will it make it?

[reefdna]

I have a little maxima clam that was a hitchiker on some LR I bought. I was trying to remove him form the rock and I believe his foot ripped. He has been in my large tank for a few days and is still opening but should I expect any trouble?

[a4twenty]

small maximas have a very high mortality, time will tell if you damaged the foot or byssal organ.

can you post a pic?

[jmaneyapanda]

although pssoible, I nwould doubt a maxima would be a hitchiker. Please posts a pic. There are a lot of other bivalaves that are far more likely as hitchikers.

[reefdna]

I'm pretty sure he's a maxima. He's only about 1" across on his shell. As a hitchiker he was found on the rock when the guy I bought it from was pulling it out of tha tank he was cycling it in. He thinks it may have somehow attached at the store and they hadn't noticed it or it is a true hitchiker. Anyways heres a pic of where he is now.



He seems happy and is fully open. I have been target feeding him Phyto and such.


A420 did you want a pic of his foot or is this one what you were looking for. How can I increase his chance of survival?

Current tank is a 250 gal acrylic w/ 2 400W MH's in Lumenarc Mini's. He's pretty much directly under one of the pendants.Thanks for the help so far.

Ed C

[SugarFox03]

It looks more like a crocea. If he's opening, thats a good sign. Continue to spot feed the phyto, and make sure your calcium is in check. If he starts to close up, than you'll know you have a problem. He looks good in the picture though. Nice hitchhiker!!

[jay24k]

I really don't think you need to spot feed phyto. He appears healthy. His foot tearing shouldn't be an issue. I've had to cut one of my clams foot to remove him from a rock and isn't really a big deal.

Also, like the last poster mentioned, that is a crocea, not a maxima.

Good luck.

[Krazy]

Crocea or Maxima, That is one cool hitch-hiker !!!

I hope it makes it all the way for ya

[jmaneyapanda]

here is what is not adding up- that is a crocea, and a wild one. There are no scutes visible on the side of the vlave, which means it had bored into a rock at one point. It mustve been cut or pryed out. It is also covered in coralline, so it is not recent. I guess it is possible that a fish store sold some guy some live rock with a clam attached- but there is no way this clam came from the ocean on that rock- it was purposefully captured and has since been put onto this rock. That is the possibly the stupidest fish store in the world to not notice that, but anyway, give it good light, stable and suitable ca and alk, and it should be fine- it looks good.

[OmegaTassadar]

Wow, I've never received a free clam buying rocks, heeheh. That is a great hitchhiker. Good luck on the clam.

[reefdna]

OK it is a crocea... That seems a common consensus and I appreciate the heads up. I'm really new at clams. I will continue to watch it and keep it's environment as stable as possible. As for it being a hitchiker.........

I had stated that there were other possibilities than it being a true, stuck-in-the-rock-and-never-noticed-till-you-put-it-in-your-tank hitchiker. I have my doubts and have just what I was told by the guy I bought it from. He had bought about 400lbs from a local LFS and I bought some of his leftovers. I pulled this guy out of the rock that he was stuck on and that is where I tore his foot. Like krazy K said it is a cool find wither way. The rock also has a green-tip anemone on it as well but I don't think it is a wild hitchiker.

Thanks for the help guys and gals.

Ed C

PS How do you tell A maxima from a crocea?

[55semireef]

Maxima have scutes on the sides of their shells while Croceas have none.

[mbbuna]

Originally posted by 55semireef
Maxima have scutes on the sides of their shells while Croceas have none.

Croceas will grow scutes

heres how to ID clams

http://www.clamsdirect.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1994

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/20...ture/index.php

and heres a great book on clams

http://www.liquid-medium.com/