Clam experts. Minds outta the gutter please. Maxima clam extension

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#1
Blue maxima Tahitian clam

Been in the tank for 3 days just in the sand. Under a radion at 60%. This is as far as the clam will extend and it seems like it should be a lot more open. Not as much as a derasa but I would assume full extension means it's happiest. Specially with the pics on liveaquaria. Water chemistry aside would it be a lighting issue? Lack of secure rock attachment?

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Liveaquaria for reference
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mark.a.smith405

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#4
Clams can get pests and diseases easily. Check it's foot for pyramid snails. Heard of people doing fresh water dips successfully

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#5
Blue maxima Tahitian clam

Been in the tank for 3 days just in the sand. Under a radion at 60%. This is as far as the clam will extend and it seems like it should be a lot more open. Not as much as a derasa but I would assume full extension means it's happiest. Specially with the pics on liveaquaria. Water chemistry aside would it be a lighting issue? Lack of secure rock attachment?

View attachment 54051

Liveaquaria for reference
View attachment 54052

Where is it placed under your radions and what was it under before you got it? Typically they don't extend like that because the light is too strong or some other irritant. If it's not pests I would move it to a lower light area and slowly move it back to your main location.

Did you burp it before you placed it?
 
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#6
So burping is apparently some internet myth. I rotated it when it went it but technically they live in tidal zones and are exposed to air quite often so they can "self" burp. These clams love light. They are photosynthetic and need it to feed so I doubt at 50% on a radion 30" away is the issue. I took all the snail like things off I could find before it went in the tank but I'll look again tonight when the pyramid snails come out. Now they'd be under the clam in the sand bed so it'd be useless
 
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#7
I don't think you should really have to move it from were you set it, if it doesn't like that spot it'll move around anyways until it finds its happy place. Could just be stressed out or didn't like something in your tank, the last clam I bought I got from Ali and was under same type of lighting I had so it opened completely instantly when I put it in my tank. Lighting could be the issue
 
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#8
Put it on a rock mid way up your tank where it won't be bothered with direct flow from pumps/ powerheads, maxima's don't really like sand. Also keep an eye on your fish if any of them are picking on it it won't open, I had a stupid cleaner wrasse that was picking on mine for about 2 weeks and I was breaking my head trying to figure out why it wasn't opening until one evening I decided to just watch for about an hour and sure enough it was that little sheet that was picking on it, as soon as I took it out the clam opened back up. Good luck!
 
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#9
So burping is apparently some internet myth. I rotated it when it went it but technically they live in tidal zones and are exposed to air quite often so they can "self" burp. These clams love light. They are photosynthetic and need it to feed so I doubt at 50% on a radion 30" away is the issue. I took all the snail like things off I could find before it went in the tank but I'll look again tonight when the pyramid snails come out. Now they'd be under the clam in the sand bed so it'd be useless

Are there any circular divots in the shell? If you removed all the snail like things it could have had a parasite and it's just recovering from the damage done.
 
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#10
No nothing that extensive. I removed it from the sand bed and carefully cleaned it's foot and placed it on a rock. It's a little higher up now and hopefully it'll secure itself to the rock and be happier.

Inspection an hour after lights out revealed no pyramid snails. As far as I know it was on the sand bed in its last aquarium or more of a rocky substrate because small pebble like rocks were still stuck to its foot. I cleaned those off with no fiber loss so fingers crossed it'll be happier perched on its new rock.
 
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#11
I had the same issue in the past, after a week or so it finally opened up...maybe just leave it alone and see what happens to him..good luck.
 
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#12
Moved it up on a rock and out of the sand so at this point I'll just keep an eye out at night for pyramid snails and see how it does. Seems to have attached to the rock though. I can see the foot.

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