growing on clam shell

[rbenz]

Hi everyone,
I have a crocea in my tank. I have had him for about a month now. It looks like something is growing on his shell! Is it bad? Should i pick it out with my fingers? Oh and i read about people feeding DT's. What does DT stand for? I've read that clams do not need feeding since the light makes their zooxanthale (sp?) for them to feed on so there is no need to feed a clam?

 

[holeinone1972]

rbenz you have a Maxima clam there not a Crocea. You can tell by the large scutes that protrude on the shell. Feeding DT's is always a good idea for your tank in general, but even better for clams and other filter feeders. DT's is a brand of Phytoplankton that most people believe to be the best and most beneficial, including me.

Clams do utilize proper lighting to synthesize food and nurishment, but smaller clams under 2.5" imo, need to be fed more importantly than lighting. They just do not contain enough zoooxanthalle to make the amount of food to keep them alive yet. Best of luck, Rob

 

[Flame*Angel]

That looks very similar to some vinelike razor caulerpa I have in my tank. While it's not likely to hurt the clam growing on its shell I would think it would irritate the mantle. I'd definitely pick it off or even scrub it with a toothbrush.

 

[rbenz]

Thanks for the reply. Are you sure its a maxima? Wow!... The guy at the lfs told me its a squamosa!

Sorry i wasn't descriptive enough about what is growing on the shell, its not the caulerpa. Its in the center of the picture above it looks like something is attached to the shell and its sticking upwards. I saw around 5 of them already. I'm afraid these are the bad snails that everyone talks about! I just need confirmation before i do anything drastic.

Here is a picture of the thing again but now i just cropped the image to show the growth in question.

 

[holeinone1972]

Here is some info on hoe to identify it for yourserlf.
Identifying the Tridacnid Clams.

 

[rbenz]

Thanks for the link, it was quite informative.

Anyone out there knows about thing growing on my clam? If its bad, i want to take it out asap!

 

[rbenz]

Thanks for the link, it was quite informative.

Anyone out there knows about this thing growing on my clam? If its bad, i want to take it out a.s.a.p.!

Sorry i posted twice. I was trying to delete this post but it said i didn't have the rights to do that.

 

[clamlvr]

if I seen it right the growth is not a pyramid snail it looks like a small feather duster and you have nothig to worry about

 

[Flame*Angel]

It could be hydroids. It's kind of hard to tell from the picture. Did you notice anything like feathers or even just tentacles? Long or short fuzz on the end?

 

[rbenz]

I don't think its a feather duster. Hydroids? Does this look like one? I took another picture of it up close. I didn't notice anything like feathers or fuzz on it. It seems like its multiplying since there is a couple more on the other side of the shell? How long can a clam be out of the water if i do decide to pick them off of the shell?

 

[holeinone1972]

I still can not make out what that is sorry.

As far as taking clams out of water, it is not a problem. A few minutes will not hurt anything at all. Sometimes on a clam fram, they will take large breeder clams out of water sit them in the sun to stress them out and when they are returned to water they spawn out of stress. No big deal at all. Best of luck, Rob

 

[MiNdErAsR]

Looks like it *could* be a vermetid snail. These snails release a type of web to trap detritus and plankton, which may or may not irritate the clam's mantle.

Here's an article by Dr Ron entitled "Worms that ain't...".

HTH

 

[Frisco]

Looks like it *could* be a vermetid snail.

That's what it looks like to me too.

 

[Project Reef]

I've seen them many times on many clams. It's not something that you should be worried about. If you want to kill it - then kill it.
If you don't - then don't. It's such a minute factor that it's not even worth talking about it.

And yup, that's a gold maxima.

 

[rbenz]

Thanks guys! Now i can relax. I think i'll leave them since it does not look like they're bothering the clam.