Clam

[GiantBen]

Hi all.

I woke up this morning, and the clam I won at the last meeting looks in pretty rough shape. I've been trying to keep a close eye on it, and monitor its health. As of yesterday everything looked fine. This morning, it looks like it has detached from its foot, and is on its side. Here are some pictures from a day or so ago, and this morning. Lights aren't on yet this morning, but it does still seem to be reacting to motion around it.

I've not owned a clam before, but from everything I've read, the foot is important to avoid damage to. This seems like a very bad sign to me.
I have noticed some snails crawling on it, but it seems hard to imagine a turbo snail could bulldoze it this much. I did turn the rock it was attached to yesterday, as it had been inching close to my GSP, but I was very careful, and it seems fine afterward.

I feel pretty bad about this, particularly since I won the clam at a club event. Any advice would be appreciated. I'm guessing I should stand it back up, but didn't want to stress it unnecessarily.

Sorry guys...

 

[Grant W]

Ben scoop out a little trough in the sand and place the clam in it, about 1/3 the height of the clam, and let it settle into it. I will probably more aroud a bit and adjust itself to the light and flow it like. Try to keep it upright or the mantle will grow out unevenly, :rollface: You don't want a clam with an overbite.

 

[GiantBen]

Grant, thanks for the quick reply.
Should a flat rock be at the bottom of the trough, or just put it in the sand?

 

[Grant W]

Yah I forgot to write that ,just work the rock down in the sand below the clam and it should attach to it.

 

[GiantBen]

My sand bed is very shallow, so the rock can't submerge completely into it. I nestled the rock down as far as it will go, but it is still above the sand line. Also, when moving the clam, it is almost entirely detached from the foot. A small strand that looks like fishing line is still attaching it. I figured braking this would be a bad idea, so I settled the clam on the flat rock again. I put a small rock next to it, to try and help keep it upright. It should not inhibit the clam's ability to open, so hopefully it will reattach to the rock it was on. It was completely attached a day ago, but now looks like it has been removed from its foot...not sure what would cause this.

Thanks again Grant, I'm off to the super market. The lights should be on when I return, so I'll check it then.

 

[GiantBen]

Couple pics.

 

[GiantBen]

Couple pics.

 

[Grant W]

Ben it looks like the filaments are just releasing from the rock it was on and thats fine. If it releases completely just set it in the little trough in the sand and it will move around a little bit but eventually settle down but try to keep it as upright as you can. I have one clam that was always travelling until I kinda blocked its usual path with my larger one. I placed the bigger one perpendicular to the traveller and they have been fine ever since. Don't forget these guys are borers so if you place it near a rock or on one it will attach and you will kill it if you rip it off trying to move it later. gl

 

[GiantBen]

Okay. Thanks so much Grant, when I saw it this morning I was pretty bummed, thinking something had gone wrong overnight. It had been attached to the edge of the rock, so it may have just decided it was time to move on, I guess. I'll keep my eye on him, and try and keep him upright.

You had asked for some shots of my tank, so I took an FTS and a close up of my cleaner shrimp in his new favorite spot. Sorry for the blueness, I dot most of my photo taking with my iPhone, and I don't think it has manual controls for anything.

 

[santarosasalt]

Nice little cube Ben. What size is it and how long has it been running?

 

[GiantBen]

Thanks. Its a 29 gallon biocube. Its been up for two years, but only had the T5s on it for 4.5 months or so.

 

[Grant W]

lookin good Ben. Time for an upgrade :spin3:

 

[ChrisAnator03]

Nice bio cube ben im new to RC but am a member to orca and other forms i have a biocube also and thinking about getting a clam. I have 175 watt hanging T5 lights do you think i could be able to have a clam