How do you fresh water dip a clam?

[kevensquint]

I read on a clam web site that you can fresh water dip them to remove unwanted hitchhikers, but they did'nt give any details.

 

[mbbuna]

you don't want to FWD a clam unless it is absolutely necessary.i would suggest QTing the clam for a few weeks to get rid of unwanted hitchhikers.

 

[porky]

I agree, FW dipping a clam would be very traumatic.
If you absolutely positively have to dip it, be sure to match the FW temp and FW pH.

 

[kevensquint]

Really? on "clamsdirect" the moderator seemed to talk about it like it was easy to do and often done. She said that many times she's done it and often finds tiny dead starfish and other things in the bucket.

 

[mbbuna]

Sue T will also tell you that it is a last resort

 

[Electrobes]

Yeah that is definately Sue T - She's a veteran and she's had to do it a couple of times, making it a bit more "common" for her. This is especially common to do when you're dealing with pinched mantle (a very serious disease). If you had to dip at all I would do a saltwater/iodine dip.
Its difficult to dip a clam for a number of reasons. Hitchhikers can sometimes be protected by the clam during the dip, when the clam closes up, or by the hitchhiker being wedged in the byssal opening.