maxima clam breeding

[jefro120reef]

hey everyone. does any body have any experience breeding maxima clams?

[sunnych]

Thanks ya

[AquaMan91]

All i know is its real difficult to do so... and ive seen pics of a reef tank with a breeding clam.....not pretty lol....hopefully someone with more knowledge can pop in and give their 2 cents.

[AquaMan91]

I found some info;

Maxima Clams are not commonly bred in aquaculture, though the practice is becoming more common. In the wild, gametes are released into surrounding water; if egg and sperm cells unite, the resulting planktonic larvae will float freely for about ten days before settling on the bottom to develop. In captive breeding programs, many people will briefly warm the tanks in which Maxima Giant Clams are kept. This often triggers a gamete release. However, the release of clouds of sperm and egg cells is not always intentional and can be destructive in a small tank. In home aquaria, gametes are usually released in response to stress. One Maxima Clam that is not healthy and releases its gametes may cause all Giant Clams in the area to release gametes. This can vastly compromise water quality in a home aquarium, as clouds of gametes may pollute the water quickly. Many fish, particularly Chromis species, may eat these gametes, and protein skimmers can generally aid in cleaning up a gamete release, as well. If many Giant Clams are kept in an aquarium, you may wish to remove the one that is initially releasing gametes if you wish to prevent other clams from doing the same. If the Maxima Clam cannot be moved, you may siphon out the gametes by placing a tube, in which suction has been started, over the clam. After the gamete release is over, you should observe the individual that initiated the process, in order to be sure that it is not ailing. You may wish to perform a partial water change.

Credit to central pets.com