squirting clam

[robitreef]

Since I am a newby when it comes to clams, and I am contemplating my first clam tank, but have been "a modern reefer" since 1998 (I actually started my first reef tank in 1988-but those were the "old methods"-can anyone say DLS?) , I wanted to share a story and ask anyone if they have had a "squirting clam."

A friend of mine was visiting a LFS with his wife and they were noticing a very nice ponape maxima (approx 12" long, brilliant blue) in one of the tanks. My friend's wife was amused by the fact that as you pass your hand over the tank, the clam would shrink back it's tissue in response to a shadow. We'll she kept doing it, which must have aggrevated the clam so much that it shot a jet of water out of the tank from it's siphon right into her face.
My friend was in the another room talking with the owner when he heard her scream and she preceeded to tell him what happened. The shop owner immediatly moved the clam since he was afraid it would hit one of the MH pendents which did not have a splash screen.

Anyway, I just thought of that story and thought it was amusing!

Anyone else have this happen?

 

[lebowski]

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That little 5 incher squirted me in the face... I unpacked him from the shipping box, took him out of the bag and into an acclimation bowl.. He closed up in my hand while I was transferring it, and then shot a good quarter cup of water into my face....

 

[Whisperer]

I think they do that when they are "****ed." IME, my croceas are located on the rocks. When I do water changes, the one closest to the surface gets airbound (ie, the water level is way below the clam), every time this happens, the clam squirts water (rather strongly, it reaches a good 4-5 feet away). I know the direction the water squirts, so I avoid the general area when doing water changes...I never get wet.

 

[a.p.17]

when i do a water change my tank ends up looking like a fountain. i have 7 croceas at the top of my tnk and they all start shooting water at once. i usually get pretty wet from them as i am changing my water.

 

[a.p.17]

when i do a water change my tank ends up looking like a fountain. i have 7 croceas at the top of my tank and they all start shooting water at once. i usually get pretty wet from them as i am changing my water.

 

[firechild]

Wandering round the coral flat on Heron Island, GBR at low tide there are dozens of maximas and when you walk past one and pass a shadow over it, it will shut quickly and squirt water. The clams will not squirt when they are exposed to air unless you pass a shadow over them, you just have to be careful where you stick your hands when doing water changes .

 

[Antimony1019]

I just got mt first clam last night (about a 8-10 inch derasa), and he must have squirted 8-10 times while I was acclimating him, everytime I added a little bit of water from my tank he would squirt. He was probably squirting close to 10 feet!! I ended up putting a cover over the container I was acclimating him in cause I got sick of mopping up all the water he was squirting everywhere (probably about 2 cups of water with every squirt)!! I sure was getting a good laugh out of it... He was doing great this morning fully opened once the lights started coming on and it looks like he's still in the same place that I put him last night after acclimating him. I'm so excited!!!!

 

[a.p.17]

sorry for the double post