? about small blue maxima clam.

Depends on your lighting, really. If it is really small make sure you either dose your tank with Phyto regularly or bowl feed it daily. I bowl fed my baby maxima (1.5") and it has done well. It's over 3" now.
 
i would think if that is a 10 gal tank then it could rest on the bottom, but i would try to get it to attach to a rock or half-shell. my squammie is happy as can be , hasn't attached to anything since i got it in May and for the first time today i saw it sending out threads.
p.s. like the new avatar.
 
Anywhere in that tank should be fine. I would feed it Phyto. I believe Cyclopeze are too large. Selcon is not a food, it is an additive to "Boost" food with vitamins and fatty acids.
 
Sorry to piggyback on this thread, as I am having a similar issue. I have a small (1.25 inch or so) tridacna. In the shop, he was wide open and looking great. But I got him homelast week, and he hasn't been fully open yet. If I put him on a rock and closer to the lights, invaribly a snail or something else knocks him over or off the rock. When I put him on the sandy bottom, he is not picked on by anything, but there is a lot of fish activity that seems to scare him.


135 Watts compact flo.
20L tank

Thanks in advance for in advice on where to try to make him happy.

--Mac
 
If the clam is that small he could be starving....clams that size need feedings of live phyto, usually 2-3 times a week. (I always have done every other day). The lighting could also be an issue.....I've never personally seen a maxima clam kept alove longer than 6 months under similar lighting.
 
In theory the lighting should be okay; however the maxima would have to almost be as close to the water's surface.

The smaller clams need phyto without a doubt.
 
You guys all talk about clams but I think this is not true at all. I spoke at length with Charles Delbeek at the Waikiki Aquarium about the idea feeding clams. He did an extensive study on it and concluded that clams do not need supplemental feeding to survive. They will utilize the supplemental feeding, but they don't require it. I've been keeping clams for 10 years and have never fed any of them. My oldest clam is 5 yrs old and started at around 2".

Anyways, these maxi's are very tempermental and can be very difficult to get them to attach. I've clams attach for a few months and then unattach for reason. I would start them off on the sand until it is more comfortable in your system and then move them up.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8374070#post8374070 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TearDrop
You guys all talk about clams but I think this is not true at all. I spoke at length with Charles Delbeek at the Waikiki Aquarium about the idea feeding clams. He did an extensive study on it and concluded that clams do not need supplemental feeding to survive. They will utilize the supplemental feeding, but they don't require it. I've been keeping clams for 10 years and have never fed any of them. My oldest clam is 5 yrs old and started at around 2".

Anyways, these maxi's are very tempermental and can be very difficult to get them to attach. I've clams attach for a few months and then unattach for reason. I would start them off on the sand until it is more comfortable in your system and then move them up.
Click to expand...

Everything I've read say you don't "need" to feed clams, but the survival rate of clams under 3" greaty increases when fed. Most people that get clams under 3" and don't feed them lose their clams prematurely. So, what is the down side of feeding them? There certainly is an up side.
 
I did ask Charles Delbeek about that too. He mentioned that supplemental wouldn't do harm to your tank, but it may have reprecussions on your overall system. A clam probably wouldn't efficiently utilize the feeding unless it is constantly in the system. They are not like fish, where they eat whats being fed to them. It most cases they probably won't eat most of the supplemental feeding. If the clam is not eating/absorbing it, then it just goes into your system a waste. I've seen alot people with massive algae blooms caused from too much supplemental feeding. Once the feedings were stopped, the algae blooms subsided.

In any case, I think it's better to just provide the proper amount of light, calcium levels, water quality, and mimimize a potential sources of stress. :rollface:
 
I have been feeding phytoplankton (DT's) about 1.5-3 times per week. Water quality tests are all good for established tank. Calcium is between 390 - 450. I haven't tested Ca lately, but will try to tonight and publish results.

I read if you overfeed (with phyto or anything) they aren't as vibrant, as they don't need as much Zooxanthellae for their nutrition. So I wasnt over -do-ing it.

Thanks again for all of your advice. This seems to be a great place to learn. Maybe one day I can return the favor to someone and answer their questions.

Thanks--
Mac
 
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