Clammy Question

[Highland Reefer]

I could not resist and bought a 5" blue Crocea clam & a 5" Derasa clam on 1/2 price sale. I put the Crocea on a rock ledge 1/2 way down & woke up to find him on the bottom. So, I just let him there. His opening (what ever you call it) is pretty large compared to the 3" Maxima I already had. Don't know if this is normal. I have the Derasa in front of a strong flow. I don't know if this is bad. Also I am concerned about the possible problems with nearby corals. I am running out of room. :(

[davelin315]

Croceas are boring (not like ho-hum, like drilling) clams and like to be on rock. That said, they will jump off of the rock if they're not comfortable. You can fix this by putting it into a depression in the rock, just make sure that it's wide enough to allow the clam to fully open and close.

 

As far as being "open", are you talking about the byssal opening or the incurrent siphon? If it's the byssal gland and it's retracted or missing, the clam is most likely going to die. If it's the incurrent siphon, it is called gaping and is indicative of some sort of problem. If you can post a picture, might be able to diagnose.

 

As for the Derasa, I personally would not put it in high flow, although it will probably move if it's uncomfortable.

 

Here's a link to some notes from Barry Neigut's visit last year.

 

http://www.wamas.org/forums/index.php?show...ms+barry+neigut

[Highland Reefer]

Thanks Dave. What a great thread. I wish I was a member when they had that meeting. I will take some pictures so you can see what is going on.

 

Edited July 7, 2008 by Highland Reefer

[steveoutlaw]

I have 2 crocea clams and every time I would put them on a rock they would end up on the sand bed again. I tried nooks and holes and everything under the sun.......and finally got tired of trying. They seem to be happy where they are. You might want to put 1/2 a clam shell under them if they are going to be on the sand bed.....something for them to hold on to.

[tranceFusion]

i got one a couple of weeks ago.. he kept jumping/falling to the sand.. i came back after a long weekend to find him attached in the sand to a small piece of rubble.

 

I put some rics in his old place, but then they were getting knocked down to the sand, so i think it was snails rather than him jumping..

 

anyway i put the clam, attached to the rubble, back in his old spot. i figure if he detaches from the rubble i will know he doesn't like it there and isn't just getting shoved off.

[Highland Reefer]

My Derasa clam is on the move. He has moved about 4" today. I guess he don't like the flow where he is at. I'll see where he ends up.

 

Do corals cause problems for clams?

Edited July 8, 2008 by Highland Reefer

[davelin315]

Some soft corals will encroach and smother clams (I had xenia do this in a previous tank). I have also had a clam that extended its mantle over a coral and killed off the branches that it smothered... most of the damage done either way is by way of encroachment.