Maxima observation comments needed

[clamster]

I am attaching 3 photos of my maxima that I have for 3 weeks
from flying fish express.

I acclimated using a Kent dosing dripper filled with my aquarium
water; took 1.5 weeks to photo-acclimate the clam to its
current position:

* 200 gallon tank [ 7'' x 2'' x 2'' Oceanic tank]
* 2 x 175w 13,000K MH lamp near either ends of the tannk
* 2 x 96 20K actinic PC
* 2 x 55 20K actinic PC
* maxima is 4 inches under the water surface.
* It is propped so that it is 90 degrees vertical to receive
the light
* The fixture itself is 18'' to 20'' above the water surface
* clam is DIRECTLY under one of the MH but NOT directly
under the bulb.

Over the weekend I had a major tear down of my tank to
replace the substrate with sand [1-2mm + oolithic sand]
[kept old water]. For a couple of days the maxima produced lots of MUCUS strands from the openning in the right shelve.

Since yesterday, it nearly stopped producing mucus strands;
if not already.

Question:
1: Is the excess production of mucus, especially from the
"hole" on its shelve a serious sign?
2: The clam is 4'' "Ultra (marketting?)" maxima. Shouldn't
it be openning up more then the photograph shows?

3: I notice its "pod" was firmly attached to a piece of rock
about 3/4'' by 3/4'' . Apparently during the harvest, they were
careful NOT TO cut or tear the clam's attachments. But I am
concerned about that openning on the right side of the clam
and lots of mucus appearently coming from it, especially after
this weekend. WHAT ARE YOU GUY'S OPINIONS? ADVICES?

FYI:
2 months ago, when I first got my 8'' Derasa, it produced
some mucus but stopped after the 1st week. The derasa is rested on the fine sand [directly under the other MH]
and appears to like it much more then the old crushed coral
crap.

Thanks

[clamster]

OOPS! I forgot to attach the photographs of the Maxima
clam in question.

This is 1st of 2 attachments

[clamster]

2nd of 2 attachments.

I am waiting for my book on "Clams"

[jordan2871]

I think your clam is fine. Clams usually "pan" when under-exposed to light. That is, they expand excessively to grab as much light as possible.

Secondly, I had a nice maxima with a worm of sorts that had grown onto the shell, similar to yours. The only time the clam got stressed was when messed with this little worm hole.

Advice: leave well enough alone. The clam looks great. Maybe the worm is dying in the hole which is causing the mucus secretion. It has probably been there for a while and is not causing the clam any harm.

Good luck and and leave your clam alone!

PS : There isn't much you can do for a dying clam anyway....yours is a far cry away from death.

[AttackDonut]

I've seen before, it's a barnacle. See them all the time on my hermit crabs...suspect it's harmless.

[maww]

The "hole" on the shell that is producing mucous strands is a tube worm, actually I think it is really a type of snail (?) It feeds by sending out a strand of mucous to catch microscopic debris etc floating by, then reels it back in to eat. I have one on my clam too, as well as on others on the live rock in the tank. If you look around for hithiker ID photos you should be able to find out exactly what it is. I think I saw someting in Dr Rons forum about them a while back

[clamster]

thanks for the headsup!