What exactly is gaping?

[davelin315]

I recently trimmed a large soft coral (well, to be honest, I cut the damn thing in half with a razor blade) that was shading what I think is a crocea clam I have and I moved it a bit since I think it's growing a bit lopsided due to where I have it placed. Anyway, since I've repositioned it, I've noticed that the outcurrent siphon appears to be misshapen a bit. I can't get a clear shot, but I can get an angled shot. I am wondering if this is due to the lopsided growth, or if there's something bothering my clam. It's mantle is looking great, and it puts on new shell (more on the end of the outcurrent than the incurrent siphon) at a steady pace. Basically, is this clam gaping or is it okay? The other clam that I have left has no signs at all of the gaping and is in excellent condition (probably because it's the only one that has never had to deal with soft corals encroaching on its territory - lost a bunch of croceas to xenia burying them).

 

[SteveP]

While both siphons appear to be open, the clam doesn't quite look like it's gaping yet. How is the flow rate in its new location? Perhaps it's lower so the clam has to open up more to get water through its gills?

Steve
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[toptank]

davelin, it's really hard to tell from the picture. You say his mantles are extended and does he retract to light change? Is he fairly new to the tank and your lighting and water conditions?

From the picture his incurrent syphon doesn't look bad to me. I am comparing it to my clams in my tank.

Barry

 

[davelin315]

No problems with it, mantle is fully extended, retracts at the slightest hint of movement near it and shading, only thing is that I had to trim a large softy that was hovering over it and shielding it from light and then I added some MHs to my tank (only 175W). I shifted it slightly, nothing major. It's incurrent just looks jagged to me compared to a clam on the other side of the tank. Maybe it's just the side view that is making it appear jagged. It's been in my tank for almost a year, and has put on new shell and is doing great. Just have never seen what "gaping" really is supposed to look like.

 

[jim norris]

Davelin315,
Follow me for a second. Was the softie blocking out all the light? What kind of light was there before the 175 MH? Even 175 MH can burn if one is not been under them before. The clam does not look like he is gaping. It is possible he is just not use to the MH. What do you think?
Jim

 

[davelin315]

The softy was blocking the light out at certain times of the day as the coral expanded and contracted. At one end of the clam, it was getting to the point where it was shaded more often than not. That is the end that is slightly smaller. The other end was not shaded very often. As far as the MH, it is 2-3" above the water near the front lip of the tank, and the clam is more towards the back. The light probably travels close to a foot diagonally through the water. I don't think it's burning or suffering like that, I am actually just wondering if being a bit light deprived due to shading is having a bad affect on it. As I stated earlier, I lost a number of clams to xenia overgrowing them and not noticing it, resulting in me being a little spooked that my clam was getting covered up by a soft coral.

Does anyone have a good picture of a clam that is gaping so I can do a comparison?