Clams Dead or Alive????

[angelgirl]

Hey all
I brought home some live clams the other day to give my puffer a treat after about 2 hours they split they went under the sand and I just kinda figured oh well I had heard they were good for nitrates anyways, well this evening two have decided to come back out, they are laying on the sand closed. My question is are they dead or alive and am I doing something wrong.
Any help would be appreciated
Angelgirl :happyfish

 

[chutneyjh]

I would say if they're still closed and you can't open them by very gently pulling, then they're all right. But I would keep an eye on them since they came up to the surface. Trust me, if they die, you'll be able to smell them.

 

[alexrex20]

clams in their natural state are open, and the muscle is used to close the shell, where as other bivalves are closed in their natural state, and the muscle is used to open the shell. if your clams are shut, then they're still alive. plus, if they had died, they would've opened and either been gutted by your fish, or fouled up the entire room with their stench, as chutney pointed out.

 

[angelgirl]

thanks for your help, now how do I go about feeding my puffer clams, I was hoping he would have to chew open the shell, but I do not think that is going to happen
thanks again
angelgirl

 

[michaeltx]

I posted in your crablegs thread. mine just tore up the shell when I put them in the tank not sure I guess each fish has there own taste of what they will go after is all I can say.
mike

 

[sepulatian]

If you actually want the puffer to eat the clams you can pry open the top yourself and break it. If he doesn't eat it the clam will die though so be sure to keep an eye on it.