what is attached to my clam?

[Drewpy]

I removed it to be safe.
what kind of starfish? harmful i assume?

The clam's foot i assume is sticking out and covered with something..
the clam is responsive to light and seems okay...

 

[SeanT]

Asterina sp. star.
IMO Harmless.
I have hundreds and hundreds of them and have never seen them commit any offenses.

hth,
Sean

 

[Drewpy]

Thanks,
what about the foot sticking out all hairy?...

 

[SeanT]

Pic isn't clear enough to see if it is the foot or some hair algae.

 

[Drewpy]

It's not hair algae

 

[jdieck]

The foot might be infected by having it been ripped off, try to remove any grown gelly by sucking it with a turkey baster and try keeping the foot clean until it heals.

 

[Drewpy]

I'll try to clear it up with a new pic

 

[Drewpy]

thanks

 

[Drewpy]

can i email you a short video clip. 3 megs large, quicktime file?

 

[jdieck]

Sure

jdreefer@comcast.net

 

[Drewpy]

it will take a few minutes.. dial up..

 

[Drewpy]

sent

 

[jdieck]

I saw the video. How sure are you it is part of the foot? if it is it shall come stright from the center base of the clam if not you shall see parts of it attached to the shell somehow. If you see it is directly attached to the shell then remove it whatever it is. If in reality is part of the foot you have two options, leave it as is and wait it out and see how it reacts, if it grows or develops some brown gelly or you may take some sharp scisors and cleanly cut about 3/4 of it, if it is part of the foot the clam shall grow a new one.

 

[Drewpy]

Definately part of the foot. I used the baster to look closer. Is the point of cutting off to stop the spread of infection? The clam seems healthy. Reacts to shadows... As much of a test that is..lol

 

[jdieck]

Cutting it off will promote the growth of a new healthy one and attach. Sometimes when the clam is sitting on sand, the foot grows as individual fillaments or strings looking for a firm place to attach. I doubt the way it is now it will grow to attach to the rock. A clean cut of the foot fibers only will not hurt the clam and allow for the grow of a new one. Just do not pull on it, it has to be a very sharp cut.

 

[Drewpy]

Razor blade?

 

[jdieck]

Try sharp scisors.

 

[Drewpy]

Okay, got it done, the clam never even flinched...

And it looks better without that thing hanging out all hairy. I examined the foot and it was healthy right were i cut it (pinkish/no fuzz) and fuzzy farther down. The fuzz actually had some rock attached to it but was kind of gross.

It looks fine now and it open and still reacting to shadows (my make me feel better test that probably doesn't mean a lot)... My guess is when these things die--it's quick and may react to shadows in the morning and smell by that night.

Anyway thanks againf for your help... will let you know how the clam is in month or so.

 

[jdieck]

:thumbsup:

 

[Johnsteph10]

You probably just cut some byssal threads.