maxima clam questions

dmschiff

Member
Need to know maxima clam requirements and what to expect. Behaviors etc. What do they look like when happy and thriving and what to watch for when they are declining.
I have 2 175 w metal halides and 2 55 w CF on a 120 gal. med flow, but need to know more about feeding, and all other requirements.
Aside from calcium, what should I be testing for...?
I tested for calcium for the first time yesterday (following a water change) and it's off the charts. I don't add any suppliments. I suspect a faulty test kit. Salinity is a little high (.027)and that will affect calcium I assume but that much?
I basically need a maxima clam care 101! Any input is appeciated.
 

nietzsche

Active Member
keep the clam high up in your tank, or midlevel. the clam will fall if it doesnt like where its at.
look for a clam that's over 3" for a better survival rate.
test for calcium, alk, magnesium, salinity. they love strong lighting.
research the fish you have to make sure they dont nip at your clam's mantle
if you notice the inhalant siphon gaping then something is really bothering the clam
another thing to look for is called pinched mantle where the mantle is seriously pinched
if the clam's mantle starts to look faded then it needs more light
if the clam's mantle looks like its receding but the shell is still open then its on way to its death
acclimation should be done slowly. what i have done when getting a clam is remove the 2nd bag it comes in and temp acclimate it then "add about a 1/4 cup of water from the tank, wait 10 or 15min and do it again. do this untill you at least double the volume of water in the bag."
if youre not going to quarantine the clam, then at least visually inspect the clam before placing it in the tank. scrub the shell with a tooth brush and inspect the bottom of the clam to see if anything came attached like little snails
when looking for a clam at your LFS, make sure the byssal threads are nice and white. move your hand over the top of the clam in order to block the light; it should react by quickly shutting and then opening again. if it doesnt react at all then look for a different clam
 
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