Clam lost byssal gland

[Mikefromaz]

My 3.5 inch derasa recently seems to have lost his bysal gland. He seemed to be doing a lot of tweisting and blowing of sand to get off of the rock he has been attached to for the past six months. When I saw the attachment point, it was obvious that the gland area was deteriorating, and a few days later he was off the rock. I propped him up between two rocks to find him standing erect, independant of the rocks, somewhat buried and apparantly in good health despite the clam drama. Is this normal?

 

[MiNdErAsR]

It is normal for the clam to release it's bysal in an attempt to relocate to better surroundings. What kind of lighting do you have, and are you feeding your tank/clam phytoplankton?

 

[Mikefromaz]

I have 150w 50/50 PC lighting on my 70 gal tank. all of it concentrated above where ther clam is living. The tank is mature and has a constant slight green tinge to it, which I take to be a self sustaining phytoplankton population. I was feeding the tank DT's phyto for over a year, but gave it up due to the ratrher high cost. The clam has good coloration, is normally fully deployed and doesn't seem to be shrinking at all. It was odd though because before he jumped off the riock it seems like he was "sneezing" a lot, which was something relatively new for him.

 

[MiNdErAsR]

Hmm...the "sneezing" might indicate something clogging it's gills, trying to expell it. Perhaps your "self sustaining plankton population" is of a size too large for the clam? Might want to clear that water up a bit if it continues to sneeze.