maxima clam question

[Rhygar666]

Hello,

after my tank is matured, i switched to a bigger tank 8 months ago and before all rocks were in a smaller tank for a year. I decided to go for a maxima clam.

regarding my pictures (i know the usual bad mobile phone quality).
At the right end of the clam, it is open and i can see inside it second pic shows it a bit.
im just wondering is that normal? can clams open the mouth fully? is the right joint side looking fine?

should i try to let it attach to my holder like this, is the position okay?

dont mind the algae im winning the battle phosphate is down to 0.01, its not growing and almost gone from my backwall.

 

[BigCountry74]

if its open its happy. i have not had much luck keeping these things alive personally. u got any meat eaters in the tank?

 

[CuzzA]

Something doesn't look right in picture 4. Perhaps it's the holder you were talking about. Nevertheless, when it comes to clams, there are sure signs of a happy healthy clam and one that is on its way out. Good signs are a bright white shell under the mantle. This is an indication that it is growing and has been open. If you go to a LFS to buy a clam, you always want to check to make sure the edge of the shell is bright white. Another good sign is a fully opened smooth mantle. If it's crinkled/wrinkled (pinched mantle) up inside the shell, there is or was a problem. Most likely something was nipping it. Finally the mouth of the clam will change from time to time, but if it's wide open and gaping, exposing its inards, well let's just say its inards are going to become its outards.

I recommend keeping Derasa clams. They are very tough and once big enough they can even withstand the occasional nip from a tang or similar fish. Fortunately, even though we don't want to lose any marine animal, all tridacna clams are mari/aquacultured so we are not having a detrimental impact on wild clams, just an impact on our wallets.