Small clams not attaching

[M.Maddox]

I'm having trouble getting my small maxima clams to pick a place they like and attach. I have three of them (2 have been in my system about 1.5 months and one has been in 3 weeks) and none of them want to stay put! They'll attach for a day, and then just launch themselves off the rocks. They don't seem to be happy anywhere :\ They ARE showing growth bands on the shells, and the corals in the tank are growing like crazy, so I seriously doubt it's water chemistry...any suggestions?

BTW, when I first introduced them I didn't notice any pinching, but now it seems that they are - but is it due to the stress of constantly moving them back up on the rocks, or should I dip them?

They are in a 12 gallon nano-reef under 78w PC\T5. I reed a teaspoon of DT's a day. I haven't wanted to let them stay on the bottom as I didn't think they would receive enough light there.

Thanks!

 

[NaH2O]

Tagging along on this one. One of my croceas, also pinching, attaches to a rock then will jump off a day or two later....no matter where I place him.

 

[big t]

I don't know if this helps but I made a small acrylic clam holder for my 3 little maximas. It is basically just a little thing for them to sit in and they can't jump out and get lost in my rocks. It sits up in my frag rack. They don't seem to mind it too much but I think that I will make a little divider to separate my tiniest one from the to bigger ones.

 

[M.Maddox]

Well I moved them all up to a rock about 5" from the bulbs, and mantle extension is great now, one has attached, and none have 'jumped' for 24 hours now...maybe they've finally adapted their zooax to the wavelenghts present in my aquarium...

Edit: If they don't stay I will take your advice and build a little box for them

 

[SueT]

Hopefully these baby maxima's are now ready to attach and start doing better for you. Something else to think of is finding a small or say 3-4" clam halfshell and to sit the baby clams in that. I have all my maxima's in a clam halfshell and this way I can move them anywhere, anytime I need, whether to inspect them for pyramids or to a better spot in the rock structure. I believe it is stressful on clams when they keep bailing off the rocks. You just know they are not happy as they are trying to find a place to attach.

Hopefully your now past that problem.

 

[M.Maddox]

Yep mine unattached\jumped off again last night, and the cycle repeats...

 

[The Apprentice]

Jumping small maxima clams

I too have been going thru this trouble mine will stay in a 1/2 shell for 2-3 days then jump out and fall down in the sand I am fearull of it getting hurt Its about 1 1/4" long i have had it for about 2 weeks and it has me concerned Thanks for the tip Big Tom I am going to see what i can do to make something like what you suggested ..

 

[NaH2O]

M.Maddox - have your clams attached yet? The crocea of mine that was always jumping, stopped bailing off the rock once it was put in the metronidazole treatment. I don't know if they are related, but it was pinching, too. Maybe the constant irritation from the protozoa (in my case) made it want to move around. I'll see what happens after it gets out of QT and back into the display in a month.

 

[M.Maddox]

They did attach to a piece of tile for 48 hours, until a snail knocked the tile over >< I'm going to FW dip them tonight or tommorow and see if they attach.

 

[M.Maddox]

I dipped my small clams today for ten minutes...I think they're still showing signs of pinching, but they're not fully open yet (dipped them 4 hours ago). I can't really get them to open in freshwater, so I don't think it's doing a lot of good. I'll see though...for right now they're getting some TLC and a lot of phyto.

 

[M.Maddox]

Ok my clams are definitely not cured....thought I think the problem is I can get them to open in the FW dip. Should I go for a longer dip (15 mins?) or directly to the metrinidazole treatment?

 

[NaH2O]

M.Maddox - maybe try the FW dip, then put them in the metronidazole treatment....Maxx/Nick and I talked about this today. The thought is you would kill some of the protozoans initially with the FW dip, and perhaps the metronidazole treatment won't have to be for so long. What do you think?

 

[M.Maddox]

I will try it...I'm surprised at how tough these clams are, even small ones. I will give it another 2+ days, set up the hospital tank, dip, then treat. We'll see how it goes.

 

[M.Maddox]

Clams are still growing like crazy, and still pinching, though not as badly. Should I go ahead with the hospital tank or see if they'll recover on their own? No experience with pinching, here...

 

[NaH2O]

Hmmm.....the experience with my clams is they were better following the freshwater dip, then would deteriorate over the course of 2 weeks. Maybe give them some time to recover, and see how it goes. If the pinching gets worse, you can always dip them again, or start treatment. But given these are small clams, I would let them recover from the stress of the dip.