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I blame Casey! :) heh heh

2K views 24 replies 11 participants last post by  big t 
#1 ·
Well, after seeing Casey buying EVERY clam on the market, I figured I should buy one before they are all gone. ;) He was at the LFS, and I think he is dying. Part of it was the lack of lighting they had him under, part I think was just the tank condition..full of algae and such. It's fellow clam died 2 days before, and I couldn't stand to see this little guy die. So, they gave him to me on a discount. about 50% off. He still seems responsive, and every other day I am squirting DT's straight in to his mouth. Think he will pull through? I have had him since Sunday. How does he look right now to all you clam experts?
 

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#3 ·
Hm... gaping a smidge - but it might be due to acclimation. Squamosas do that sometimes...

Jeremy, if anyone can save it, you can. Just keep feeding it. It's awfully hard to tell sometimes, as a big clam can exhaust its energy reserves, hang on a couple of months, and disintigrate over a weekend. This one looks like a little guy, so it's hard to guess. Since it's still extending, I'd say it has a chance.

Good luck,
Danielle
 
#6 ·
Jeremey I would take it out of the tank during feeding time and place in a bowl of your tank saltwater and put the green water in the bowl as well and about twenty minutes the green water should be gone and should be a good indicator if it is feeding ok!
Then replace back to your tank! Just a thought!:)
 
#11 ·
I usually pick up my 1.5" maxima and put it in a glass measuring cup under the tank water. I then take the measuring cup out of the tank, set it on the counter, and drop in some Kent Phytoplex til the water turns a little green. Wait til the water clears up (maybe 20 mins to an hour) and then return it to the tank (I usually just put the water right back in so that the other filter feeders get what the clam missed).
I don't think it will stress it that much as long as you keep the temperature in whatever you're feeding it in close to tank temp... I'll sometimes drop in an icecube (small icemaker variety) to bring down the temperature in the cup if it starts getting too warm.
It usually opens back up fairly quickly and starts soaking up the rays once put back in the tank.
HTH.
 
#12 ·
jermey, from what i was told at a reef club meeting, orient the clam so the mantle face up towards the light, and not on its side when in the tank. its ok to keep them on their sides when out of the water, but when re-emersing your clam, just remember to burp the air bubbles out. i hope it survives! good luck, maximas are so awesome to look at!
good luck!
:cool:
 
#13 ·
Yeah Jereremy when you put the clam back in the tank turn it upside down and gently sway it back and forth a couple of times to release any bubbles like stated! Casey feeds his clams this way I think a couple times a week and has no problems! Casey where are you?:)
 
#15 ·
Yeah, I have straighten him up, and shortly afterwards, he is on his side again. I figured that was his way of saying.."to much light right now" I will place a rock near him to support him. :)
 
#17 · (Edited)
If it doesnt show full mantle extension within the first few days I think you have a problem. I hope you don't have any other clams in your tank. You might infect them with whatever the little max has.

All clam keepers should read this thread(and the links posted)
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=131880&highlight=mantle+pinching
Your clam looks like it is stressed but it is not a goner if you do something about it.

FWIW I fed my clams for almost 2 years using the bowl feed method. I haven't fed my clams directly lately(they grow fast enough as it is) but if I do pick up some smaller clams I will feed them via a 2-liter bottle attached to airline tubing seen here http://reefcentral.com/forums/showt...age=25&highlight=feeding hat pic&pagenumber=2

Either way works well, feed them babies!
 
#21 ·
How is this little maxima doing now??? I hope better but the pics look to me to be gapping and once a clam shows any signs of being stressed or dying it is usually gone. I sure hope that is not the case though. In that one place the mantle appears to be already pulling away from the shell.

Direct feeding in any of the clams is not a good idea. If they are going to feed they will do so. The squirting of the food into the clam will clog the clams gills and that will kill them.

Hope the baby's better...
 
#22 ·
Alas, no...he is dead. He was fine last night. Responsive and everything, but this morning, he was an empty shell with a hermit inside, and the starfish dragging the shell back in to some rocks. :( I tried.
 
#24 ·
Jeremy, I am so very, very sad for you and the clam. Sometimes you just never know when to try to be a better reefkeeper and help something that is doomed to failing. The times it works are awesome but the times you try so hard and it doesn't just about kill ya.
 
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