Maxima Problems?

[DSR]

My maxima has been doing great until last night about 2:30AM. I woke up and checked on my tank and noticed that my maxima had detached from the frag plug. THere was a sizeable chuck of tissue along with some obvious byssal threads still stuck to the rock. I thought it was a goner, but I set it back up right and it opened right back up. I inspected the frag plug and there as a mystery snail (not a pyramid). This was small and had like a chevron pattern on its brown/tan shell. Note, it was not on the clam, but was attached to the side of the frag plug.

I then put the clam up on the rocks about8 inches below the water. Within an hour or so it had fallen to the sand below. I put it back on the frag plug and left it alone.

I am a bit concerned that it did not attach to the liverock. In the past it has attached very quickly.

I did inspect the byssal opening and there is still tissue in there so I don't think it lost all of its foot. And, i don't think there is anything in the tank that could move it without also disturbing the plug (it remained in the sand). So, any thoughts on what could have caused this or why my clam ejected its byssal threads?

Tank parameters are:

SG: 1.024
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 10
Phosphate: almost 0
calcium: 420
AK: 8

Livestock includes two true percs, lawnmower blenny and a royal gramma

There are three margarita snails and five nassarus snails.

 

[d34532]

you might want to include what your mag lvl is at.

However I think it letting itself go from the frag plug is completely fine. I have 2 maxima that has done this a few times. they would release from place they were at then move a few inches and then reattached only to release again one to 2 months later. Just it didn't like those spots. Still have the clam that has done this about 8 to 10 months ago.

Not sure if your LFS has frag mounts by Lighthouse Aquatics but are a but large 2 to 3 inch dia with a dimple in the middle. I set the clam on that and it like the fit and has attached.

 

[DSR]

Thank you for the information. The frag plug it was attached to was a home made one that was about 2.5" across. And he was attached to it for a week or so. My thought is that he might have left because the derasa had moved right up next to him. We will see how he is doing tonight. I would like to put him back on the liverock if my darn lawn mower will leave him be... But that is asking alot of the blenny (he likes to push things around).

 

[DSR]

Got home last night and check on my clam. it had moved again off the frag plug. So i put him on the liverock again... and, once again, that darn blenny pushed him off the edge. Fortunately there isn't much room to fall. But he landed right on top of a ric... no issues though. Put him back on the frag plug. But before I didi I checked the byssal opening and there is definitely tissue in there so I guess he didn't dump the gland as well. He looks great otherwise, but he is not attaching to anything (which is strange for him). Anyway, just an update.

 

[DSR]

Since I am sure that you all have been waiting by the computer for an update concerning Max (as my daughter calls it)... I thought I would give you an update. After rearranging some stuff in the tank i was able to make a comfortable space for him about 4" from the surface and in a location with good gentle flow. Within three hours he had attached again and was very open (and I swear he actually smiled at me for a second). Not sure why he was unhappy with his previous location as my tank is not that deep). So all is well in clamsville at the moment.

When I rearranged I found out that I had been being a bit wasteful with regard to realestate and after some adjustments I cleared off nearly the entire top half of one side of my liverock. So there is now plenty of room for a crocea up near the top. So... if anyone has a spare crocea please feel free to ship it my way.