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Maxima Clam, Gold Maxima Clam, Tridacna maxima, is a beneficial and beautiful aquarium addition. Typically seen in Blue, Gold, Green, or Purple colorations, the Maxima is quick to make itself comfortable in its new environment by attaching with byssal threads, often within days. It may initially turn itself to find a preferred quantity and direction of water flow. Also known as the Great Clam, the Maxima can grow 1 to 1.5 inches per year to a maximum of over a foot in length, in the wild. Its shell is typically elongated to about three times as long as wide and shows asymmetry. The rows of sharply-defined fluting further add to the character of the Maxima. When healthy, its mantle will extend both above the top and beyond the sides of the shell, displaying its beautiful, unique coloration. Though the Maxima produces ample nourishment in the wild, many aquarists recommend supplementing the diet of the Maxima with preparations such as Marine Snow or Kent Phyto-Plan, or Kent Zoo-Plan. Of the typically-available Tridacnids, the Maxima is second only to the Crocea in its need for intense lighting and it does require greater actinic lighting than other “non-blue” species. Bold, blue, and beautiful, these vividly-patterned clams are likely second-to-none in terms of popularity for the aquarium hobbyist.
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