Baby Maxima in intensive care!

[Scuba Dog]

Well over the weekend at a lfs during our reefclub event, I came acrost a baby ultra maxima, Id say a one inch clam, well Im quite fond of the baby maxs and when ever I see one I instantly want one, well I bought it for 20 bucks...Here is the kicker It wasent it good shape and I knew it so its a project, the little guy never gave full mantle extention and very little if any around the incurent siphon, looks like it may be damaged....THe only things I know to do is feed it daily target feedings with DT's and hope my excelent water quality will nurse it back to health....but it does have great light refelxes! If there is anything elese yall know to do please let me know, but for 20 bucks I couldent turn it down....well I could do incantations and chants I guess and clam dances lol....just kidding lol....tanks for taking the time to read.....and later on when im home from work ill snap a pic or two.....Roy

 

[Peabody]

Avoid target feedings like squirting phyto towards a clam. They can literally choke. That's why bowl feedings or a feeding bell is necessary. It gives the clam access to all the phyto, but dilutes it so they won't "choke".

Maybe that's what you meant, though. Just trying to help Keep us posted!

 

[Scuba Dog]

Peabody

Im sorry when I mention target feeding " i ment the bowl technique' but so far I have only had the little fellow since saturday, Its going to be an adventure each day that I get home from work is it still alive....but sure I have a 50/50 shot or it recovering....

 

[jda]

Put him close to the lights if you can. I kept mine in the bowl at all times since moving them in/out seemed somewhat stressful. See if he will attach to the bottom of the bowl or onto a small rock inside of the bowl. They seemed to grow better when attached. Don't let the temp get too out of whack while in the bowl outside of the tank.

You will be doing all that you can. He may or may not come back, but it sounds like you are doing it right.

Good luck.

 

[jeffreylam1132]

How do you feed from a bowl? If I'm not mistaken, clams don't like to be moved around. So, by bowl feeding, wouldn't you have to take the clam out of the tank like every other day. Hm..............I'm curious.

 

[Peabody]

Yes, that's exactly what many people do. I used it to raise four very small maximas to adulthood. I did some playing around with frequency of feedings with some clams and those that recieved 3 Xs a week feeding grew MUCH faster than those who recieved less frequent feeding.

 

[Scuba Dog]

So far the little fellow is doing better , improved mantle extention and all, the little fellow is absolutly gorgious...Ill have to snap a pic of it unless I forget...I also have been feeding my other baby max everyday with the new one as well and it seems to be enjoying the extra phyto soup lol.....I keep them both on the crushed coral and they seem fine, tried to keep in on a clam shell to atach to but the fish or falling frags always knocked it loose so now I just put them back down on the sand bed....

Ill have my clam tank up and running soon, all I have to do is some drilling and plumbing, and some finish work on the stand....and the new fuge ....Ill move all 7 of my clams over to it along with the maroon pair....and the few lps and softies....ill have them on the outer edge of the tank so they can get a little less light....the clam tank is 57 gallons...34 long 30 wide and 13inches tall....20 degree slanted glass.....

 

[Scuba Dog]

Well It has been a little over a month since i purchased the sickly maxima....Im pleased to state that it has fully recovered, the mantle has repaired it self..and yesterday I noticed some new shell growth...So I give it a bill of good health.....I keep forgiting to take pics so many projects going on this time of year....the clam tank is nearly fisnished just about com,pleted the stand...and the plumbing should be done soon in the next few days....all that remains is the fuge....Im waiting on the 37 gallon I oredered then ill drill it and plumb it then the project will be completed!

 

[thrlride]

Awesome scuba!

 

[MattG]

glad to hear your maximas doing well! looking forward to a pic

 

[melev]

Okay, you promised us a picture a long time ago, but so far....

Here, I'll post a picture of my baby Maxima.

Just pulled him out tonight to pry off some hitchhikers and to take a measurement. I've had him 7 months and he's grown 3/8". He's been comfy on the substrate of my 280g, but I moved it up higher into the branches of an acropora colony (the core is dead) to give it better lighting.

 

[tacocat]

How much DT's do you feed them?

 

[Scuba Dog]

I know I know i keep forgeting lol! But the clam tank is nearly done, planing on taking some pics from it to get the great coloration...never did take a before pic of the baby max....but in a couple weeks the clam tank "should" be up and running unless I have overlooked something...and Im distracted at the moment...Just got my two solomon Island Eclectus baby parrots in two days ago...one male one female unrelated pair....so all my extra time has been with those lil guys!

I brought home from work a clean disposable syrenge that holds about 3 to four mils of liquid volume....So I think I dosed about 3 to 5 mils of DT's per fluid cup volume...it gave the water a slightly green tint....usually took my two baby maxs about 15 to 30 minuits to filter the water back to a clear coloration....