Maxima not opening

[sierra112]

I have a Maxima that has stopped opening. It's mantle will extend slightly for short times during the day. It's about 4", and is placed on the top of my rock under 2-250W halides and 2-110VHO. I kept him in my refugium until I purchased the new hood. He always had full extension while there. I've acclimated all corals in the main tank with screening and eggcrate. Everything, including all soft corals made the transition well, all except the clam. Here are my parameters as of today.

temp - 80deg
SG - 1.027
ammonia - 0
nitrates - 0
Alk - 8dkh
Ca - 450
PH - 8.28 (monitor)
Ma - 1250

I feed the tank every 3 days with phytoplex. I drip kalk to make up for evaporation.
-Tyler

 

[Peabody]

Everything looks pretty good. The salinity is flirting with high, but not dangerously so.

How about predation? What fish do you have?

 

[sierra112]

Sebae clown pair
PB Tang
Gramma
Bi-color Blenny
Neon Goby
I have never seen anything nipping at it. When the mantle does extend, it shows no damage. What do you recommend for salinity? Alk?
The only other coral that doesn't seem happy is my brain. Only parts of him seem to inflate.

 

[photophobic]

Had a similar problem with mine but it was caused by a blenny which kept perching on top of it.
Blenny sat on top so often the clam didn't open and algae grew on the inside of the shell which irritated the clam causing it to retreat further in.
Created a "better" perch for the blenny which he quickly took to and the clam slowly opened more and more laying down new shell over the algae until now he is fully extended and problem was solved.

May not be the same issue with yours but worth a look - see if the inside edge were the clam tissue rests on the shell is a crisp clean white or does it have algae growing on it?
Cheers Andrew

 

[DBM]

I'd be willing to bet the blenny is grazing algae off of the clam or perching on it.

 

[Peabody]

BINGO! - Bi-color blennies are notorious for being clam nippers. Run a search on this forum and you'll see countles accounts of people having this happen.

Now you may have not seen this happen, but all it takes is 2 or 3 nips a day (less than a second or two of total time) to scare a clam into barely opening, or not opening at all. Even the most astute tank watcher will miss it.

Photophobic's problem sounds right for something like a lawnmower blenny, but bi-colors are the little devils (over 50% of them turn our bad)

 

[sierra112]

Hmmm...never would of given my blenny a second thought. I did check on the inside of the clam's new layers...pearl white, no algae. That would expain why when he was in my refugium under pc bulbs he was fine (no fish), and now under halides he's closed. I think I'll move the blenny out to see if the situation changes.

 

[sierra112]

Easier said then done. I have a baited 20oz water bottle with the tip inverted. I thought that would be the answer. No luck yet. I have however witnessed (after a 3hr "no blink" stare down with the clam) a definate nip at the mantle. Now I just need to remove him.

 

[sierra112]

I've now moved the clam to my refugium. He's been there for only one day and his mantle is about 1/2 way extended. The mantle is very dull though. Hopefully he recovers fine. As for the blenny, I have had no luck. I've tried "The Trap", skimming fish food on the surface while I wait with a net, my own trap...nothing. Does anyone have ideas on a better way that may have worked for them?

 

[acroconut]

Might be worth the knowing just what the "better perch" was that Photophobic created. I have a Chevron tang that will pick at the scutes of my big teardrop. I have used a bit of egg grate and a piece of dead Gorgonian to inhibit the tang from pecking on the clam. Dosn't look great, but it does work. When my new tanks finally up and running, the tang's out of there. No more barriers.

 

[TXLewis]

Neon Goby and Deresa clam

Neon Goby and Deresa clam

I have a large (5") Deresa, 3" teardrop Maxima, 1" Maxima and 2" Crocea. All are doing well (although the small Maxima could be doing better). After adding a neon Goby two days ago, I have observed the Goby nipping at the mantle of the Deresa. Haven't seen any sign of damage, but I assume the Goby is in fact tearing off tissue. Regardless, the Deresa isn't opening as much. This is happening fairly frequently. I have not seen the Goby show any interest in the other three clams - all of which are smaller.

Is this a no-win situation? I will try moving the Deresa. I could also probably catch the Goby - his home is a powerhead at the top of the tank - would be easy to net him.

Tank is 60" x 30" x 30" deep, lightly loaded with lots of LR.

TXLewis