Small Maxima w/ spots growing on it...please help

[naterealbig]

Anyone know whats wrong with my clam? The spots started off as just two small ones yesterday (the day after I put him in the tank) and the number of the spots have grown in size and number. It appears as though the pigment has been scraped off of the mantle. The clam otherwise appears normal and responds to stimuli. I have a T. derasa that has grown almost an inch in 6 months at the bottom of the tank. I read that the maximas need much more light so I put him about 8" from the surface, (10 inches from the actual light). Some help/diagnosis would be greatly appreciated. By the way, the clam is about 2" long.

 

[mbbuna]

drop it from the light for now, you need to slowly acclimate them to new lighting.

whats happening is called bleaching. in other words the zoox in the clam is either being expelled by the clam or the zoox is dieing

 

[naterealbig]

Alright. As I said before, I have kept a T. derasa @ 24" for several months now, and just assumed I should put the maxima much higher. Should I put him on the bottom for now? Move him up slowly, or just leave him at the bottom? I appreciate the help, at least I have an idea of whats going on, and what to do. Oh, by the way, will the colors eventually come back as they were before?

 

[mbbuna]

put it on the bottom for now( a week or so) then slowly move it back up.

if it stops bleaching and the zoox start repopulating then the color will come back

 

[naterealbig]

Thanks so much Chris&Barb

 

[mbbuna]

your welcome, let us know how its doing