New Clam Closed today

[Micol]

I added a Squamosa clam Saturday (2 days ago), that evening and all day Sunday was open, closed when a fish swam over him blocking the light (clown or yellow tang) or I moved my had through, looked normal this morning, but when I came home from work he was closed to maybe 1/4 inch of the shell open, just a bit of mantle exposed. Yesterday he was open with exposed mantle of at least 1.5 inches.

Is this normal?

Tank is at 75-76 degrees, 150 MH 14K lights, and all other tankmates are very happy looking. They are:

Yellow Tang
Pair occy clowns
Bangaii Cardinal
Zoos
Star Polyps
Xenias
SPS
couple hermits
couple snails
couple starfish
cleaner shrimp
small reef purple lobster

Clam is on top of a piece of rock about 20 inches from the light source.

 

[basser1]

Can you post a pic? It would be very helpful!

 

[Micol]

Pic

Pic

Forgot, 2 Green BTAs too.

A little blurry, but you get the opening/closing idea.

 

[Micol]

Pic Open from Sunday

Pic Open from Sunday

This was "normal" opening yesterday evening (24 hours after introduction to tank.

 

[Jeff]

It's normal for clams to close up when fish swim over them especially when they are new to the tank. It's a defense mechanism.

 

[evsalty]

Maybe diff but my Crocea closes up around the same time every night and this is while the halides are still on.

 

[Ohiomom]

Keep an eye on the lobster..it might be finding the clam tasty..hope not though..

 

[Cracken]

i have no idea maybe something is harassing it but awesome clam.

 

[Ohiomom]

found this..
"Typically shy initially, this lobster is a highly effective scavenger that will feed on most any meaty food. It is a true carnivore that has a penchant for clam meat." from
http://www.aquacon.com/lobsters.html

thinking you need to remove it..

"

 

[basser1]

If you think something may be bothering it, try this. Take an empty 2 liter bottle and cot the bottom off. Drill several small hloes for circulation and place the bottle over the clam. If it opens up, you have your answer and need to find the culprit!

Good Luck and keep us posted.

 

[Micol]

Yikes, not good. I found the "typically reef safe" stuff, and although I have never observed the lobster near the clam (for 2 whole days), that is certainly possible. Hopefully early indications are that the clam is being harassed rather than something else majorly wrong. There are no visible injuries to the mantle that I can see. I can live without the lobster, although trapping him would be difficult. If that is the case, suggestions? I'll search for one too. Appreciate the thoughts, keep them coming if you have a different hypothesis. I would eventually like to add a 2nd clam with a blue/green mantle, so if one has to go, it will be the lobster.

 

[Micol]

Pic from this morning (Tuesday)

Pic from this morning (Tuesday)

Opened up quite a bit this morning so far, mouth is very open, but if I shine a flashlight close, it closes that so still alive and responsive to light. It also literally spit out some stuff when I came downstairs (white).

 

[tdp22]

Glass bottle with pellets inside. Set it up at night and watch the lobster climb in. This is how I caught my clam eating crab!! Took only 5-10 min. good luck.

 

[evsalty]

That is a nice bristle worm you've got down in the bottom right. LOL

Perhaps it is just like my clam and shuts down at night once it has had enough light.

 

[Ohiomom]

Now I will preface this by saying I have never had this type of clam, but it doesn't look very good. When a clams intake opens that widely generally isn't a good thing. Not sure what is going on except the lobster and possibly a water quality issue. I would maybe move it up closer to the light also.

 

[Micol]

Lunchtime Pic

Lunchtime Pic

Came home at lunch to check, I would definitely say "normal". Mouth looks like it did Sunday and at the store on Saturday, when I move my hand through the light, it retracts the mantle quickly, then expands again. I'm hopeful, but still may nab that lobster.

Also, that bristle worm is a big brittle star...and everything else in the tank looks great. Corals are open, fish happy, shrimp fine, etc.

I may move him up depending on how the next few days go, but I thought I'd start him on the bottom for now (elevated 3 inches on a rock).

 

[basser1]

I wouldn't worry about him openiing his intake too much. I have a maxima and he opens his so much I can see his innards! But like yours, it will close up again.