Deresa clam keeps tilting. Should I care?

[Bent]

So I just bought about a 6" deresa clam. I checked and he still has his byssal. I put him down in the sand bed behind the major point of flow in the tank, typically where all the stuff likes to settle. I figured that was the area of least flow.

He keeps tilting. He's been opening and closing and keeps moving his mantle away from the light slightly. It's not terrible. If his mantle pointing up is 90 degrees, then he is tilted at about a 45. I've moved him at least twice and now I'm wondering if he is doing it for a reason. Maybe too much light?

He's sitting under two 16" reef breeders photons running at about 75%. Should I do a light acclimation period? Should I put him up on the rock? Should I try to right him again? Or should I just leave him be and let him do his thing?

 

[Rutrag]

I would not put a deresa on a rock. Their natural home is on the sand bed.

 

[laga77]

Keep him in the sand. He is basically acclimating himself to your lighting. Is his mantle fully extended?

 

[Bent]

Here he is after the second time I righted him:

Then the next day:

 

[laga77]

His mantle has good full color, so that tells me he was under good lighting for a decent amount of time. Once he settles in, he will extend his mantle further. You should be fine.

 

[Bent]

His mantle has good full color, so that tells me he was under good lighting for a decent amount of time. Once he settles in, he will extend his mantle further. You should be fine.

Sweet.

I got all anal and moved him again, this time to an area with a touch more flow and a tad less light. Right in the middle under the brace between the lights. He seems happier. I'm leaving him alone now.

 

[Stevenliu9]

First of all, beautiful clam and I am looking forward to see a lot more posts of this clam grow and mature!
Yes, it is annoying that Derasa do that tilting thing a lot. I would bury a flat, firm surface under the sane (like a 3X3" piece of bathroom tile) under the clam. depends on the clam's age and health, it may attach to the tile so then you won't have to worry about it tilting again.

 

[Bent]

First of all, beautiful clam and I am looking forward to see a lot more posts of this clam grow and mature!
Yes, it is annoying that Derasa do that tilting thing a lot. I would bury a flat, firm surface under the sane (like a 3X3" piece of bathroom tile) under the clam. depends on the clam's age and health, it may attach to the tile so then you won't have to worry about it tilting again.

Thanks!

The blasted thing tilted again, so I think I'm going to let him do his thing.

 

[Bent]

Here are some better pics. Why is he doing this to me!?

 

[ReefWreak]

My derasa still rotates ever so slightly every few days in his same spot. I stopped adjusting him.

If he made it the first few days without any bleaching or problems, you should be good to go. I got my derasa about 2 months ago and while he seems healthy now, he's never recovered a small spot on his mantle that bleached when I first got him. I blame my bright LEDs (and myself).

Hope he keeps looking good! Sorry they're sometimes a pest!

 

[Bent]

I moved him again 2 days ago against a rock pile. He's yet again tilted. It's driving me nuts and he's not quite open or extended. Why is he doing this? Are my lights too bright?

 

[laga77]

Leave him alone. Clams do not like to be bothered. Rule of thumb: the smaller the clam, the less they should be moved.

 

[Bent]

Leave him alone. Clams do not like to be bothered. Rule of thumb: the smaller the clam, the less they should be moved.

Well crap. I just moved him again before I read this.

I think he may be just under too much light. My reefbreeders are about 6" off the surface and ramp up to 100% on both channels at 1200-1400. Then they start ramping down.

So I moved him and turned the lights down to ramp up to 25% max on both channels from 1200 to 1600 and then ramp back down. We will see if he still tilts. If he does I'm not messing with him any more.

 

[laga77]

Don`t touch him. MY Reefbreeders is set up very close to yours.

 

[Bent]

Don`t touch him. MY Reefbreeders is set up very close to yours.

Ok will do, no touchy.

Should I keep the lights at 25% max as of now and step them up every couple weeks?

 

[laga77]

I would bring them back up now. I have never had to acclimate a healthy clam to light.

 

[jccaclimber]

If your clam is anything like the one I had, he (she?) can get himself upright on his own when he decides to.

 

[Bent]

Unfortunately he died. But I did figure out what killed him and why he seemed so agitated:

http://youtu.be/hZGH4Hpg0DM

 

[jccaclimber]

Polyclad flatworm?

 

[Giovanni]

Where did you get the clam?