Signs of a healthy clam?

[ezcompany]

What are some obvious signs of a healthy clam?

 

[Barry N.]

What are some obvious signs of a healthy clam?

Good mantle extention and reacts well to movement. A nice white byssal ( footing ) .

 

[boomsticks]

You should see it respond to a passing fish or when cleaning tank any movement from you should cause it to close very quickly. Other than that what Barry says

 

[ezcompany]

it responds to that already. it has good extension, i can see all the fleshy insides. how much mantle extension is too much?

 

[Bebo77]

mine looks like it is going to come out of it shell.. it a light hog...

 

[ROB2005]

bebo...i guess its prolly seeking more light

 

[Barry N.]

how much mantle extension is too much?

Different Tridacnids extend their mantles more than others. Example, Tridacna derasa and t. gigas will extend their mantle just a little past the edge of the shell as Tridacna croceas will extend much more.

 

[ezcompany]

Barry, clam distributor? can you hook us up?

 

[parothead22]

Best examples of a healthy clam are no gapping holes in the syphon (inlet and outlet). Next is they should be sensitive to shadows and respond by closing up some what. Also the mantle should be open usually past the upper tooth area of the shell. The mantle shouldn't be bleached, fadded or show any signs of damage.
Those are the most obvious signs to look for in a healthy clam.

 

[ezcompany]

can you explain the gapping holes a little bit more? the syphon is the tube looking thing right?

 

[parothead22]

The gapping opening that i'm talking about is the inhalent syphon that exposes the gills. If you can see the gills pretty easily, you may have a problem with your clam.

 

[mbbuna]

the in-current syphon is the slit, the ex-current syphon is the tube. most clams when they are stress free will have a closed in-current syphon, Croceas tend to hold there in-current syphons open a little more then other clams and doesnt seem to be anything to worry about.

 

[ezcompany]

here is my clam.
i see some gapping in the inlet siphon, almost around half an inch. he responds well to my movements or light changes.

happy or no?

 

[Barry N.]

Appears happy to me.

 

[ezcompany]

Thanks Barry, that means a lot coming from you
btw, whats the best way to take pics of these guys so you can see their true color?

 

[Barry N.]

whats the best way to take pics of these guys so you can see their true color?

From the top looking down into the tank. Most clams that are green will appear blue viewing through the side of the aquarium.

 

[ezcompany]

yea i know, but the surface of the water blurs the picture

 

[Instant Tang]

How does one improve the coloration of the mantle? My T.Maximus has lost a lot of coloration in its mantle...it appears healthy in that it's not gaping, it reacts to light/shadows and it has a good extension on it and has grown, but the colors that were once very bright blue/black/purple now have faded and appear rather dullish greyish purple- with only bright colors at the very edges of the mantle.

My water paramaters are nearly perfect...what might cause it to lose color over the many months and is there anything I can do to bring those colors back?

Thanks!

 

[Barry N.]

but the surface of the water blurs the picture

Turn off your pumps long enough to take pictures.

How does one improve the coloration of the mantle

More light

 

[parothead22]

To bring back the color of your clam you need to increase the lighting intensity. Also, when was the last time you changed your current bulbs?