I also have a new maxima--in my tank for about a week now. I've wanted to keep claims for years but wouldn't get one because of my lights. I made the transition to MH about a month ago and figured the time was right.
I placed in carefully in the sand in a sort of cove in front of a cave in the live rock, being careful that there was nothing above that could fall on it.
This little claim evidently has strong opinions about where it wants to be. It has moved only a few inches from its original location, but has completely reoriented itself. I figure it was adjusting to current and lighting. Evidently, it likes where it is now as it has not moved for days.
It is very responsive to everything around it. It has also dug itself a bit of a bowl in the sand to sit in by squirting jets out it's corners.
(This morning, lights still out, I saw a small hermit crab get near the clam. The claim squirted and the crab went tumbling away. My life must be really dull, as I thought that was really amusing!)
I've read a good bit about clam requirements, but the behavior part has somewhat caught be by surprise. I'm assuming all this is "normal." It extends fully, is colorful, and only closes completely when something comes too close to it. It stays open and mostly extended even at night.
