Poor planning on my part (Maxima clam stuck)

Tony · Feb 15, 2014

So I bought a Maxima clam about...2? months ago. I originally was going to go to Home Depot, buy a tile, then put the clam on it in the sand bed....so I could quickly move him around if I need to.

Instead, I decided to get "artistic" and I put the clam on a piece of live rock that has a shelf edge to it. See below picture.

Well to my surprise, the clam is rapidly out-growing his spot. His foot is already down....and if you look in the back of the picture, you can see his shell is pushing up against the rock back.

Can I get your opinions? What should I do?

1. Leave the clam "as is", as he has plenty of room to grow.
2. Take the rock out of the water, put it in a 5gal bucket with fresh salt water, grab a hammer and screwdriver and start chiseling away so that the clam has a flat surface on the rock with no "background" to hinder his growth.

Cutting his foot thread thingy is NOT an option. I'm pretty uncoordinated and I WILL screw this up and kill the clam.

Thanks

Tony · Feb 15, 2014

Whoops, I forgot to upload the pic. Here it is:

As you can see, part of his mantle is "butting up" against the back of the rock he's sitting on.

and please ignore the photo-bomber. He's an attention whore and thinks I'm some sort of slave that drops free food into his home every morning.

Tony · Feb 15, 2014

Also the clam is a lot better looking in real life....the mantle is a deep electric blue. My Android phone doesn't capture the proper color for some strange reason.

Reefomeez · Feb 15, 2014

Don't do a thing. Nothing.

It can move itself out of there when it's ready. Trust me, I've had many clams and the ones I move really don't like it. Some have died even. And all of my clams have arranged themselves where they wanted eventually. I've even had them jump off of rock onto the sand to regime themselves.

Currently it looks happy and healthy so I wouldn't change a thing.

Reefomeez · Feb 15, 2014

Really nice clam btw.

Tony · Feb 15, 2014

Wow....that's the exact opposite of what I was expecting to hear.

Ok....well I will just monitor him.

Yeah he's sitting under LED lights (stock) on my JBJ 24ga nano tank. I give an extra squirt of phytoplankton every now and then....in the high hopes it supplements his eating.

LAreefguy · Feb 15, 2014

+1^ he will do what he needs to on his own.

Reefomeez · Feb 15, 2014

Tony said:

Target feeding isn't really necessary but I'm sure it thanks you. Just make sure those feedings won't ruin your water quality. Water quality is paramount with clams.

sillycupid · Feb 15, 2014

+1 you have managed to get past the most difficult part of keeping a clam (first month), now you get to leave the clam alone to do is own thing. They will move if they want to.

Reefomeez · Feb 15, 2014

sillycupid said:

Yep, absolutely.

Tony · Feb 15, 2014

Done deal. I won't touch him.

Yes, I do do occasional targeted feedings (by squirting a squirt of phytoplankton into the water) but I got a skimmer that pulls most of it out.

Any tips on how to take TRUE to life color pictures with a Samsung Note 3 smartphone?

Reefomeez · Feb 15, 2014

Need help with that myself. That pic is already better than what I could do.

Adrock · Feb 15, 2014

cut the bottom off of 1 l coke bottle put it over the clam and put your food on the top they (clams) usually do not like to be target fed. so when add food squirt into the top of the coke bottle and let the clam suck in the food as he sees fit , from my experience when target fed they just get pissed and close up and eat nothing

Six2seven · Feb 15, 2014

I agree you should just leave him there. But did you say he outgrew his spot because you didn't like the way he looked in his current location? The clam will get bigger and if you don't like where he is then you should move him.

I've had clams stuck on rocks before. You can softly just wiggle him back and forth. It might take a couple hours but he will slowly let go. Don't pull him. Never pull him or you will damage his foot. Wiggle back and forth for a long time. I've done that about twice. Both clams are still alive.

Tony · Mar 5, 2014

Update

So on Saturday of last week I noticed the Maxima clam sitting on its side. Its foot was completely lifted off the ground, as you can see in the 1st picture.

So I went to local coral store and bought a "starter kit" which had a white clam base made out of some sort of clay type material.

Put the clam on there....it looks to have attached and now it's no longer hampered by the rock it was growing on.

Reefomeez · Mar 5, 2014

Tony said:

Nice! I love those clam discs. They make it easy to move them around. I just wish they would sell them separately without all the other junk.

fishboi · Mar 5, 2014

That's a nice clam

mark.a.smith405 · Mar 5, 2014

Where can I buy there clam discs?? Very cool

Tony · Mar 5, 2014

Reefomeez said:

Thanks....yeah entire package was $19.99. I should have gone to Michael's and bought modeling clay and made my own. But it came with 2 discs. So when and if this guy outgrows the current disc.....I will file down the edges of the other one and put him on that one.

I wonder if he was in trouble when he went on his side and his foot came completely off the ledge?

fishboi said:

Thanks, $99 (I think) and I got it from Age of Aquariums in Long Beach. If I find an extra $100 lying around, I might go buy another one.

mark.a.smith405 said:

It's a package I got from....Coral Obsessions in Huntington Beach. At least I think that's their name? Some dude with a beard is the owner. I'm sure he told me his name, but since he doesn't have breasts and a vagina, I'm really not good with remembering names of dudes. Cool guy tho.

Persian · Mar 6, 2014

Do yourself a favor man and dont move that clam anymore. I had the most beautiful Clam in the world and I killed it cause I kept moving it around.

So so sad

His name was Burrito and IM Sooooooooo Sad now that you brought this up and it reminded me of Burrito....waaaaaaaaaaa

Anyone have a clam for sale? :a33:

A picture of Burrito

Poor planning on my part (Maxima clam stuck)

New member

New member

New member

Member

Member

New member

Member

Member

Member

Member

New member

Member

2

Premium Member

New member

Member

Member

Premium Member

New member

Member