vanatu maxima on sand or not?

kathywithbirds · 10-10-2007, 06:16 PM

We just got our little teeny clam from Mr. Coral... very pretty.

Got a few questions: it was sold as a vanatu maxima. I thought maximas go on the sand... is that right?

and I don't see a "foot"... where am I looking for this foot thing?

also, there's a few things that look like feather duster worms on it, should I take these off or is it something that grows on clams? There's one that's kinda in the way for when the mantle comes out. It hasn't yet.

Sorry for all the questions, thought we did enough research on these guys but now that we have one home...

hold on for pics shortly.

kathywithbirds · 10-10-2007, 06:23 PM

OK, here we go. The feather duster things are pretty apparent.

CATALYST · 10-10-2007, 06:46 PM

I'm not a clam expert but...
I have a teardrop maxima. It's happiest on the rocks with a ton of light. Your clam does not look happy. The mantle is retracted and it looks like it is gaping. Mine didn't have an apparent foot either when I got it but it attached to the rock in a couple days. It had quite a bit of slime too but that has since gone away. Here's a thread from when I got it...Clam
Mine had some stuff growing on it too. Not quite as large as those feather dusters though.

CATALYST · 10-10-2007, 06:54 PM

I went and looked at the ones they have on the site and they look good. Is it really new? Maybe it's a little stressed from shipping. Did you use the flash? I know people put rocks under them in the sand and once they attach you can move them around.

kathywithbirds · 10-10-2007, 07:06 PM

That pic was taken after it had been in the tank for maybe a half hour, underwent a shaking up (slid the tank to another stand, it's a nano) and yeah, I did use the flash.

How long is usual to see "normal" behavior from a clam? It took some of our corals minutes to happily acclimate, up to weeks for sprouts to start coming up on the GSP.

Dentoid · 10-10-2007, 07:59 PM

Kathy, I agree with Catalyst, it looks like it is gaping. From James Fatherree's book, "Giant Clams in the Sea and the Ocean", "Gaping=shell is open, the inhalent siphon is wide open and the mantle is retracted. Usually not a good sign. It also looks a bit bleached (could be the photo).

Smaller clams are more sensitive than larger ones and harder to keep alive. Keep an eye on this one. It could be shipping stress. However, they usually perk up pretty fast in the right light.

Sorry for the bad news, but I think you should know.

CATALYST · 10-10-2007, 08:29 PM

Maybe get a shell or something hard under it and give it a couple days in the sand. The maximas are pretty light demanding so it'll need to get moved up on the rocks. MH is best.

reefjitsu · 10-10-2007, 08:33 PM

I agree, the clam doesn't look real good. As for the hitch hikers, they appear to be vermitid snails to me.

I also notice that you have alot of flatworms. Not neccesarily an issue, but something to keep an eye on.

CATALYST · 10-10-2007, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reefjitsu

I also notice that you have alot of flatworms. Not neccesarily an issue, but something to keep an eye on.

Holy Mother of Pearl! They're huge!

kathywithbirds · 10-10-2007, 09:18 PM

lol. They're not huge, they're just on the glass in front of the clam. There are a lot of them suddenly though...

Do you think clammy will be OK for the night? He just came off shipping and was in lights for a little while. The lights are out for the night. He is moving, there's some sort of "bubbling" going on, like he's breathing or something.

Mike's got a MH sunpod, 70watts, 14K.

what'll the flatworms do if they get out of hand?

GeeWizzItsMe · 10-10-2007, 09:21 PM

Did you move him high in the rocks?

Dentoid · 10-10-2007, 09:28 PM

Kathy, I think Catalyst's advice is good. Put the clam on a flat shell or rock and leave it on the sand over night. It should attach in a day or two. Once attached, you can move it up. I have 2 maximas and they are attached to plaster patties made by the grower. It's my understanding that the smaller ones attach to keep from washing away in the current. As they grow, their byssal opening closes and they are free standing. By that time it will have out grown the nano!

Good luck with that beauty!

kathywithbirds · 10-10-2007, 09:28 PM

nah, won't bother tonight, I'll let him settle and move him tomorrow when the lights come on.

kathywithbirds · 10-10-2007, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dentoid

Kathy, I think Catalyst's advice is good. Put the clam on a flat shell or rock and leave it on the sand over night. It should attach in a day or two. Once attached, you can move it up.

oh!! gotcha.

Got a flat rock just for staging corals, that'll work nicely.

Dentoid · 10-10-2007, 09:29 PM

We posted at the same time.

10-10-2007, 06:16 PM	#1 (permalink)
kathywithbirds Social Darwinism victim Join Date: May 2007 Location: The Hood, NJ Posts: 5,937 View Gallery Karma Komment	vanatu maxima on sand or not? We just got our little teeny clam from Mr. Coral... very pretty. Got a few questions: it was sold as a vanatu maxima. I thought maximas go on the sand... is that right? and I don't see a "foot"... where am I looking for this foot thing? also, there's a few things that look like feather duster worms on it, should I take these off or is it something that grows on clams? There's one that's kinda in the way for when the mantle comes out. It hasn't yet. Sorry for all the questions, thought we did enough research on these guys but now that we have one home... hold on for pics shortly. __________________ (\_/) (\__/) ( . .) (^.^) (")(") (> <) Bunny and Bunnina have worked things out. Bunny was mistaken after all, Bunnina was not having an affair. "Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials." ~Lin Yutang

10-10-2007, 06:46 PM	#3 (permalink)
CATALYST Reef Lobster Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: SoCal Posts: 1,442 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: vanatu maxima on sand or not? I'm not a clam expert but... I have a teardrop maxima. It's happiest on the rocks with a ton of light. Your clam does not look happy. The mantle is retracted and it looks like it is gaping. Mine didn't have an apparent foot either when I got it but it attached to the rock in a couple days. It had quite a bit of slime too but that has since gone away. Here's a thread from when I got it...Clam Mine had some stuff growing on it too. Not quite as large as those feather dusters though.

10-10-2007, 06:54 PM	#4 (permalink)
CATALYST Reef Lobster Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: SoCal Posts: 1,442 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: vanatu maxima on sand or not? I went and looked at the ones they have on the site and they look good. Is it really new? Maybe it's a little stressed from shipping. Did you use the flash? I know people put rocks under them in the sand and once they attach you can move them around.

10-10-2007, 07:06 PM	#5 (permalink)
kathywithbirds Social Darwinism victim Join Date: May 2007 Location: The Hood, NJ Posts: 5,937 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: vanatu maxima on sand or not? That pic was taken after it had been in the tank for maybe a half hour, underwent a shaking up (slid the tank to another stand, it's a nano) and yeah, I did use the flash. How long is usual to see "normal" behavior from a clam? It took some of our corals minutes to happily acclimate, up to weeks for sprouts to start coming up on the GSP. __________________ (\_/) (\__/) ( . .) (^.^) (")(") (> <) Bunny and Bunnina have worked things out. Bunny was mistaken after all, Bunnina was not having an affair. "Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials." ~Lin Yutang

10-10-2007, 08:29 PM	#7 (permalink)
CATALYST Reef Lobster Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: SoCal Posts: 1,442 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: vanatu maxima on sand or not? Maybe get a shell or something hard under it and give it a couple days in the sand. The maximas are pretty light demanding so it'll need to get moved up on the rocks. MH is best.

10-10-2007, 08:33 PM	#8 (permalink)
reefjitsu Plate Coral Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: The Magic City Posts: 758 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: vanatu maxima on sand or not? I agree, the clam doesn't look real good. As for the hitch hikers, they appear to be vermitid snails to me. I also notice that you have alot of flatworms. Not neccesarily an issue, but something to keep an eye on. __________________ You can't give up hope just because it's hopeless. You got to keep on hoping and cover your ears and go "blah blah blah blah"- Futurama

10-10-2007, 09:18 PM	#10 (permalink)
kathywithbirds Social Darwinism victim Join Date: May 2007 Location: The Hood, NJ Posts: 5,937 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: vanatu maxima on sand or not? lol. They're not huge, they're just on the glass in front of the clam. There are a lot of them suddenly though... Do you think clammy will be OK for the night? He just came off shipping and was in lights for a little while. The lights are out for the night. He is moving, there's some sort of "bubbling" going on, like he's breathing or something. Mike's got a MH sunpod, 70watts, 14K. what'll the flatworms do if they get out of hand? __________________ (\_/) (\__/) ( . .) (^.^) (")(") (> <) Bunny and Bunnina have worked things out. Bunny was mistaken after all, Bunnina was not having an affair. "Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials." ~Lin Yutang

10-10-2007, 09:21 PM	#11 (permalink)
GeeWizzItsMe See Golden Compass Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Nashville Posts: 1,857 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: vanatu maxima on sand or not? Did you move him high in the rocks? __________________ VP of Dork Club http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...-new-tank.html

10-10-2007, 09:28 PM	#13 (permalink)
kathywithbirds Social Darwinism victim Join Date: May 2007 Location: The Hood, NJ Posts: 5,937 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: vanatu maxima on sand or not? nah, won't bother tonight, I'll let him settle and move him tomorrow when the lights come on. __________________ (\_/) (\__/) ( . .) (^.^) (")(") (> <) Bunny and Bunnina have worked things out. Bunny was mistaken after all, Bunnina was not having an affair. "Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials." ~Lin Yutang

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