SMALL Maxima clam ultra
Approx. 1"-1.5"
ONLY 2 NOW AVAILABLE X2 BLUE
IT WILL BE SHOP CHOICE DUE TO AVAILABILITY
IF BOUGHT BEFORE 1PM 19/5/22 WILL BE SHIPPED SAME DAY ON NEXT DAY SERVICE...
All of the clam species grow at average rates. This makes aging an individual easy. Just measure the size of the shell from year to year. And all of the clams survive for a LONG time. For a maxima clam to reach that average size of 12-14 inches (30.5-35.6cm), it takes 50-60 YEARS. So taking on one of these beautiful mollusks is a long-term investment on your part.
And, as you might expect, cleanliness and tank health play a significant role in your maxima clam’s lifespan. They’re a sensitive species. You CAN’T allow ammonia, nitrite, or even nitrates to build up. This means adhering to a strict schedule of 25% water changes every week. Set up dosing to provide the trace elements the clam will need to survive if you can’t.
More than that, though, you need ALL of your water parameters to remain stable. Fluctuations in temperature, oxygen levels, pH, or alkalinity can make your maxima unhappy. And this is one time where you need to aim for OPTIMAL. All parameters come with a range. Usually, you can get away with “okay” or “acceptable.” That sometimes means falling at the bottom of the spectrum when you perform your testing. But that won’t work for these clams. It’s one of the problematic aspects of their care.
Maxima clams don’t care too much about your tank’s décor. However, they DO want rockwork. They need something solid to bore those byssal filaments into. And sand won’t do it. Live rock is porous enough to work, or you can choose another type of rock. Think of where you’d like your clam to sit in the tank FIRST. Because once it’s settled, you don’t want to cut those threads and move the mollusk. There’s too much risk of damaging tissue.
Making a pocket among the aqua scaping works best. You don’t want the clam to fall. (Remember, it opens and closes the mantle, so it WILL shift) Don’t make any “tight fit” choices, either. If the mantle CAN’T open, the clam will starve. Find a Goldilocks solution. If there’s too much space around the rock the maxima is attached to, fill it in with sand. This will protect that byssal opening from pests. You can go halfway up the shell.
Maxima clams receive meals from two sources: zooxanthellae and filter-feeding. In the mornings, they open the mantle to provide as much light as possible to the symbiotic algae. They also position themselves in high currents to obtain the best planktonic “snow.” When the sun sets? The mantle closes, and they “rest” for the night.
You’ll find plenty of debate among hobbyists on whether you need to feed your clam. Realistically, if you have proper lighting and a healthy current with live rock? You probably don’t need to worry about it. Your maxima will take care of itself. Well, provided your clam’s a mature specimen, anyway..
