Maxima clam

gareth.hubbarde · 02/09/2018, 10:44 AM

Getting a maxima clam from Lfs this weekend. It's quite a pricey investment so thought I'd ask advice on here. Have done research and feel that it should live at the bottom of my tank, possibly on a low rock or the sand. I believe it is already attached to a rock. My lighting is leds which are having a solid growth from my 3 lps corals so should be enough for the clam. Will also be dosing small amounts of live phytoplankton which is also having a good effect on my corals.
Does anyone have any more advice for me regarding this please?

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lapin · 02/09/2018, 04:13 PM

Sounds like you did some research. You should be ok. If you have not checked out the threads here in the clam section please do. If you have problems, post your question there. You should get quick answers.

nereefpat · 02/09/2018, 04:22 PM

I'm not a clam guy...

I was thinking maximas were really light demanding, and belong higher in the rockwork. T. derasa and gigas in the sand.

Tripod1404 · 02/09/2018, 05:48 PM

Yeah I agree with nereefpat. Clams require a lot of light, even the ones that require the least light still require more light than most SPS corals, let alone LPS corals. So that should not be your measure for a clam. For example, most montipora and acropora corals require a minimum light intensity of 80 to 110 µE/m2/s (PAR), and these are SPS corals that we assume require lots of light.

Clams that are found living in dimmest conditions still require 150 PAR as a minimum. This 150 is actually for T. tevoroa, which is a species of clam that I have never seen in the hobby. T. maxima corals require the most light among commonly kept clams (second if you assume Tridacna crocea is common), I would assume somewhere around 500 PAR. Check the article below I attached if you have not already.

I doubt you can get this much of light on sand bed unless you have MH lights or a strong LED-T5HO combo or a very strong LEDs. Some people also claim clams dont do good under LED lights.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2011/3/inverts

In addition to the light, clams can suck up a lot of calcium and alk, so be sure the measure these a lot and supplement when necessary, esspicaly in a small tank.

Also make sure you get a healthy specimen.

monkeysee1 · 02/09/2018, 08:38 PM

How big is your clam? How strong is your LED lighting ( in par)?
Very small, young Maximas could burn if suddenly thrust into intense lighting. If yours is, place it with its rock at the BOTTOM of your tank and leave it there for a couple of weeks. After then it can gradually be brought up closer to the lighting over the course of several weeks.
If your clam is large move it as close to the top of your aquarium as possible. Adult Maximas need a LOT of light. They get their nutrients from this light to photo synthesize, NOT from phytoplankton.
I had a nice Derasa AND a Maxima. They did well until my little Coral Beauty suddenly developed a hankering for them. She out of the blue developed the munchies! Had to give the clams to my LFS.

gareth.hubbarde · 02/10/2018, 02:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by monkeysee1

How big is your clam? How strong is your LED lightong ( in par)?
Very small, young Maximas could burn if suddenly thrust into intense lighting. If yours is, place it with its rock at the BOTTOM of your tank and leave it there for a couple of weeks. After then it can gradually be brought up closer to the lighting over the course of several weeks.
If your clam is large move it as close to the top of your aquarium as possible. Adult Maximas need a LOT of light. They get their nutrients from this light to photo synthesize, NOT from phytoplankton.
I had a nice Derasa AND a Maxima. They did well until my little Coral Beauty suddenly developed a hankering for them. She out of the blue developed the munchies! Had to give the clams to my LFS.

No idea about par. Suffice to say my lps are doing well. It's only small about 2-3 inches.

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WYA123 · 02/10/2018, 03:04 AM

Be sure to look for parasites on the clam just in case

gareth.hubbarde · 02/10/2018, 05:27 AM

All sorted, nicely situated in the tank.

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Uncle99 · 02/10/2018, 08:30 AM

Healthy, open, slit not gaping, lots of light but start on the bottom, move up to the top slowly, make sure calcium alk and mag are always on point, twice a week phyto is a plus
Clams are not hard but need perfect water and for this specimen lots of light

gareth.hubbarde · 02/10/2018, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle99

Healthy, open, slit not gaping, lots of light but start on the bottom, move up to the top slowly, make sure calcium alk and mag are always on point, twice a week phyto is a plus
Clams are not hard but need perfect water and for this specimen lots of light

At the bottom attached to a rock. Will leave it there for a while as it grows. How will I know when to consider moving it upwards?

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Uncle99 · 02/11/2018, 07:44 AM

I mean that's always a great question...when to move.
Firstly and I am sure you know this, once attached by the bysal gland thread, never pull him away, this mostly ends in death.

Secondly...behavior.....is his mantle open and nicely spread over the shell, colour is consistent with no white marks....then he's OK.....so I can leave him here....or move up to half way....

Then we go through the process above again, watch behavior, opening and colour, then I can leave him here or move him to the top.

This clam gets 75% of its food from its zooa, so light is important but hard to judge without a PAR meter.

Keep in mind, that water must be perfect, spot on NSW, consistent, supplement phyto but not overkill and polute the water, watch your cal, Alk, and mag ( which you need to do regardless) and dose manually strontium.......clams are great...really expensive but just beautiful.....

gareth.hubbarde · 02/11/2018, 07:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle99

I mean that's always a great question...when to move.
Firstly and I am sure you know this, once attached by the bysal gland thread, never pull him away, this mostly ends in death.

Secondly...behavior.....is his mantle open and nicely spread over the shell, colour is consistent with no white marks....then he's OK.....so I can leave him here....or move up to half way....

Then we go through the process above again, watch behavior, opening and colour, then I can leave him here or move him to the top.

This clam gets 75% of its food from its zooa, so light is important but hard to judge without a PAR meter.

Keep in mind, that water must be perfect, spot on NSW, consistent, supplement phyto but not overkill and polute the water, watch your cal, Alk, and mag ( which you need to do regardless) and dose manually strontium.......clams are great...really expensive but just beautiful.....

Thanks for the reply. Will monitor closely. It is small at the moment but stunning. You're right it was expensive and I did research it beforehand. Going to enjoy looking after it and watching it grow.

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Uncle99 · 02/11/2018, 06:01 PM

Hoping he's at least 2 inches, under this makes them Harder to keep as they do not have a large enough surface area and zooa in the mantle for photosynthesis....if under two inches, maybe double the phyto frequency.....if two inches or more, should be just fine..

gareth.hubbarde · 02/12/2018, 04:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle99

Hoping he's at least 2 inches, under this makes them Harder to keep as they do not have a large enough surface area and zooa in the mantle for photosynthesis....if under two inches, maybe double the phyto frequency.....if two inches or more, should be just fine..

Should I target feed the phytoplankton or is it enough to just put it in the water and let it get dispersed so things can filter feed?

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Tripod1404 · 02/12/2018, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gareth.hubbarde

Should I target feed the phytoplankton or is it enough to just put it in the water and let it get dispersed so things can filter feed?

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Disperse it. You might want to turn of the skimmer. You cant target feed clams, they will cough out what you try to feed. Be careful not to over-do it, phyto can spike nutrients very easily.

Also, according to James Fatherree clams smaller than 3 inches needing feeding is a myth.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2010/7/inverts

Tripod1404 · 02/12/2018, 03:26 PM

Also, does the clam have a white margin around the edge of the shell (indicating new shell growth)?

gareth.hubbarde · 02/12/2018, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tripod1404

Disperse it. You might want to turn of the skimmer. You cant target feed clams, they will cough out what you try to feed. Be careful not to over-do it, phyto can spike nutrients very easily.

Also, according to James Fatherree clams smaller than 3 inches needing feeding is a myth.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2010/7/inverts

Thanks for the information. Don't have a skimmer running so dispersion works well with the lps corals. Hopefully the clam will appreciate it too.

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gareth.hubbarde · 02/12/2018, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tripod1404

Also, does the clam have a white margin around the edge of the shell (indicating new shell growth)?

Think so.

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Tripod1404 · 02/12/2018, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gareth.hubbarde

Think so.

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Hard to see from the picture. It is generally not easy to see unless the clam retracts its mantle. Generally, it is easier to see it when the lights are off since clams partially retract their mantes during the night. It is normal for newly acquired clams to sometimes not have any new growth (shipping stress, new lights and etc.).Try to keep a record of how much new shell materiel is added per month. A young clam like that should grow rapidly for the first year or so. If it doesn't show any shell growth for a month, it indicates it is starving. If so you might want to move it up.

New growth would be very clean white like porcelain (and should be outside of the shell, shell is always white inside). It should look something like this;

gareth.hubbarde · 02/13/2018, 05:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tripod1404

Also, does the clam have a white margin around the edge of the shell (indicating new shell growth)?

Closest I can get, seems to have new white shell so that's good. Will keep an eye on it and monitor.

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homer1475 · 02/13/2018, 05:09 AM

The "scute" right below the mantle should remain stark white(sometimes hard to see if hidden by the mantle). If it is anything but stark white, it could mean the clam is on it's way out.

FWIW, I've kept my maxima on the sand under a 6 bulb ATI T5 setup with no issue. It has actually grown 3 inches in the 2 years I've had it. I've also read that aquacultured maximas often loose their ability to attach. If they have no need to attach when young, they often loose this ability. So don't be concerned if it doesn't attach to anything. Mine sits on the sandbed and only attaches to the fine grains of sand.

http://animal-world.com/Aquarium-Cor...s/Maxima-Clams

gareth.hubbarde · 02/13/2018, 06:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by homer1475

The "scute" right below the mantle should remain stark white(sometimes hard to see if hidden by the mantle). If it is anything but stark white, it could mean the clam is on it's way out.

FWIW, I've kept my maxima on the sand under a 6 bulb ATI T5 setup with no issue. It has actually grown 3 inches in the 2 years I've had it. I've also read that aquacultured maximas often loose their ability to attach. If they have no need to attach when young, they often loose this ability. So don't be concerned if it doesn't attach to anything. Mine sits on the sandbed and only attaches to the fine grains of sand.

http://animal-world.com/Aquarium-Cor...s/Maxima-Clams

It's actually attached the rock. The Lfs did that before I bought it. It looks awesome and healthy, opens and closes when things go near it.

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Uncle99 · 02/13/2018, 01:07 PM

This clam looks fine to me, perfect water, good light, little phyto, have fun
He is absolutely beautiful!

gareth.hubbarde · 02/14/2018, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle99

This clam looks fine to me, perfect water, good light, little phyto, have fun
He is absolutely beautiful!

Thanks, it has moved a bit, seems to have fallen a bit. Should I correct it or trust it knows what it is doing? Still reactive closes and opens.
First pic before second pic now

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Tripod1404 · 02/14/2018, 02:03 PM

I would correct it. You can put a small piece of rock next to it in order to prevent it from falling again (but make sure it can fully open with the rock, in other words dont squeeze the clam). Once it attaches its byssal strands, it should be stable enough and you can remove the rock.

02/09/2018, 10:44 AM	#1
gareth.hubbarde Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2017 Posts: 719	Maxima clam Getting a maxima clam from Lfs this weekend. It's quite a pricey investment so thought I'd ask advice on here. Have done research and feel that it should live at the bottom of my tank, possibly on a low rock or the sand. I believe it is already attached to a rock. My lighting is leds which are having a solid growth from my 3 lps corals so should be enough for the clam. Will also be dosing small amounts of live phytoplankton which is also having a good effect on my corals. Does anyone have any more advice for me regarding this please? Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk

02/09/2018, 04:22 PM	#3
nereefpat Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Central Nebraska Posts: 3,190	I'm not a clam guy... I was thinking maximas were really light demanding, and belong higher in the rockwork. T. derasa and gigas in the sand. __________________ Pat Current Tank Info: 125 in-wall , 40b sump. 6 bulb T5. ASM G2 skimmer. LPS and leathers

02/09/2018, 08:38 PM	#5
monkeysee1 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: MERRIMACK NH Posts: 423	How big is your clam? How strong is your LED lighting ( in par)? Very small, young Maximas could burn if suddenly thrust into intense lighting. If yours is, place it with its rock at the BOTTOM of your tank and leave it there for a couple of weeks. After then it can gradually be brought up closer to the lighting over the course of several weeks. If your clam is large move it as close to the top of your aquarium as possible. Adult Maximas need a LOT of light. They get their nutrients from this light to photo synthesize, NOT from phytoplankton. I had a nice Derasa AND a Maxima. They did well until my little Coral Beauty suddenly developed a hankering for them. She out of the blue developed the munchies! Had to give the clams to my LFS. __________________ Your "fair share" is not in my wallet; it's in my fish tank!! Current tank info: 90 Gallon saltwater 10 fish with a few inverts; NO CORALS! Tried to go reef; didn't work out so hot; FOWLR's for me! Last edited by monkeysee1; 02/10/2018 at 08:27 AM.

02/10/2018, 03:04 AM	#7
WYA123 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Singapore Posts: 34	Be sure to look for parasites on the clam just in case __________________ Fishes are friends, not food, except if you are another fish.

02/13/2018, 05:09 AM	#21
homer1475 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 5,313	The "scute" right below the mantle should remain stark white(sometimes hard to see if hidden by the mantle). If it is anything but stark white, it could mean the clam is on it's way out. FWIW, I've kept my maxima on the sand under a 6 bulb ATI T5 setup with no issue. It has actually grown 3 inches in the 2 years I've had it. I've also read that aquacultured maximas often loose their ability to attach. If they have no need to attach when young, they often loose this ability. So don't be concerned if it doesn't attach to anything. Mine sits on the sandbed and only attaches to the fine grains of sand. http://animal-world.com/Aquarium-Cor...s/Maxima-Clams __________________ 80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256 Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht: "He's just taking his lunch to work"

02/09/2018, 04:13 PM	#2
lapin Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: Austin Posts: 801	Sounds like you did some research. You should be ok. If you have not checked out the threads here in the clam section please do. If you have problems, post your question there. You should get quick answers.

02/09/2018, 05:48 PM	#4
Tripod1404 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 1,821	Yeah I agree with nereefpat. Clams require a lot of light, even the ones that require the least light still require more light than most SPS corals, let alone LPS corals. So that should not be your measure for a clam. For example, most montipora and acropora corals require a minimum light intensity of 80 to 110 µE/m2/s (PAR), and these are SPS corals that we assume require lots of light. Clams that are found living in dimmest conditions still require 150 PAR as a minimum. This 150 is actually for T. tevoroa, which is a species of clam that I have never seen in the hobby. T. maxima corals require the most light among commonly kept clams (second if you assume Tridacna crocea is common), I would assume somewhere around 500 PAR. Check the article below I attached if you have not already. I doubt you can get this much of light on sand bed unless you have MH lights or a strong LED-T5HO combo or a very strong LEDs. Some people also claim clams dont do good under LED lights. http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2011/3/inverts In addition to the light, clams can suck up a lot of calcium and alk, so be sure the measure these a lot and supplement when necessary, esspicaly in a small tank. Also make sure you get a healthy specimen.

02/10/2018, 05:27 AM	#8
gareth.hubbarde Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2017 Posts: 719	All sorted, nicely situated in the tank. Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk

02/10/2018, 08:30 AM	#9
Uncle99 Crab Free Zone Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,906	Healthy, open, slit not gaping, lots of light but start on the bottom, move up to the top slowly, make sure calcium alk and mag are always on point, twice a week phyto is a plus Clams are not hard but need perfect water and for this specimen lots of light

02/11/2018, 07:44 AM	#11
Uncle99 Crab Free Zone Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,906	I mean that's always a great question...when to move. Firstly and I am sure you know this, once attached by the bysal gland thread, never pull him away, this mostly ends in death. Secondly...behavior.....is his mantle open and nicely spread over the shell, colour is consistent with no white marks....then he's OK.....so I can leave him here....or move up to half way.... Then we go through the process above again, watch behavior, opening and colour, then I can leave him here or move him to the top. This clam gets 75% of its food from its zooa, so light is important but hard to judge without a PAR meter. Keep in mind, that water must be perfect, spot on NSW, consistent, supplement phyto but not overkill and polute the water, watch your cal, Alk, and mag ( which you need to do regardless) and dose manually strontium.......clams are great...really expensive but just beautiful.....

02/11/2018, 06:01 PM	#13
Uncle99 Crab Free Zone Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,906	Hoping he's at least 2 inches, under this makes them Harder to keep as they do not have a large enough surface area and zooa in the mantle for photosynthesis....if under two inches, maybe double the phyto frequency.....if two inches or more, should be just fine..

02/12/2018, 03:26 PM	#16
Tripod1404 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 1,821	Also, does the clam have a white margin around the edge of the shell (indicating new shell growth)?

02/13/2018, 01:07 PM	#23
Uncle99 Crab Free Zone Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,906	This clam looks fine to me, perfect water, good light, little phyto, have fun He is absolutely beautiful!

02/14/2018, 02:03 PM	#25
Tripod1404 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 1,821	I would correct it. You can put a small piece of rock next to it in order to prevent it from falling again (but make sure it can fully open with the rock, in other words dont squeeze the clam). Once it attaches its byssal strands, it should be stable enough and you can remove the rock.