My experence placing clam in coral.

[Jeremy Blaze]

I really like the contrasting look of a nice crocea clam bored into a coral head. So I decided to try it.

Unfotunatly I do not have very many sutible corals or locations for this. With the exception of a montipora digitata that encrusted a large area before branching off.

There is a nice pocket area in this coral for about a 3" clam. I tried placing a 2" crocea directly on the coral and leaving it there for sometime. It never would open. I tried 2 different clams. My theory was the coral could be stinging the clam where it was trying to send out holdfasts or its foot.

Another possibility could have been that the location was just not favorable for the clam, I thought this was unlikely so I decided to test this.

I then took a clam shell half, placed it in the location on the coral, then placed the clam on the shell. It opened very soon. Looks very cool with branches of montipora around it.

I am going to get another crocea with a more contrasting color soon to put there, but it looks pretty cool.

I figure the monti will grow around it giving it a real nature look. Plus I will have to frag any branches that start to grow over the clam blocking the light!

Will post pics when and if I get some good shots.

 

[Julio]

i do this in my tank and it looks really cool, i too place the clams on a flat piece of rock or a shell so they are not touching the coral with their foot, it really does look great.