question about tridacnid maxima for new guy to hobbie

[btrage1]

I started a 10 gal mini reef aquarium about 3 months ago. It has an abundance of live rock and has cycled well. I've tested the water every week, and for the past month, have had steady readings as follows, PH 8.6, Alk high, NH 3&4 0, No2 0, No3 2.5ppm, CA 480, PO4 .5ppm. Salinity is 1.025 @ 77 F. I do a 20% water change every week, and am useing Kalkwasser as top off. I've got a pair of Maroon clowns with a bubble tip host, 2 condylactis, sm cluster Zoanthid polyps, sm cluster xenia, sm cluster mushrooms. My question is about a Tridacnid maxima I put in there 3 days ago, it seemed to love the 45 watts of 10,000k, 15 watts of 6500 acitnic lighting. It looked like it was doing just fine last night before lights out. This morning the clam was dead, totaly decayed. There was a spider-like web over the opening and when I went to remove this web everything was decomposed. I've been reeding J. Sprung's reef aquarium vol 1&2 and I can't find a similar problem that would cause the clam to up and die over night without warning. What did I do wrong?

 

[Anonymous]

Not enough light. When they crap out they do it really quickly. Clams need stable water conditions and high intensity (high wattage) lighting.

Glenn

 

[2poor2reef]

IME the problem with tridacnid clams is that they decay from the inside out or bottom up if you will. They look relatively healthy until shortly before they die. It takes some experience before you learn to recognize gaping, mantle retraction, and lack of reflexive response to shadows, etc. Long term, there is no way a t. max would survive under 45w of light. Trust me. I tried 65w in a 5g. That said, it sounds like your clam was either on its way out when you got it, or it was damaged during acclimation. A PH of 8.6 is a little on the high side also. Another important thing is to feed your clam live phytoplankton, especially if it is under 3 or 4 inches in length. My thoughts and opinions only.

 

[Rorschach]

Don't think he had enough time to die from your lack of light yet. Maybe the tank is not mature enough. My experiences:
I dose with ESV spray dried phytoplankton - less hair algae than with DT's, and I notice growth response from clams/corals.
Don't buy a Crocea, he will beat your clam death record.
Give them some rock to attach to, even if they are on the sand. How about putting your next one on your now dead maxima's half shell?
I've read don't buy under 2". My smallest Maxima I bought was 1.75-2", and now tripled in size.
If your clam grows, he will suck up the calcium fast in that small a water volume, so dose Ca/alk daily. A Derasa will explode in growth.

 

[Anonymous]

I would strongly recomend not buying another clam unless you have intensified your lighting. Even if that wasn't what killed this one it will surely kill your next one.

Glenn