Clam lost foot?

[jdolores]

I had these clams for over a year and have been doing the same routin. My first maxima just lost its foot and a club member told me to toss it before it dies and messes your water parameters. Now just today my crocea clam just lost its foot. These two clams were 1-2 inches off the sand. My third is alivea great which about 12 inches away from the sand. I picked up the 2nd clam and it does smell rotten or anything. Can a clam survive even if they loose their foot? Thanks

 

[boxerzz]

No they cannot. It will be a matter of time before they fade away.

 

[jdolores]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13472756#post13472756 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by boxerzz
No they cannot. It will be a matter of time before they fade away.

Thanks for the heads up. Any idea why this is happening? A club member said it just happens sometimes

 

[boxerzz]

Lose foot sometimes ? Clam only got one foot if they lose it they will not survive long.

 

[boxerzz]

They could be injured at their foot when handling or even pests that drill in through their foot and damaging it.

 

[BKtomodachi]

Did it actually lose its whole foot, or just release its byssal threads? I think you may have that confused.

 

[ROB2005]

It's the foot if it is not threadlike in appearance, but if threadlike, its the byssal threads.

 

[kaserpick]

Sometimes if a clam releases a clump of the byssal threads (which has happened once to my t. maxima and t. crocea), then the clump can appear to be solid giving us the appearance of what we think is a foot. It sounds like you've mistakened the threads for the foot. If the clams are reacting fine to light stimulus and opening fully, then I would have to guess that they are fine and will regrow the byssal threads. JMO.

 

[ReefEnabler]

"then I would have to guess that they are fine and will regrow the byssal threads"

oftentimes clams will NOT regrow their byssal threads and remain 100% healthy. mostly small clams rely on them to stay attached to the substrate, but as their shells gain mass, they no longer rely on them and simply give them up for good.

if it is indeed the byssal threads that were lost, you dont need to worry. even if they dont come back

 

[kaserpick]

I most definitely could be wrong, but both of mine re-attached are losing their threads. Perhaps they didn't lose their threads; it could have been a bad assumption. Who knows. Hope I didn't lead anyone astray.

 

[Ladipyg]

Do you have nassarius snails? If your clams aren't firmly attached to a piece of rock a hungry snail can eat a foot in a single night. Since they are burrowing snails they don't even have to come up out of the sand bed for a feast. This will happen if your snails aren't well fed. Little bits and pieces aren't enough. Give them a hunk of shrimp or fish once a week to keep them satisfied and away from your clams.