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Thread: Terribly worried about baby clam that took a tumble

  1. #1
    tebstan Guest

    Default Terribly worried about baby clam that took a tumble

    I got a little maxima a few weeks ago. It’s smaller, 2” and didn’t attach to the rubble I put it on at the bottom of the tank. I intended to move it closer to the lights after it attached. It didn’t attach, and started to look like it wasn’t extending as much as it had. So I took the risk and moved it closer to the top. It sent out byssal threads, so I thought it was going well.
    Until I was out of the house for 12 hours, and came home to a tipped over and angry maxima. :(
    I don’t know how long it was upside down. One of the scutes broke off. I placed it on a piece of rubble again, on the bottom, until I’m sure it’s attached. I don’t want it to take another tumble.
    It extends fully and reacts to shadows. But there is a small bleached spot by the scute that broke off. I’m terribly worried, but resisting the temptation to reach in and coddle it, afraid I’ll just stress it more.
    Should I move it closer to the light to repair the bleached spot, or assume it’s from the damage to the shell and let it alone? The last time I had it higher in the tank, I thought I had it in a safe spot and was clearly wrong.

    There’s nothing in the tank to pick on the clams. Occupants besides the maxima are a squamosa, dragon goby, starry blenny, clarkii pair, chromis, feather dusters, peppermint shrimp, fire shrimp, scarlet reef hermits, and turbo snails. Ammonia, nitrites, nitrates are all zero. Ca is 440, I occasionally feed DT’s. I have 6 T5s on a 90g.
    I’ve had a 3” squamosa clam for a while that seems to be doing well. It’s color has improved since I got it over a month ago, and it has attached to piece of rubble. It was doing so well, I decided to try the maxima.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    05-23-2009
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    LaVernia, Texas
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    Is the bleached spot on the mantle? Or the shell?
    Karin



  3. #3
    tebstan Guest

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    On the mantle. It's pea sized, right next to where a scute broke off. It's brown still, not white yet, so it's not a 'dead' spot - yet. The mantle is extended, but.. it looks sad. Droopy, not full and thick like the squamosa.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    10-03-2009
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    Any blenny has a potential to pick on clams -- are you sure the starry's not the culprit?

    -Corruption

  5. #5
    tebstan Guest

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    Anything is possible.. but the starry has only been in the tank for 7 days, and still sticks to his safe cave, far from the clam. He hides when I so much as look at him. (Amazing, how good his vision is.) He may come out when I'm not home. The squamosa shows no damage, and since it's mantle is always full I'd think it would be an easier target. The maxima doesn't have any chunks missing from the flesh, just the discoloration.

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