Clams with big mouths!

[Still_human]

Now that I’m going to be getting clams again, I figure I should try to get answers for some questionable things. I know it’s a horrible sign, and usually a precursor to death, but what’s the deal with clams opening their intake siphons super wide? What specifically is causing them to do that? Water generally not to their liking, or some specific aspect about the water, or maybe the last leg of starvation, or what??? From what I’ve seen, that’s d there anything that can be done to help, once it starts?

 

Also, when a clam blows out a milky cloud could that be anything OTHER than spawn? If they do that shortly after being introduced, is that a sign things aren’t going well?

[Origami]

True gaping is normally described as the shell opening too much with the intake siphon retracted back almost to the mantle. Sometimes, when the mantle is retracted, it looks like the soft tissue of the clam is disappearing or pulling away from the shell. A clam in this state is likely on its way out. The reasons could be anything from water quality, lighting, starvation parasites or disease. I can only guess as to why it gapes, though. Maybe it's lost the strength to draw the shell closed.

I'd have to look at my clam book from James Fatherree to check on the white stuff, though. I've heard of clams ejecting zooxantallae, but I think that's more like brown, stringy stuff.