Best locations for Maxima

[THP]

Hello everyone,

Can anyone tell me if its OK to put a maxima on live rock instead of on the sand bed?

I have been battling pyramid snails for as long as I've had this clam (2 years now) and finaly, today, he detached himself from the sand bed and was lying side ways. Because he was hanging on so tight to a calcified area of sand, I was never able to remove him before to do a proper job so all I could do was use tweezers to pull and/or loosen the snails then syphon them off

So, since he was detached, I took him out of the tank and spent about 45 minutes picking the snails off including two small egg masses then I scrubbed him with a tooth brush. I could not see any working up from his underside (what a relief!!) I also inspected very closely and could not see any others on him...hopefully none made it inside!!!! I also syphoned out the area of sand where he was in hopes of removing any eggs or others.

With all that said, I'm hoping that if I bring him up (half way up) onto the rock he will escape these pesky critters.

I'm running 14K 250W metal halides. He's about 3 inches long with a deep purple mantle and electric blue specs and lines. Any help would be extremely appreciated as I love this clam. He's my favorite thing in the tank

 

[mathman]

The answer to your question is yes. Maximas are light-loving rock-living clams.

I would love to ask you a question:

How deep is your tank and how intense is your clam's color? I would like to do the opposite and that is why I am asking. I recently bought a 4" maxima and I would love to leave it on the sand. The fact that you had it there for 2 years is encouraging, but I am worried about the vibrant colors fading. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Scuba Dog]

Yeah if you can get the feller to atach to the rock work no problem, You may want to pick up a 6 line wrass or a yellow coris wrass to wreck havic on those pesky snails if you haveent done so already...

mathman

I have clams all over my tank, on the sand bed and high up in the rockwork of my standard 75 gallon reef....and they keep there vibrant colors everywhere.....But then agen Im running 250 DEs over a 75, and there 6inches off the surface....10k ushios....when i have the new clam tank set up ill use a 250 DE 14kAC over it....

 

[mathman]

thanks scuba dog

 

[THP]

Thats great news...I'm glad I can put him on the rock work. As for the question about colors, I have had no problems and he has kept vibrant colors throughout the entire time I've had him. The tank is 24" deep with 2x250W 14K and 2 Actinic NO Florescence about 7 inches from the surface of the water.

The quick response is very much appreciated. Thanks

 

[smoke171]

I am going to hijack this thread I am having a similar problem with snails. I wanted to put my max on the live rock but he moves all over the place. It can move about 6 inches in one night, the clam is only about 1.5 inches. I have tryed to place it on a small piece of rock but it would move off. I am afraid he might jump off the live rock if I move it higher on the rocks. Any thoughts?
Thanx

 

[Paul B]

I was on a diving trip in Tahiti a couple of weeks ago and the place is covered in Tridacna clams, mostly the beautiful electric blue ones. It is hard not to step on them in the shallow water. They are all on rock right near the sand. I saw none on just sand because the surf would wash them ashore.
I keep mine in the same position I saw hundreds of them in the sea.
Paul