My maxima just up and died

So I had this particular clam for a good 8+ months. Then out of no where one day his mantle wouldn't fully extend. The next day his mantle was completly inside the shell, but the shell wouldn't close. I could also see through the mantle out the back of the shell. Two days before he looked great and was reactive to movement and shadows. I have another Squamosa that was added two weeks earlier. He is still doing great. I changed my light bulbs about two weeks back as well. I went from current usa 39w t5 10k x2 and actinic x2, to Giesmann (sp?) Aquablue and pure actinic. The thing is the maxima seemed to like the new lights. Any ideas as to what may have happened?

my params:
Am-0
No2-0
No3-30
PO4-0 [I know that I have inorganic PO4, that you cant test for]
pH-8.2
Alk-990 [i think this was the measurment, mabye it was 9.9]
Ca-450
Mg-cant remember this right now, and cant get to my log cause i am at work.

 

Damm that really sucks!! I've lost about 3 clams in the last 5 years of Reefing, and im pretty sure it was because I didn't invest in M.H.!! I only have P.C.'s and Everything else has lived through it..

 

While you have T5's, its still overall a weaker lighting set-up. What fixture are they on? Ballast?
To put it into perspective I have 2X54W T5's and a 150W MH, on just a slightly bigger tank, and I am at the weaker end of lighting for clams
How big was it by chance?

 

Clams are really not very hardy and once they start going their is no going back. I have 2 150 watt MH bulbs and every clam I have ever put in my tank has eventually died in time. Maybe my tank is too small and an occasional rapid change in ph or salinity did it. The big guys always lasted a lot longer than the small ones. Good Luck

 

Sorry man, that sucks. I lost a clam too. But the T5 lights are no where near strong enough for most clams. The only ones that might be able to tolerate that low lighting would be the brown derasa clams. I was told if I wanted clams, I would need about 250W of MH for my 20G tank. I originally had 130W of CF and by time I put my MH over my maxima, it was too late.
Another thing to keep in mind is that clams need proper iodine levels to survive, perhaps you are on the low/high end of what they need. Inverts also need proper strontium levels as well. I would suggest testing both of those elements if you haven't. Do you also supplement feeding?

 

I was running a 150w MH till the ballest almost burnt my house down. Now I have Current Usa 4x39w T5 with G-mann bulbs. But he was doing to better great with the little for some time. And they were at the top of the tank. When I got him he was under 2", when he past I would say 3" at least. And my Squmosia has taken quite a liking to the lighting, he even knock a 2-3 lb rock onto my sun coral.... Now I am losing a couple of head on that. That is a whole other topic...

I would throw some phyto in the tank once in awhile. But the issue of iodine and strontium being lacking is not what I think the issue is. My daily dose has both of those in. Plus all my other inverts are doing well...

After talking with LFS guy, [who defentily knows what is going on and I trust], I am giving this one to parasitic snail.

I will miss the little guy. thanx

 

That was probably a lot of your problem. Anything under 3 to 3 1/2 inches needs CONSTANT target feeding. Like multiple times a day constant. It probably was just slowly starving (which can take up to a year to happen).

And just for refernce, if the squamosa is moving around that much, it most likely isn't happy. Also, why the choices on those clams with such a small tank? Are you upgrading soon?

 

No he was happy, it was where he attached him self to the rock under the one that fell, that just set the rock tumbling. And the maxima has been growing for the past 8 months, and I rarly ever target feed him. I got the second claim to help suck up some NO3 and PO4. plus I luv me some claims, and I upgrading sooner then later I hope.

 

Make sure you have enough LR in order to not have NO3. Get some ferric oxide (chemipure Elite) or Phosban and even occasional kalk will precipitate phosphates. 250 watt MH for clams

 

sorry about your clam but i dont think clams especially maximas can survive under anything but mh i have mine under 2 250 hqi and they love it (check my pics ) but prior to mh i had very poor luck w/them and they are to damm expensive to play around with again sorry for the loss