Peter and the Clam

[KathyC]

You remember Peter (Pita..) the Yellowtail Coris?
He's back atop my $hit list.
I got a 3 1/2" Squamosa clam a couple of weeks ago and he attached himself right away and was doing just fine..til about an hour ago when Peter decided he HAD to check underneath him to look for tasty morsels of who knows what (like I don't give this stupid fish enough food...).

I didn't get there inb time and Peter yanked the clam off the bottom. I can see some of the filaments still attached where the clam had been and very few still on the clam.
I just relocated the poor clam between 2 other frags (for protection from the Coris gang..), where he will have just enough room to open, in hopes that he has enough left in him to reattach himself. If he is successful I will move those frags out of the way in the near future.

So..the question is, is there any chance he might make it with just a few byssal strands left?

 

[JLAudio]

Sorry to hear about the clam. My yellow tail was a model citizen in my old reef tank even with shrimp, but never had any clams in there.

Maybe peter should be relocated into on of your other tanks, so he isnt tempted anymore.

Good luck to that clam

 

[LeslieS]

Kathy,

Page 170 in the Giant Clam book. As long as the foot isn't damaged the clam should be able to reattach.

 

[KathyC]

I don't have a giant clam book Leslie..I don't even have a small clam book (lol)

The foot is definitely damaged, part of it was left behind when Peter relocated him for me....

 

[LeslieS]

The foot is definitely damaged

Oh, that's not good. I thought just the bisals were left behind. The are secreted by the foot, but not actually part of the foot.

 

[tosiek]

Mine had its foot torn when a rock slipped. healed up after 2 weeks, reattached itself and now i wouldn't be able to get him off with a crowbar. Hows he acting? Reacting to light? opening up? put him somewhere he won't fall over easily and try not to stress him out. Hope he does as well as my clam =0) Good luck Kathy!

 

[KathyC]

I apparently need to learn a more about clams...he still has some small threads attached to him after the fish moved him, but that is all that I see on the bottom of the clam.
The placed he was knocked off from also had some of his threads on it, but that was all.
None of the books I have here really get into more info regarding the 'foot' (and I probably shouldn't have used that terminology above).
Any more you can tell me to help differentiate between the foot & the threads?

btw..he has opened slightly in the new location, though I know that doesn't mean much, at least he isn't totally closed up.

 

[LeslieS]

Ok, Kathy here it is - straight from the book. Hope JF doesn't mind.

Byssus are produced by the byssal organ.
Byssal organ produces a liquid, which can be touched to a hard substrate and then drawn out into a strand that quickly hardens.
Once the byssus is secured...the clam can't pull it free from the surface...however, the clam can release from the other end at will.
(The byssus) are strong enough that if you try to pull an attached clam off a rock, you'll very likely rip the ...clam's whole byssal organ out...

Hope that helps!

 

[OctaviousMonk]

I had a similar situation with a clam and he healed perfectly. He remained open and acted as if nothng happened.

 

[KathyC]

Ok, Kathy here it is - straight from the book. Hope JF doesn't mind.

Byssus are produced by the byssal organ.
Byssal organ produces a liquid, which can be touched to a hard substrate and then drawn out into a strand that quickly hardens.
Once the byssus is secured...the clam can't pull it free from the surface...however, the clam can release from the other end at will.
(The byssus) are strong enough that if you try to pull an attached clam off a rock, you'll very likely rip the ...clam's whole byssal organ out...

Hope that helps!

That's promising Leslie! Thanks!!
Closer to a 60/40 split (not in the clams favor), but it doesn't seem as though the byssal organ was pulled out of him, just some of the strands.
Just took another look and he's reacting to light, so he isn't dead :flower:

 

[LeslieS]

Is he dyed?

:joke: :lol2:

 

[KathyC]

Is he dyed?

:joke: :lol2:

If I have too much to drink tonight - he might be
Note to self..stay away from the tank when you get home...:cheers:

 

[Psycho graphic]

Bad Bad Wrasse! Now got to your corner of the tank and don't even think of coming out until you are sorry!

If you do a search in the Clam forum on RC, you should find plenty of info there, it's a fairly common question.

 

[reefman]

i dont think the coris can do that much damage. the clam's foot was probabaly loose to begin with. clam loose their foot so they can move whenever they want.

 

[Bob 1000]

Wow that's a great story.. Sorry for your clam though, Good luck..

 

[KathyC]

i dont think the coris can do that much damage. the clam's foot was probabaly loose to begin with. clam loose their foot so they can move whenever they want.

Ah, think again! lol You can't underestimate the strength of that fish. I cannot believe the size of the pieces of rock I've seen him move.
When I first got the clam home (after acclimating him) I put him on the bottom of the tank, on the sandbed but leaning against a rock, while I moved some other pieces so I situate him in a nice spot.
When I was ready to move him I found he'd already attached himnself.. so I left him there and that's where he's stayed..happily it seemed.
The Wrasse went through the trouble of moving the sand out from under him and in one big movement blasted him off the rock.
Remember this is only a small clam...

Anyway he's still doing his clam thing and I still have my fingers crossed!

Thanks Tobin..I have a million of 'em :wink1:

 

[inkblue]

If you see any siGns of dYing... STEAM him right away good with beer

Happy New Year :hug:

 

[KathyC]

Thanks for the suggestion Ink! Hey, if it's tonight - can I substitute champange?:champagne

 

[ellebelle]

Is he dyed?

:joke: :lol2:

I didn't sell you a clam that dyed!

 

[KathyC]

I didn't sell you a clam that dyed!

Ok you two..I must have missed the thread that you're making fun of...rats!

Hey Lis..Leslie & I need to speak with you about something...she'll tell you, I need to go get dressed... (not comments from the peanut gallery please!)