Clam foot gone

[sen5241b]

My clam was laying on its side detached from the rock for no apparent reason. I up-righted it and laid it on a thick shell. A few weeks later it is on it's side again and the foot is laying detached next to it. It still closes up when I wave my hand over it but it does not open all the way. I never pulled at the clam so I do not understand why it lost its foot. Any hope for it?

[DuffyGeos]

Spanish-Style Clam Stew with Garlic

 

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

5 large garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon saffron threads

1 cup sherry

1 tablespoon vegetable oil $

1 (12-ounce) package chorizo sausages, sliced

1 cup chopped red onion

1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

3 (8-ounce) bottles clam juice

3 large red potatoes, diced $

2 (14 1⁄2-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained $

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 sourdough baguette, sliced

24 littleneck clams, well-scrubbed and rinsed $

1 teaspoon orange zest $

Preparation

 

1. Heat olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat just until warm. Stir in garlic. Remove from heat, and let stand 15 minutes.

2. Combine saffron and sherry in a small bowl.

3. Heat vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chorizo, and cook 4 minutes or until browned on all sides. Transfer chorizo to a plate.

4. Add onion, 1 teaspoon salt, and paprika to Dutch oven. Sauté 5 minutes or until softened but not browned. Stir in sherry mixture, clam juice, and next 4 ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, covered, 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

5. Brush baguette slices with garlic oil, and sprinkle with remaining 1⁄4 teaspoon salt. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes or until golden.

6. Stir clams into stew, cover, and simmer 5 to 6 minutes or until clams are fully opened. (Discard any that do not.) Stir in chorizo and orange zest. Cook until thoroughly heated. Serve with garlic toast.

 

 

I don't think it looks good. Sorry

[zygote2k]

^+1

[gmerek2]

If it does die save the shell. Some wamas members have done some creative stuff with it and will give you something to remember it by

[flowerseller]

Clams can loose their foot as they get larger or even for no apparent reason.

Unless it was damaged for some reason known or unknown to you, I would not sweat it unless it stops reacting or gapes some what open.

I would orient it upright,wedged if needed, but so it can open un obstructed.

 

More than likely someone may be messing with it and you have not seen it, yet.

[MrSexyShrimp]

If it does die save the shell. Some wamas members have done some creative stuff with it and will give you something to remember it by

 

mermaid bra!

[sen5241b]

Clams can loose their foot as they get larger or even for no apparent reason.

Unless it was damaged for some reason known or unknown to you, I would not sweat it unless it stops reacting or gapes some what open.

I would orient it upright,wedged if needed, but so it can open un obstructed.

 

More than likely someone may be messing with it and you have not seen it, yet.

 

 

It died. It did seem weird that it lost its foot for no apparent reason because I was so careful with it.

[flowerseller]

Sorry about that.

 

Tell us about the fish in your tank

[DuffyGeos]

It died. It did seem weird that it lost its foot for no apparent reason because I was so careful with it.

 

Sorry to hear about your loss.  Do you have any good pics when it was healthy? I don't have any clams, but think they are amazing. How long did you have it?

[sen5241b]

I had it two years. I do have a large, aggressive clown named jaws that will on occasion nip the H-E-double hockey sticks out of my trumpets. He has also bitten me a gazillion times. I wonder if he harassed my clam.

[DuffyGeos]

I had it two years. I do have a large, aggressive clown named jaws that will on occasion nip the H-E-double hockey sticks out of my trumpets. He has also bitten me a gazillion times. I wonder if he harassed my clam.

 

 Well it sounds like you took good care of him if he made it 2 years. Something happened, the question is what, and to figure out how to avoid it so it does not happen again. Not like you bought the clam and he withered away because of bad conditions in a matter of weeks.

[YHSublime]

 Something happened, the question is what, and to figure out how to avoid it so it does not happen again.

 

Wish it was that easy. Been there, done that. 

[DuffyGeos]

Wish it was that easy. Been there, done that. 

 

Just saying that would be the best outcome....Not that it is going to happen.

[YHSublime]

Just saying that would be the best outcome....Not that it is going to happen.

Usually it's size. Dr macs told be this happens with the smaller ones sometimes, "just bc"

 

I try to get only large clams for this reason. I've lost 2 so far this year, it's getting expensive.

[sen5241b]

Usually it's size. Dr macs told be this happens with the smaller ones sometimes, "just bc"

 

I try to get only large clams for this reason. I've lost 2 so far this year, it's getting expensive.

 

 

Interesting. My clam was a small one. Seems like clams are getting pricey. I recall when you could buy a small one at Dr Mac's for $25.

Edited September 26, 2014 by sen5241b

[davelin315]

Lots of things can go wrong with a clam but the biggest problem is that they show few if any signs prior to going south.  Other than observing gaping or mantle issues, there's a lot that could be going wrong that you'd never notice.  There are predators that will eat the foot or byssal gland of the clam and you never see them because they are, well, underneath the clam which has attached itself to the rock or substrate.  Sometimes you'll have bacterial infections or parasites that you can't see or don't notice.  Any small snails in the tank?  Pyramid snails are a common predator but they are really small and you don't always notice them as they hide beneath the mantle, under the clam, and in the scutes of the shell, eating the clam until it dies.  Malnutrition could also be a factor - depending on the species if it's under 2"-3" then it's probably not able to feed itself very well through photosynthesis and needs to be target fed or it will slowly die off.  Some species of Tridacnid clams need to be larger than that to start relying mainly on photosynthesis to sustain themselves although target feeding is still a good idea no matter the size of the clam unless your water column has a lot of life in it.  Could also be any number of other factors including calcium levels or nutrients in the water...

 

Sorry, not a helpful post, just saying that there's tons of reasons why it might have died.