Slimy Clam?

[Anonymous]

I have one! I have had this maxima for about 8 months; it never attaches to anything and it produces copius amounts of slime from the underside. Really a lot! Otherwise seems to be doing ok. I believe it came from ORA.

Comments?

 

[fungia]

i have a clam that was like that too but i never know why but it is doing fine. mine is dark purple and has a lot of slimy strings like mucus but it has been doing great for nearly a year now. weird.

 

[Anonymous]

Once they attached, the slime will goes away. My guess is that it has something to do with the abyssal (sp?) gland trying to find a good spot, but I never read Knop's book, so maybe someone else can look into it.

 

[Anonymous]

I wonder why it won't attach then. I have tried it a few different places, always right on the rock...

 

[DustinDorton]

I could be very wrong on this. Clams can chemically dissolve the rock they are sitting on to help them burrow down inside of it. I think that the slime has something to do with that action.


Dustin

 

[Anonymous]

A simple pH test of the slime will tell you about the "rock dissolution" ability of it. I doubt that since most T. clams buried inside rock by rubbing the shell physically, but I can be wrong on this.

 

[DustinDorton]

The rubbing back and forth is combined with the acidic secretions to help them burrow. I know that crocea does this. I am not sure about the maxima. I am gonna go look it up.

Dustin

 

[toptank]

T. Crocea and T. Maxima both produce a organic acid which dissolves the rock and help with boring . Maxima will normally not bore as deep as a crocea.