Anyone sucessful with smaller clams?

[bawla47]

I just impulsively bought a 1.5" maxima, but i knew what proper care it generally needs. (phyto when there smaller)

Wanted to ask, anyone out there that has sucessfully kept any of these clams with or without additional phytoplankton feedings?

ive kept larger croceas, maximas, derasas before over a year np with great growth, but this is my first small one in my new current tank.

as far as light and water quality, my tank is pretty stable.

Its a black and white maxima btw I just couldnt pass it up looked so nice to me,and always wanted one but couldnt afford spending that 500$ pricetag on a larger one.

anyways any help is much apreciated! Thanks!

[wedwards]

I've got a 1.5" maxima as well, got it a few weeks ago. Been feeding phyto every few days and it seems to be doing pretty good.

Good Luck!

[billrob71]

1.5 inch I had alot of luck with, it's the ones smaller then a inch I can't seem to get to survive.

[bawla47]

bill how long have you had the larger ones for? Hoping to get some feedback with success over 6+ months to a year. anything less i believe is to early to tell.

wed, your on the right track with the phyto! im the lazy reefer trying not to feed if possible, but unfortunately i just might have to :/

thanks so far!

[moliken]

ive had 2 large maxis for 6 months and a rapidly expanding derasa for 18 months, that was about 2 inches when i first gort him.
wedwards, be very careful about feeding. while it may seem to be helping the clam, we as hobbyists really don't have the ability to prove that or not. overfeeding will inevitably cause other probs.

[mscarpena]

I have a 1-1.5" maxima and I do not feed it. I have only fed my tank phyto once or twice. I have had it about 4 months now and it has grown over 1/4". I know it not exactly long term, but I feel the growth speaks for itself.

[moliken]

no clams ever directly fed in my tank
derasa growth rings after 18 months

front clam also derasa was about 2 inches when bought, probably 4 now, 11 months in tank

[kakalakasha]

I got a 1.5" maxima at the beginning of september, so it's been a little more then 3 months.
Mine has gotten noticeably bigger and has obvious growth on the shell that you can see when he retracts.
My clam hasn't touched phyto since I bought it, anything before that is irrelevant anyways.

I wouldn't say you need someone that has had one alive for 6-12 months, just someone that's had one long enough to show obvious growth.


And as far as feeding goes, someone told me that the clams themselves don't even have the proper stomachs to digest the phytoplankton, so it basically just goes in one siphon and out the other :P

[NYCBOB]

if u hv enough fish, no need to feed.

[SNAKEMANVET]

I bought a 1.5'' squamosa,never feed the tank.It is going on 2 years and is now 8''.

[nanonubey]

I have 3 maximas that I bought at 1 1/2'' they're a year old and about 2 1/2'' now. I never fed the directly just DTs once or twice a week.

[chalice]

I have had a 1/2 inch clam survive now for 2 months and i have not directly fed him at all. It is a maxima clam and has already grown a little!! I do feed my corals photoplex so I am assuming he does filter some of that! But from what I can tell he is happy and healthy!

[billrob71]

Originally Posted by bawla47

bill how long have you had the larger ones for? Hoping to get some feedback with success over 6+ months to a year. anything less i believe is to early to tell.

wed, your on the right track with the phyto! im the lazy reefer trying not to feed if possible, but unfortunately i just might have to :/

thanks so far!

My latest I've on; had couple of weeks but the other is about 5 months old most of the others are over a year.

[billrob71]

Clams do not need to be directly fed, you'll find if you do they'll close pretty quick to ex spell it out pretty quick just feed the tank like you normally do and they should be fine. Make sure your lights are in good shape thats more important to the algae in there mantels and your alk, calcium and mag is up for growth.