My first clam

[Zucker26]

I just bought my first clam yesterday; a T. Crocea that's still only ~2". It's in a 29gal softie tank with 150W HQI + 2x65W PCs. I have two possibly problematic fish; a bicolor blenny and a CB, but I'm trying to catch the blenny and move him to my nanocube. Neither has bothered the clam yet, so that's good.

My question is in regards to it's opening and closing. After acclimating for 3 hours, I placed it about half-way up on the rocks in the center of the tank, right under the HQI. It's obviously only been a day, but it still hasn't seemed to open fully. It gets about half open, and anytime a fish swims anywhere near it closes up really quickly.

Will it slowly start to open more fully over the course of a few days, or is this a sign of poor acclimation?

 

[skinz78]

Sounds like you did fine on the acclymation. I would move it down to the sandbed for a day or so and then start moving it up on the rockwork so it has time to adjust to your lights. As for the fish I would leave them in there and just monitor the clam. If it seems to be bothered by the fish then I would worry about removeing them.

 

[Zucker26]

I was going to put it on the sand for a few days, but the LFS had it under a 400W HQI and it was only a few inches below the surface. I figured the jump to 150W about 8" below the surface wouldn't be too much for it to handle, and a few people said to put it on the rocks right away.

It still seems about half-open, but I think it's because a fish swims by it every 15 seconds or so and it closes back up. Will it eventually get used to the fish swimming over it and stay open?

 

[johnnybravo234]

It should get used to the fish.

 

[Zucker26]

I noticed yesterday that the bicolor blenny was starting to pick it the clam, so last night I snuck up on him and moved him to another tank. Lets hope my clam will start opening up a little bit more now that he's gone!

 

[Jeffrey Porter]

i had 1 blenny pick on my clam, so now there are none in my tank. i don't care what type or how small, no more blennies.