Giant maxima giving up

[RKM]

My brother has a 7-8 in Maxima. It is not looking too good. He is retracting in his shell. Although the pictures look bad. He is still alive. I cast a shadow over him and he still moves. I did some tests today here are the parameters.

Nitrites .2 not even.
Nitrates 2.5
Pos .2
CA 200
temp is 80
9.6 KH
3.426 Alk
Ph is 7.7
Salinity .020

At the moment I have him adding salt to the system very slowly. I also have him dosing Kent Liquid Calcium to bring the levels up a little. other than that I can't think of anything else to do.
Here is a pic.

 

[OrionN]

That is a Crocea. It is dead and there is nothing you can do for it at this point.
Minh

 

[RKM]

Dead not yet but soon I gather. It still responds to shadows. Crocea, thanks for the ID. It's my brothers I forgot what it was exactly.

 

[hwynboy]

Yes I agree that is not a Maxima rather a crocea that is on his last legs. If your salinity is at 1.020 then that's too low IMO...

 

[Peabody]

Ouch...it's gotta be the chemistry. Several of those numbers are way off....

 

[Omar H]

If those water parameters don't ring a bell for your brother, perhaps it's best if he gets some good books (I highly reccomend The reef aquarium by Sprung and Delbeek, even if it's 8+ years old) and/or consults other information sources (like reefcentral) before attempting even saltwater fish. I don't want to sound rude, but really the PH and salinity are way off acceptable levels. Ca and Alk are also low for a calcifying organisms like clams. Finally adding salt directly to the system is definitively not the best way to correct a salinity problem, actually doing that is probably one of the worst things we can do with delicate organisms like a crocea clam. Good luck.

HTH
Omar

 

[lilmiss40]

Hi
I'm having the same difficulty with my crocea. I've had him 2 years and he started looking bad a few days ago. My water paremeters are all within normal. I have not done anything differently than I have since I started my 180 gallon reef system.
I don't see any type of parasite on him or anything. What other problems could be causing his demise. I have a derusa that is doing just fine. Thanks for the info, even though it's probably to late for my clam.
Lilmiss40

 

[RKM]

He was doing so good with his water tests, and everything. We have been very swamped with work the last couple of months. I guess testing the water slipped his mind. I am sure a $180 clam death with help him remember testing now though. Although it shouldn't be just about the money. It sucks that such a beautiful clam will not be with us any longer.

Maybe by some grace of luck it will pull through.

He is not just adding salt to the water. he is diluting salt in standing water airating it and adding to the tank slowly.

 

[saltywater180]

Maybe by some grace of luck it will pull through

There is no way that clam is going to make it, once they pull away from the shell like that, they are done. Sorry for the clam.

 

[Barry N.]

Several of those numbers are way off....

Way off !!!

 

[davidgottlieb]

200 CA? Are there any coral in that tank? If so, look for them to be kicking it soon too. Wow!

 

[RKM]

No corals. He built the tank, and ran out of time to add a CA reactor. Well he does have star polyps. But they are thriving. Kind of funny.

THe clam did die this morning...

Things will change for the better when he gits the rest of the system together.

 

[Barry N.]

poor animals

and ran out of time to add a CA reactor

Sorry to sound crude but why did he add livestock??

 

[Peabody]

Yes, not to be rude or crude, but your brother needs to stop adding animals to his tank untill he can care for them properly. Those water parameters are way, way off, as said before!

 

[RKM]

That is kind of the reason he only had a clam and star polyps and nothing more. He ran out of time, our work has bicked up 10 fold.

If work was the same he would have had time to buy and install the rest of the equipment.

 

[Peabody]

That's not the point. If you can't care for a creature (not the right equipment, no time, whatever) don't get it or give it to someone who can take care of it. A creature should die a needless death. Correct salinity, calcium and ALK probably would have saved that clam, and less than 5 minutes a day will keep it stable.

It's like getting a dog and not having time to feed it.

 

[RKM]

Hey I understand all that. I have a clam and other softies. But I watch my water. I have to dose with liquid Ca. I am not getting any other stuff until I get the correct equipment. Even though suppliments can take you far.

 

[Peabody]

Glad you have the right attitude. Try to get it to rub off on your bro

 

[RKM]

I just need to figure out exactly what I want.

1. Kalk (nielsen) sp reactor.

2. Ca reactor.

I am getting a RO Di unit. I want to set it up to auto top off and either use the Kalk reactor, or just the top off and the CA reactor. Space is very limited under my tank. I have a wet dry that supports a 200 gal tank under it at the moment. With a skimmer in it. I have a big external pump. I want to use the external on a closed loop with a oceans motions. I also bought a refugium. It is still sitting unused. I would like to use that instead of the wet dry. I also would like to keep my skimmer somewhere in it so the water level doesn't change. I think I have all that figured out. The biggest problem is mostly a Kalk or CA reactor, and how to hook them up...Sorry to ramble on.

 

[milhouse74]

No corals. He built the tank, and ran out of time to add a CA reactor. Well he does have star polyps. But they are thriving. Kind of funny.

THe clam did die this morning...

Things will change for the better when he gits the rest of the system together.

There are other ways to suppliment calcium, you dont have to have a ractor to not kill your animals.



As far as the kind of funny remark, I am sure more then just myself is wondering what part of this could possibly be funny.

David