Clam Question

[blitz99]

how do you know if the clam is doing well??? what are the signs of a happy clam? and a sad clam?

 

[fallnhorse]

Happy clams have thier mantle out and absorb light. Sad clams gasp. Flapping thier shells. Plus the mantle is retracted. Keep in mind of course the mantle is only open during the day under good lighting. If your referring to gaint clams they enjoy levels of nitrates and phosphates that would adverse affect a reef tank. They are extremely benficial for a reef tank.

 

[blitz99]

it's a gigas.. and i know they love the ammonia... didnt know the trates made them happy too.. this guy's in for a treat then.
he's open nice, his "mouth" is open too, and i'm just wondering if thats a good thing or bad thing.

 

[hkdonreefs]

Extended mantle with good color. They need cal. too and grow fast. Ive had mine for about 2 months and has grown about a 1/4 inch.

 

[viper_930]

Nitrates and phosphates - they use it, but don't enjoy it.
The most apparent sign of an unhappy clam would be gaping, which is when the clam's incurrent siphon (the bigger of the two holes in the mantle) is, well...gaping.

 

[blitz99]

how do you know when it's gaping and when it's mouth is open?

 

[viper_930]

Here's an example of a healthy clam not gaping. Notice the opening is not very wide. A gaping clam would be wide open. It's a "you'd know it when you see it" type of things, if you know what I mean.
Pic credit to James W. Fatherree, M. Sc.

 

[krisiks]

Hi,
I have 2 clams, one is gaping and the other one is doing fine (Just like the pic above).
What should I do when a clam is gaping? Not enough light? Should change it's place?

 

[jonnywater]

Depends on how long it has been in your tank. What kind of clam it is, etc. Lighting has some to do with it, but not all. Granted it is a HUGE portion of it for Croceas and Maximas. I have read about 5 books in the last 3 weeks because I purchased 2 of every kind of clam. If the clam is a relatively new addition or you mess with it too much, it will gape. Also one sign that they like where they are at is the fact that if they are in your substrate, they will have 50 millions tons of sand attached to their byssal glands. But if they are gapeing, you can check for several of different things. What is in the sand beneath them, how much light are they getting, what kind of water current they are getting, blah blah blah....water conditions. I have two squamosas and two derasas that dont gape - ever and they are both fatter then anything. I have one crocea that doesnt gape and another that I added a week ago that you could probably fit a dime in his incurrent syphon. Hopefully that goes away.

 

[viper_930]

Originally Posted by jonnywater
I have read about 5 books in the last 3 weeks because I purchased 2 of every kind of clam.
I assume you mean except T. teveroa and T. rosewateri?

 

[jonnywater]

Yeah, and the other 7 kind of clams that you can purchase. Gigas, Galuptigas, Dretigosa etc etc....I should have said the most well known......Crocea, Maxima, Derasa, Squamosa

 

[viper_930]

Galuptigas and dretigosa? Never heard of them. Are they in Tridacna sp.? Do you remember which book you saw them in?

 

[krisiks]

Yes, I have just added the clam in my tank one week ago. The other clam that I have since 3 weeks has never gaped. I got these clams from ocean while snorkeling. Anyway, I will try to put the new clam in a shaded place in my tank until it stop to gape. Am I doing the right thing?

 

[jakebtc]

im plannin on going down south very soon can we legally get stuff out the ocean or is it a hush hush thing? sorry to be off topic kinda

 

[krisiks]

This depend where you are. In my country, it is illegal to take things from the ocean but I am against the law

I go to the beach and do snorkel every weekend and collect fish, corals, etc... from the ocean and I have never seen someone representing law (Coastguard) around

also, here the law is not very strict on these things.