Maxi clam help asap

[Joshifer]

My wife bless her heart thought she was getting me a surprise. It's a blue mini maxi clam. I don't think I can have one of those. She got it from petco in Woodbridge.

They won't return it she paid $50.

 

What do I do? It's still in the betta bucket it came in

[Joshifer]

Says Aqua cultures maxi clam blue

[Dany3350]

I'm sure u can keep it they don't cause a lot of trouble and don't require a whole lot unless it's really small, but if you would like to get rid of the little guy I could take it off your hands. Just let me know or if you need more info on how to care for him.

 

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[Joshifer]

I'm sure u can keep it they don't cause a lot of trouble and don't require a whole lot unless it's really small, but if you would like to get rid of the little guy I could take it off your hands. Just let me know or if you need more info on how to care for him.

 

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It isn't tiny. Looking at it. Maybe most 2 inches. I just figured it's something complex like an anenome

[Dany3350]

Nope but it will need good lighting and I would consider buying oyster eggs to feed him or phyto

 

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[Dany3350]

Pecto doesn't really have good light to begin with so I would aclimate the little guy very slow and not cause any shock and a drip aclimate too

 

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[davelin315]

Hey Josh, at that size it probably is more dependent on filter feeding than photosynthesis.  They are a huge calcium suck on your tank so you'll want to use kalk to top off.  Check the byssal gland on the bottom and make sure it's not injured (should not have a "hole" at the bottom).  Also, if I recall correctly, T. maxima are rock boring so place it on a rock.

[Der ABT]

Clams like light and good water, be mindful if it's closed alot you probably have a fish nipping need to protect or rehome quickly.

 

I'm a big clam fan, hopefully it word out well for you, I never did any additional feeding etc.

 

If you think it isn't looking good try to find a new home sooner vs later

[Joshifer]

I acclimated the clam. Put him in. And he opened almost instantly. My water has to be better then petco's lol. Yeah he's gonna suck up all my calcium. I use instant ocean reef crystals so it has a tad bit more calcium but I'll get a calcium kit tomorrow. And I ran and purchased Seachem phytoplankton to spot feed him.

[madweazl]

If it is 2" (shell, not mantles), it will be fine without feeding. I see tons of posts with all kinds of feeding regimes for clams this size and I just dont have any first hand experience to substantiate. I purposely get clams between 2-3" so I can enjoy their growth and I've had excellent results. I lost one derasa during a move from CA to AZ and lost one crocea that wasnt looking great at the time of purchase (went really fast) in the 20+ years I've been in the hobby and I've always had a clam (except for now but that will be changing shortly). Clams do NOT need pristine water conditions but it is impossible to give them too much light and if I remember correctly, you're on the lower end for intensity (did this change?). IF you have the lighting to support it, clams are best viewed from as low as you can place them in the aquarium.

 

Edit: small clams have very little impact on your calcium levels

 

Edit 2: I assume maxi equals maxima; look at some pics of the mantles and shell for ID.

Edited September 20, 2016 by madweazl

[Joshifer]

If it is 2" (shell, not mantles), it will be fine without feeding. I see tons of posts with all kinds of feeding regimes for clams this size and I just dont have any first hand experience to substantiate. I purposely get clams between 2-3" so I can enjoy their growth and I've had excellent results. I lost one derasa during a move from CA to AZ and lost one crocea that wasnt looking great at the time of purchase (went really fast) in the 20+ years I've been in the hobby and I've always had a clam (except for now but that will be changing shortly). Clams do NOT need pristine water conditions but it is impossible to give them too much light and if I remember correctly, you're on the lower end for intensity (did this change?). IF you have the lighting to support it, clams are best viewed from as low as you can place them in the aquarium.

 

Edit: small clams have very little impact on your calcium levels

 

Edit 2: I assume maxi equals maxima; look at some pics of the mantles and shell for ID.

It's actually about an inch and a half wide Looked bigger In the betta cup. I bought phytoplankton by Seachem to spot feed it. How often do you think I should feed it? Also I run a AI Prime for about 8 hours. Full spectrum at 100% Then just the blues for another 4 at 50% and I have random clouds passing durring the 100% so it's not a constant downpour of light. But I instantly fell in love with the clam. It is gorgeous blue. Edited September 20, 2016 by Joshifer

[Joshifer]

Hey Josh, at that size it probably is more dependent on filter feeding than photosynthesis. They are a huge calcium suck on your tank so you'll want to use kalk to top off. Check the byssal gland on the bottom and make sure it's not injured (should not have a "hole" at the bottom). Also, if I recall correctly, T. maxima are rock boring so place it on a rock.

It's on the sand til it gets comfortable. If it's unhappy I'll move it up on the rockwork. But it seems happy it opened really fast. I bought some Seachem phyto to spot feed it. Just now sure how often. I feed my tank every other day

[Dany3350]

I wouldn't really spot feed it but feed the tank I was reading up it may not be the best thing to just blow food at it I could be wrong. Here is a link on some info as for the sand bed it's a good place to start but not a good place to keep I want to put it on some rocks even a small one so it can get it's foot attached. You don't want fish or other critters to flip it. And peck on the flesh it has on the bottom.

 

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=61960

 

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[Joshifer]

I wouldn't really spot feed it but feed the tank I was reading up it may not be the best thing to just blow food at it I could be wrong. Here is a link on some info as for the sand bed it's a good place to start but not a good place to keep I want to put it on some rocks even a small one so it can get it's foot attached. You don't want fish or other critters to flip it. And peck on the flesh it has on the bottom.

 

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=61960

 

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Thanks. I have a piece of rubble to place it on. But I want to keep it as low down as possible. Gonna read that site now.

[Origami]

Added thoughts here.

[davelin315]

If it is 2" (shell, not mantles), it will be fine without feeding. I see tons of posts with all kinds of feeding regimes for clams this size and I just dont have any first hand experience to substantiate. I purposely get clams between 2-3" so I can enjoy their growth and I've had excellent results. I lost one derasa during a move from CA to AZ and lost one crocea that wasnt looking great at the time of purchase (went really fast) in the 20+ years I've been in the hobby and I've always had a clam (except for now but that will be changing shortly). Clams do NOT need pristine water conditions but it is impossible to give them too much light and if I remember correctly, you're on the lower end for intensity (did this change?). IF you have the lighting to support it, clams are best viewed from as low as you can place them in the aquarium.

 

Edit: small clams have very little impact on your calcium levels

 

Edit 2: I assume maxi equals maxima; look at some pics of the mantles and shell for ID.

Actually, I will beg to differ on this.  As with anything, you can bleach a clam if you overpower it with light that it's not accustomed to.  I have also had many clams over the years and have found that the maximas are more reliant, at least in my experience, on feeding until they get to around 2.5" and then they start to become more photosynthetic.

 

In terms of what you said about not needing pristine water conditions, you're right on the money with that one.  They thrive off of eating up nitrates and ammonia as a food source.

 

Personally I have always kept larger clams on the bottom of my tanks as it is simply harder to find real estate for them higher up on the rocks.  My goal has always been to have them burrow into a rock but I have never had enough time to get one to do that due to losses (oddest group of clams I ever lost was because I didn't notice xenia had grown over them until they were gone).

[madweazl]

Actually, I will beg to differ on this.  As with anything, you can bleach a clam if you overpower it with light that it's not accustomed to.  I have also had many clams over the years and have found that the maximas are more reliant, at least in my experience, on feeding until they get to around 2.5" and then they start to become more photosynthetic.

 

In terms of what you said about not needing pristine water conditions, you're right on the money with that one.  They thrive off of eating up nitrates and ammonia as a food source.

 

Personally I have always kept larger clams on the bottom of my tanks as it is simply harder to find real estate for them higher up on the rocks.  My goal has always been to have them burrow into a rock but I have never had enough time to get one to do that due to losses (oddest group of clams I ever lost was because I didn't notice xenia had grown over them until they were gone).

Interesting, I've never run into a bleached clam. I suppose what I've seen is that they have died off long before any bleaching occurred (I can only assume due to low light because I just cant imagine anything the other way around). Do you have any more info to relate on the subject?

[Origami]

Actually, I will beg to differ on this.  As with anything, you can bleach a clam if you overpower it with light that it's not accustomed to.  I have also had many clams over the years and have found that the maximas are more reliant, at least in my experience, on feeding until they get to around 2.5" and then they start to become more photosynthetic.

I'd heard that, too, Dave. But James Fatherree would argue strongly that there's no basis for this web-perpetuated belief. He talks about it here in this Advanced Aquarist article from 2010. He addresses the "Three Inch Myth" here. James was a MACNA speaker this year and was to be our speaker last winter when the blizzard struck. He's also the author of Giant Clams in the Sea and the Aquarium.

 

In the article, he reports that Giant Clams have settled and grown, without particulate foods such as phytoplankton under controlled conditions. He explains that they have four means of ingesting nutrition: 1) photosynthetically, using zooxanthallae; 2) straining particulates from the water (e.g. phytoplankton and zooplankton); 3) re-absorbtion of zooxanthallae; and 4) special cells in their tissue that absorb dissolved nutrients. It's a good read. 

[Joshifer]

Do you guys think my AI prime will bleach it ?

[Origami]

Do you guys think my AI prime will bleach it ?

Chances are you'll be fine. However, it's often a good idea to cut back a little on light when you introduce a new photosynthetic to your tank or to put it in a slightly shaded area and then gradually move it to where you want it to be ultimately. This is to avoid light shock. However, in the case of a clam (which can retract it's mantle and regulate how much light it receives in coarse fashion that way), I'd be less concerned. 

[Joshifer]

I want to keep it on the sand bed. I don't wanna raise it higher. But I did set my light to acclimate mode. Everyday it'll get brighter on its own. I made a little dish and stuck it in the sand. The clam itself rotated til he found the angle he liked.

 

 

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Edited September 21, 2016 by Joshifer

[madweazl]

I'd heard that, too, Dave. But James Fatherree would argue strongly that there's no basis for this web-perpetuated belief. He talks about it here in this Advanced Aquarist article from 2010. He addresses the "Three Inch Myth" here. James was a MACNA speaker this year and was to be our speaker last winter when the blizzard struck. He's also the author of Giant Clams in the Sea and the Aquarium.

 

In the article, he reports that Giant Clams have settled and grown, without particulate foods such as phytoplankton under controlled conditions. He explains that they have four means of ingesting nutrition: 1) photosynthetically, using zooxanthallae; 2) straining particulates from the water (e.g. phytoplankton and zooplankton); 3) re-absorbtion of zooxanthallae; and 4) special cells in their tissue that absorb dissolved nutrients. It's a good read. 

He addresses lighting requirements as well.

 

While I was stationed in Okinawa there was a group propagating corals and clams. Their clams were in approximately 12" of water in full sunlight and NSW was circulated through their systems. They did have shade cloth canopies that could be used to cover all the propagation tanks if needed. It was a pretty neat place to check out; they had plaques with a brief description of the invert along with some history about it. 

Edited September 21, 2016 by madweazl

[davelin315]

If I remember correctly, Barry Neigut who used to run Clams Direct spoke on how Tridacnid spp. clams didn't begin to use photosynthesis as their main energy source until they reached a certain size.  What he said years back was that they didn't have enough zooxanthellae to support their energy needs as immature clams.  Anecdotally, I would agree with this as I have always had more issues with raising smaller clams than larger ones.  Of course, Fatherree is certainly more knowledgeable than me...

 

I think that the difference between the "captive bred" clams they are raised primarily in raceways.  Very similar to a coral that can take the full brunt of the sun when in the wild, it is my understanding that these animals adapt to the light available to them so when we bring them into captivity and put them under our lighting which pales in comparison to the sun they need to be acclimated to new levels of sunlight.  Fatherree has an article on just this subject: http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2010/8/inverts

 

I believe that pretty much anything that has zooxanthellae can bleach or be affected by light levels because it's a symbiotic relationship.  It's not that these are dying off, it's that they are being ejected from the animals as they adjust to different light levels.

[Origami]

BTW, I'm hoping that we can bring Mr. Fatherree back to DC to speak to us in the future. I mentioned as much to him at MACNA when I listened to this talk. I'll try to coordinate this option with John. He tends to be available in the January / February timeframe, so that's probably our best shot at getting him again.

[madweazl]

BTW, I'm hoping that we can bring Mr. Fatherree back to DC to speak to us in the future. I mentioned as much to him at MACNA when I listened to this talk. I'll try to coordinate this option with John. He tends to be available in the January / February timeframe, so that's probably our best shot at getting him again.

Hope it works out! Lots of valuable info out there.