Positioning the clam -- top or bottom?

erasmu

New member
I started my new clam on the substrate but am moving him up on the live rock. Is there a way to tell top from bottom of the clam, or doesn't it matter? I would like to not put him upside down after moving because he is likely to fall while repositioning himself. What I have done so far is to put the hinge down, as much as possible. Sometimes on a rock it is not possible to have the opening really pointing directly up. In these cases, which half of the shell is best placed lower?

A question in regard to feeding: For those that remove a small clam for individual feeding, it is all right to lift it from the water to place it into a bowl of tank water? Or is it necessary to keep the bowl submerged and slide the clam into it while always underwater? If a 2-3 second exposure to the air is not dangerous, it would be a lot easier, but I don't wish to harm him.

TIA
 
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I'm pretty sure it's ok to expose your clams to air briefly, I take mine out sometimes for feeding or brushing and it has not bothered them.
 
Thanks for the reply. I think a very brief exposure would be safe. At least that is what I am hoping. When I remove mine for feeding, that is the approach I will take. Thanks again.
 
Several on this board regularly take their clams out of water for as long as 15 minutes at a time. At the hatcheries they will set the mature clams out for up to 2 hours to try to induce them to spawn. (Although this is stress induced spawning so it's probably not that great for the clam but it doesn't kill them).

You should be fine pulling them out and exposing them to air when transfering them to your feeding bucket.

FWIW, Nathan
 
Thanks for the reply Nathan. I will try to keep the exposure short, but am very glad to hear that it is not likely to harm him. I have been feeding in tank only these first few days, but really think I need to start the dedicated feeding. No more excuses to delay it. Thanks again.
 
In the wild, clams can be exposed on the reef at low tide. I have had my clams out of water on a regular basis and they don't seem to suffer any ill effects. I just make sure they don't dry out.
 
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