure for this condition at this time.
Greg Schiemer
I always recommend moving a clam if it's not doing well. Try moving it onto a piece of rock. Maxima clams don't live on sand and something may be irritating its byssal gland.
Check the clam for signs of parasitic tathrella snails. They look like small grains of white rice and are normally found just below the mantle or surrounding the byssal gland. Pick up the clam and look underneath it for these snails. Also check for a boring worm. The worms bore small holes right through the shell and kill the clam. They leave behind tiny tell-tale holes, which are difficult to spot on the outside of the shell.
I've heard that small clams need additional nutrition in the form of phytoplankton, but it's unlikely that your clam is starving in just a few days.
I hope your problem is not the clam plague that is common in some maxima clams. I believe it's a viral or bacterial infection and it spreads through clam populations quickly. The closing mantle is an early sign. Unfortunately, I don't know of a cure for this condition at this time.
Greg Schiemer
I don't think the light is too much for it. Ca of 380 is OK also. Three days is relatively new so it still may be stressed.Mikef":ocyp8ipi said:I recieved 2 Maximas from clams direct 3 days ago. I acclimated them like I was supposed to and they were doing fine. I placed them at the bottom in the sand so not to shock them with to much light. They were doing fine until tonight I noticed one of my maximas wasnt open all the way. The other one is doing fine and so is the crocea I have had in there for while, I tested my water and everything is good except my calcium was a little lower than ussual 380. Do you think the lights are bothering it, I have 3 175 10k halides and 4 96watt pcs 2 white and 2 actinic. I have been running them for a total of 10 hours. The mhs are on for 8 and the pcs 10. My tank is 26 inches deep. I have 2 400 20ks also but I am not running them since the clams are new and barry from clams direct told me to hold off on them for a little while.
Does the mantel extend evenly or retracted in some place more than the other? A picture would be very helpfull.
Did it open more yesterday? Did it opon more in the morning?
Does the clams have recent shell growth? (white edge)
Does the clams full of tissue? Healthy clams should be full of 'meat' when it close with minimal air space in it, and it should have new growth.
If the mantel is not fully open but extended evenly, just give it some time. It maybeadjusting to the new tank. If this is the case, it usually open more in the AM and less in the PM at the end of the light cycle and it should do this the first day, and get better as the time it is in your tank increases.
If the clam is not healthy: Does not have shell growth, thin (not fill with flesh) and it opened fully yesterday PM but not today, then it is a bad sign. It means that clam maybe on his way our. Regarless, there is nothing you can do except give it the best condition and hope for the best. Don't go fresh water dipping the clam. Dipping it just stress it more. Fresh water dipping can easily kill a stressed clam.
Lastly, check your clam for parasitic snails. Vendor have too many clams move throug their system and can develope a parasitic snail population. Remove these snails if you find them.
Good luck.
Minh Nguyen
Thanks everyone, I watched the clam for a while today and it is fully open to how it was the first day I got it. It was more closed at PM yesterday but it opened in the AM. I looked for parasistic snails but didnt find any last night or tonight, I also checked when the lights were out. The clam is 4 inches and I did fed it DTs when I was allcimating it in the bag, the clam sucked it up fast. All my other clams are doing great and I think its just a matter of adjusting to the tank. Also Mihn the matle is evenly opening and when fish swim by it still closes fast and then opens again but thet never pick at it. My other clams did this for a while also. Thanks again-
Mihn, I just went and looked at it with the lights out and I saw 2 small things on it that were all brown. Could these just be copepods since its in the sand. They were crawling on the top part of his shell where it is white. There wasnt anything actually on the mantle though. Bad?
Mihn, I have been dripping about a gallon of Kalk a day in my 150 doing 3 teaspoons to a gallon of water and I am still have trouble raising my calcium. I used to be able to keep it at 450 but I have been starting to really stock it now and its being sucked up. My ph is 8.2- 8.3 for the whole 24 hour period and my alk is 10 DKH. How should I raise the calcium? I have the kent liquid calcium can I use a small dose of that.
IME, clams and corals do fine with Ca above 350ppm. If you keep it at 450ppm or above, you have a buffer of at least 100ppm incase there is some problem.
If you have clams and SPS in your 150, you may really want to get a good Ca reactor. I never regret getting my first Ca reactor. Look for an oversized one rather than one rated just for a 150 g tank. Most manufacturers over rated their reactor (or rate them for tank that does not have SPS and Clams)
Minh
If you have clams and SPS in your 150, you may really want to get a good Ca reactor. I never regret getting my first Ca reactor. Look for an oversized one rather than one rated just for a 150 g tank. Most manufacturers over rated their reactor (or rate them for tank that does not have SPS and Clams)
Minh
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