got my 1st clam last night!

[LilBugger225]

My husband came home last night with an early christmas present for me... my 1st new clam for my 75 gal tank. The clam has seemed to acclimate well to the tank. I have it high up on the rock under 2 175 watt MH. It was under MH at the LFS. It is a small maxima about 1.75 inches. The only problem I have is that it kinda keeps wanting to lean on it's side. I have been righting the clam back up but that doesn't seem to be working. Should I just leave the clam be and just let the foot attach and that should right the clam? Here is a link to a pic I took of it:

http://www.geocities.com/lilbugger225/clam.html


TIA

Erica

[ December 19, 2001: Message edited by: LilBugger225 ]</p>

 

[Gatortailale1]

Congrats on early present.

Advice:
1) Clam is going to move / spin until it finds the light and waterflow it likes.

2) Eliminate the touching of your clam. IF you constantly reach in the tank to flip it back up, you are going to stress it. Either find a different area on the rock that is level, or place in the DSB/cc zone. I think most peeps keep theres there. You have MH lighting so I don't think you need to stick it up on the rocks.

3) IMO, I would stick a small piece of rock just under the surface of your sand and place clam on top. If it likes light and flow, it should attach to the rock.

Cheers

 

[Carpentersreef]

Hi Erica,
I would just leave it be for a few days. My experience is that the clam will scoot around on it's own till it's happy, and will right itself if on it's side. Just make sure that it doesn't get trapped inbetween rocks, or something like that!
(pic didn't work, BTW)

Mitch

 

[LilBugger225]

Ok for the pic, geocities must be not letting me to post a pic here so heres the link:

http://www.geocities.com/lilbugger225/clam.html

I chose to put the clam up on the rock because the water flow over my sandbed seemed somewhat turbid for the clam. My brain and anemone have preferred this water flow and it would be pretty hard to move them. I will leave my clam alone, today since the lights have turned on it hasn't moved and just seems to be slightly leaning to the left, maybe in the direction of one of the bulbs? The clam is kinda in between the 2 bulbs right now. The clam is opening up very nicely now and seems to be attaching it's foot since the lights have been on this morning. Any other feedback is much appreciated.

Erica

[ December 19, 2001: Message edited by: LilBugger225 ]</p>

 

[LilBugger225]

well unfortunatly last night a crab that I've been trying to get out of the tank for months now got a hold of the clam and I found him with the clam so I had to rip out most of the rocks in the tank to get the clam and I finally got the crab to put in the tank with the other crabs I have caught. The clam is not looking good but it is still alive and closed up tight. I hope it's not too traumatized. I guess I will see in time. It looks like that crab munched on its foot though. I am so bummed

Erica

 

[Emperator]

sorry to hear about the crab.

remember that a small clam like yours needs to be feed, they cannot live through photosynthesis alone.