New Clam

[lietz06]

So I bought a Maxima Clam on Friday. He seems to be doing well to me...he opened up as soon as I turned the lights on the first day. I was wondering...This is what he looks like now, I have him placed on a rock so he's closer to the light...but should I flip him over so his mantle is facing the light instead of it facing the front of the glass...cause the bottom of his mantle is opened more than the top. I was also reading on this site that ppl are like spotfeeding their clams. I bought a bottle of DT...and was told just to dose the water colum(sp) twice a week...does that sound right?

 

[meowzer]

Why is it on its side....IMO I would have it so it is sitting upright
how big is the clam? I think that is what determines how you feed it

 

[lietz06]

I just sat it like that...well not exactly like that, it moved to the side a bit. There was a nice lil nook in the rocks that it fit well in. That's why I asked...I wasnt sure...so I'll flip it so it's mantle is facing the light. It's 3 or 4 inches...I'm not good at guesstimating...that's how many inches my husband said...there's a lil hermit in the pic so you can kinda see a comparison. I'd say about 3-3 1/2 in.

 

[meowzer]

Well I have read that a clam over 3" does not have to be spot fed...so you should be good to go...just make sure your calcium is up, and your water quality is good
it looks really nice too

 

[lietz06]

Alright, awesome. I still need to put that DT in there though, right? Ya I just moved the lil guy...he didn't want to move though...had his foot down. I just tried to gently wiggle him from side to side til he let go. I'm hoping he'll do well. We just bought a Nova Extreme Pro 72" lighting fixture about a week ago. My husband said clams and feather dusters were one of his favorite things so when I went to El Paso I bought his favorites, lol! The guy at the store said that he thought the clam should be fine as long as I place it higher in my tank. My aquascaping is more horizontal than vertical though. So the highest rock-that had a nook to sit him in his only about halfway up my tank...about 10 inches from the surface-my tank is 23 inches deep. Do you think that is close enough? Or should I try n move a couple rocks around to get him high up?

 

[meowzer]

Isn't that light a T5????
I really don't know if you still need the DT or not? Be careful cause you can pollute your tank with too much of that stuff..

 

[lietz06]

Yes, it's a t-5...that's why I'm hoping the clam will do well. I've seen success stories of them being kept under t-5's....but I've read that there are other clams that are less light demanding...I probably should have gotten one of those...should have done a lil more research...I'm hoping the guy at the store will be right. What went wrong w/ your maxima...I remember you'r hippo knocked it over into the sand. How is our squa clam doing?

 

[lietz06]

The clam keeps jumping from where I sit him! I set him so he was facing upwards and walked away...came back bout 2 or 3 minutes later and he was in the substate. I'm sittin in front of hte tank now and looked up and he's sitting on the substate again....should I leave him....or put him back again?

 

[meowzer]

Have you seen NYCBOB's tanks.....his are all T5's I believe
Did you see the clam jump...or is someone throwing it???

 

[lietz06]

No....i didn't see him jump...that's just what i was guessing...everyone else seems to be hangin out on the other side of the tank...should i sit up there again...and watch?

 

[meowzer]

Originally Posted by lietz06
http:///forum/post/3134891
No....i didn't see him jump...that's just what i was guessing...everyone else seems to be hangin out on the other side of the tank...should i sit up there again...and watch?
I would...LOL...WHen I first got my tiny maxima I thought it was jumping too...then I saw the tang pick it up and throw it

 

[lietz06]

Alright, i set him back up htere..n im watching....I wonder why fis would throw em off the rocks...you have any idea? Is that why your lil guy died...cause of the sand in his mantle?

 

[meowzer]

Originally Posted by lietz06
http:///forum/post/3134904
Alright, i set him back up htere..n im watching....I wonder why fis would throw em off the rocks...you have any idea? Is that why your lil guy died...cause of the sand in his mantle?
I actually put it in the 29G cuz the tang would not leave it alone....mine was just tiny

 

[lietz06]

If he is jumping..he's jumping cause he's not happy where he is...at the store he was under a 250 mh light my light is 12x39 w t-5...that wouldn't be too strong for it to be about a foot away from the light, do ya think? he hasn't fallen off...and he's starting to open a lil. If he doesn't open up all the way in a couple hours do you think i should move him down a lil or just keep him where he is. He's in the same spot as before...just facing the light now...he was open before...but not all the way. Thanks for all of the advice

 

[meowzer]

IDK....if I would keep moving him....just watch it and see what it does.....you probably made it mad when you moved it before...lol