HALPPPP Maxima Clam Not Extending Mantle

[blackie9900]

Hello,

i recently picked up this maxima clam from my LFS, he/she is about 4-6" (at the time the metal halide lights where off and the clams mantle wasnt fully extended), the owner assured me that the clam is OK and that the mantle fully extends when the metal halides are one... long story short i purchased the clam, moved it into my tank and haven't seen the mantle extend further than whats shown in the photos.

i have a hydra 52 led light in a 60g rimless deep blue ocean cube

the clam is resting on top of a flat rock, however it seems like its attached to a small piece of rubble (i got it like this from the fish store), and i didnt want to mess with it. Currently the clam is sitting in the muddle of my tank sitting right under the light, i moved it there this morning to see if it needs more light). Any help is greatly appreciated as i do not want for it to die! i have been feeding my tank live phyto every 3 days.

Also ive noticed that its "gaping" or at least i think it is, it gets really wide and i can see inside it. And maybe also bleached, depending on what angle you are looking at it some parts look white








Tank Parameters:
PH= 8.0
Ammonia= 0
Nitrate= 0
Nitrite = 0
Alk= 9.2
CA= 440

phosphate = not sure, picking up a test kit tomorrow

 

[blackie9900]

from 5 min ago

 

[blueclam99]

Your clam still looks fine to me. Though this particular type of maxima need more nutrient than other maxima like coco maxima or other tri dacha. With my experience it is hard to keep. I know a few people are doing well with nitrate 20 ppm. However the parameter may not be acceptable for average Redfin. I read somewhere Polynesian clams inhabit in very high micro plankton zone. The guy in Tahiti told me nitrate in captivity would substitute those natural food sources. It is beautiful clam indeed. By the way she is not gapping on the photos.

 

[Sullyman]

Have you checked for pyrimid snails?
How old is the set up?

 

[blackie9900]

setup is 6+ months old, clam just gets wide little mantle extension, i moved the rock it was sitting on a little bit higher in the tank and feed phyto 2 times a week. going with the wait and see approach.

when i got it i didn't have the balls to dip it in bayer pesticide (as some others on here have done), i scrubbed the shell and looked for pyramid snails (didn't find any), it does have 1 aphasia polyp on it (looking into removing it without hurting the clam)

 

[Sullyman]

have you checked for pyramidal snails? Tiny white cone shaped shells. They're usually on the clam's base or on it's shell. It can take a few times to get rid of them all if you do find some.
Also I don't see pinched mantle, something has the clam (claming up). How long has this tank been up and running? What fish and clean up crew do you have that you know of?
http://s26.photobucket.com/user/sullyman5004/media/P3030584.jpg.html
http://s26.photobucket.com/user/sullyman5004/media/P1010002-18.jpg.html
http://s26.photobucket.com/user/sullyman5004/media/clams060.jpg.html
http://s26.photobucket.com/user/sullyman5004/media/clams059.jpg.html
Some pics from when I first got him and some others, last pic is about 6 months ago.
I remember losing a few clams to pinched mantle in the past. Thought they got it under control but who knows.
Your last pic has what looks to be a P snail, bottom left, on the growth schute, really hard to tell from pic. Best time to look for snail is at night with a flash light, pick up the clam and look at it's base and shell. If you see any pick them off and put the back clam down, repeat until no sign of them.
Good luck

 

[Sullyman]

Sorry for the near double post. What you're seeing is the out door of the clam. The bigger it opens the more water it's pushing through. I've seen mine open up so wide I thought it was big trouble, next day it was fine. If you look in the clam you'll see it has gills like a fish.