tiny little maxima clam??

I'll add to that that if you're a beginner, trying to keep a clam that small is not the greatest idea. Tangster has been able to successfully raise clams up from 1" but he's been in the hobby for almost 30 years.

 

i couldnt resist i bought one it has been two weeks now since the clam is in the tank. finger crossed it seems to be fine, still very sensative to light change, and what ive notice when i got the clam it was brown very little lines in it but now its turning allittle to the purple side and line and dots are very visible. i have been feeding it kent phyton. so keeping u guys on updated on my little clam life journey.

 

A Maxima of that size will never be able to feed it's self They are very specialized feeders developed over eons of time.. On average a clam is closer to 4 even 5 inches before it can produce enough zooxanthellae algae to store with in their blood to produce enough food through photosynthesis from proper lighting and water movement to sustain them between plankton feeding's It may look nice an all and i hope it keeps looking like that

But having said this the Kicker :-[ the smaller clams require a lot of algal food without which their chances of survival are slim to none . Many hobbyist have had the experience of keeping a clam alive for a few months after which they mysteriously die and after seemingly after doing so well. Well... they haven’t done well and they have slowly starved to death using up all their energy reserves and finally dying. All of these deaths { ALL OF THEM } could have been prevented by adequate feeding with good phytoplankton of the proper size and the bottled or shelf stored stuff won't do. They require a very special size of planktons to feed on. hell this could turn into a book on clams and feeding them LOL But not only do I not like to read one I like writing one even less LOL But if you want or need help I'll tell you what i have learned over the yrs..of keep and and raising them... Also the change to a deeper color of purple or blue is just ones way of absorbing as much light as they can to grow or transfer their light into the needed food via. zooxanthellae algaes. This is why way back it was thought purple colored calms would do better under VHO and that they did and some made it some did not make it long term. Good luck

 

so kent phyto is not choice of food for them i guess. my lfs can got these live phyto for me they are 2-20 microns, i got a bottle but i think its bad cause it smell really bad. but anyway is the size 2 -20 micron good enough for them.

 

thought i would put in my thoughts since i once made the choice of buying a baby blue maxima. well the stuff i feed is phytofeast live, and the clam is doing great. it even survived the move, agian. it is sensative though as far as feeding. i target it around the clam and turn off the skimmer so it circulates. i highly reccomend the live stuff, it is the only way to go. the other stuff just clouds up the tank. when i got the little guy he was less than an inch. i have had hime for over six months i think and steady growth is visible. i hope this helps. please keep us informed. 8)

 

Live phtyo isn't needed, dead is just fine as long is the cell wall isn't comprimised Rob Tooned did a great study for the MO hobby. On the aquaculture end, almost all bivalve hatcheries use live for the stages right after veliger, then they use paste (dead).

Also, there's many studies that actually prove the opposite of clams needing phyto at that size. I know a clam farm operation, and they use zero phyo in their entire facility. They get a little from the flow thru system, but not much at all. They grow slower, and they have a lower take rate, but they grow and are sold every week.

This is all coverred in James Fatherree's new book and more

 

Well you just keep doing what you are and you and your clam will be fine. Proof is in the pudding as I used to hear as a kid all the time.. I find something that works with no problem's I keep doing it.. I've never been one to jump on a new idea or theory. Until its proven to be better long term . I have seen to many ideas be jumped on only to find down the road a piece that it was not all thought it was that goes for humans Dog horses very farm animal there is LOL I have seen to many who thought the clam had to be enjoying the new food it shutting and expelling waste all the time LOL. But it was away's down the road they found it was waste from rejected food and was never really trapped and sorted as and used a food just the wrong stuff that had to be expelled. If It ain't broke don't fix it

 

i dont direct feed it cause where the clam is located is in the flow (but not a super strong flow). pretty much saying is when i put the phyto in the water 80% of it travel pass the clam. do you think thats enough or i have to use a syringe for maximum effects.

 

Yes well I have seen direct feed them cause more problems then not.. Thats why they will move and scoot around until light , water current and food it in enough supply.. I dump plankton is at a rate that most would say was bad LOL But on average i go through a few qts a week about 6 Oz's a day per 50 gals of water volume some times even more . But I have a culture I grow and I know its the proper , density, size and type and clean. Not a good idea to just feed any type like this. But you can see them almost growing really.

 

well thats good to hear so 2-20micros are good enough right? well i have seen the clam reposition it self on the little rock where i place it, now its just chilling there not moving i asuming it found the sweet spot. pass few days i have notice the clam is developing some colors its not just brown any more and patterns starting to form too.