The reaction of the oxidized derivatives of the dimeric (HbI) and tetrameric (HbII) Scapharca inaequivalvis hemoglobins with azide and fluoride has been studied. The two oxidized hemoglobins have specific characteristics. Oxidized HbI consists of a dimeric high-spin aquomet form which is in a pH-dependent association-dissociation equilibrium with a monomeric low-spin hemichrome. In contrast, in HbII the high-spin aquomet derivative is only a transient species that converts itself into a tetrameric hemichrome which in turn dissociates into lower molecular weight forms. The reaction of oxidized HbI with azide and fluoride can be described in terms of a simple reaction scheme which assumes that external ligands bind only to the aquomet derivative. In the case of HbII, the reaction route is the same; however, the situation is complicated by the fact that in the dissociated hemichromes the internal protein ligand can no longer be displaced. Therefore, irreversible processes take place whose relevance depends primarily on the affinity of the external ligand for the ferric heme iron.