Lil clam help please.

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mhayes462

Guest
Just bought this clam today and it was sold to me as a maxima. After reading more about clams I'm not sure if it is a crocea or a maxima. Can anyone tell for sure? Also, is it normal for it to be gaping after being introduced? It's been doing it for about 4 hrs now.

Mike Hayes
 

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
It's a maxima for sure.
Do you see the darker blue dots on the outside rim of the mantle? That's one of the tell-tale signs that it is a maxima. Other then that, there is a way to ID it on the outside of the shell by looking at how wide the bysis opening is. But, I can tell that it's a maxima mainly because of the dots around the outside edge of the mantle.
Yes, it is common for them to open up wide. Especially when they are young. If you pass your hand over the lights and form a shadow over the mantle and it doesn't clamp up at all, then there is a problem
Make sure you are feeding your tank well and make sure you have stable parameters - ca, alk, mg.
 

florida joe

Well-Known Member
I do not believe that any clam should be gaping to the point where you can look deep inside. The bottom picture is of my very healthy golden. As you can see there is a very little opening. On the top is the clam reacting to the flash from the camera the white ridge on the shell is what you want to see. That is new shell growth


Here is a picture of my blue to compare with yours as you can see no gaping

http://www.reefcorner.com/introtoclams.htm
 
S

saxman

Guest
I have to disagree with Seth on this one...from the photos you posted, I'd ID the clam as T. crocea. The shell is very smooth (maximas tend to have at least a few scutes), and altho both T. maxima and T. crocea have asymmetrical valves (shell halves), T. maxima is longer (wider) than it is tall (e.g., is much more asymmetrical), and T. crocea has a symmetrical curve to its upper valve margin. Seth mentioned the irridipores (light sensing organs) around the periphery of the mantle, however, T. maxima has a definite line of them around the mantle edge as opposed to having them interspersed thruout the mantle. Finally, as Seth mentioned, the byssal opening of T. crocea is quite large, so turn your clam over if you want to check.
As for the gaping...T. crocea
tends to be a very "gapy" clam as opposed to the other Tridacnids
, and what I'm seeing in your clam wouldn't alarm me.
Finally, T. crocea
has the finest gill structures of all the Tridacnids, and they can become clogged fairly easily due to "sandstorms" or detritus being disturbed. In nature, this clam is a rock-dweller, and is also the most light hungry of the genus, so keeping it in the rockwork is a better choice than on the substrate. If you think you may move the clam around occasionally, bury a clam halfshell or small flat piece of rock just beneath the substrate and let the clam attach to that. this makes it really simple to move the clam if needed. This will also prevent the clam from attaching to the tank bottom if you decide to keep it on the substrate.
HTH a bit...before the scorp bug bit me, I kept several Tridacnids
in my reef (I did have to search the ol' memory banks tho!).
 

florida joe

Well-Known Member
Quote:
As for the gaping...T. crocea tends to be a very "gapy" clam as opposed to the other Tridacnids, and what I'm seeing in your clam wouldn't alarm me.
Greg when we talk about gaping are we talking about the shell or the intake syphoning
 

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
lol, I've known to be wrong many times. Thanks for the correction, Greg. I guess I need to go back to clam school.
 
M

mhayes462

Guest
I now believe that it is a crocea from all the help I have gotten from here and other forums. I have also moved it up to a nice spot on my rock work where it is not likely to fall and it will receive lots of light. It started looking better right away and hasn't been gaping like it was. It's siphon is only slightly open. Thanks for the help.

Mike Hayes
 
S

saxman

Guest
Quote:
Originally Posted by florida joe http:///t/393413/lil-clam-help-please#post_3499882
Greg when we talk about gaping are we talking about the shell or the intake syphoning
It's the clam's incurrent siphon.
I generally don't tell anyone, as I no longer keep clams, but I used to be a moderator on Barry Neigut's old "Clams Direct" website...
Seth,
Clam ID can be a little tuff sometimes. Kinda like scorp ID...some are slam dunks, others, not so much...
 

florida joe

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by saxman http:///t/393413/lil-clam-help-please#post_3499993
It's the clam's incurrent siphon.
I generally don't tell anyone, as I no longer keep clams, but I used to be a moderator on Barry Neigut's old "Clams Direct" website...
Seth,
Clam ID can be a little tuff sometimes. Kinda like scorp ID...some are slam dunks, others, not so much...
My reference to gaping being a problem is when the shell is abnormally open
 
J

jstdv8

Guest
wow, I love your new clam, very nice looking. Like your clown and YWG as well.
 
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