question

[jessinator752]

the last 3 days my 2 clams keep coming off the rock they are sitting on. does any one know what would cause them to not want to be on the rock they've been on for the last 4 mo give or take? i've placed them on other rocks and they just don't seem to want to stay anywhere. i'm not sure if the fish are knocking them off or if they are just coming off by themselves.

[cbianco]

I am no clam expert by far but...

You should probably mention the type of clam you have. Some clams like it on the rocks, others in the sand, etc...

This may help those who respond.

Christopher :)

[jessinator752]

i believe they are tridacna clams but i'm not sure. i bought the tank as a full set up fully stocked so i'm not positive what everything is yet. this is my first tank, and i'm still learning. i can attach a picture, or at least a link so you can see what they are. http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p300/jessinator752/clam2.jpg
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p300/jessinator752/clamandzoos.jpg

thank you for your help, jessica

[cbianco]

Your clam looks like a Tridacna maxima. I say this because it looks as if it is long and not too wide which is a characteristic of a maxima.

Maxima's are very light demanding. I assume you have MH over the tank.

Typically, maxima's attach quickly. You may need to hold it in place somehow for a few days.

Christopher

EDIT: Hopefully someone can verify my assumptions. :)

Web Wet Media Clam Info (http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/cav1i3/Clam_care/Clam_care.htm)

Make sure to scroll down for links to additional reading!

[blueboy]

those look like crocea's to me, first pic is a little blurry. they usually like to be placed on the rock.

[thedude]

Crocea to me too but crocea and maxima's requirements are basically the same. We would need a better picture of the clam's shell to be certain.

[hobogato]

those look like crocea's to me, first pic is a little blurry. they usually like to be placed on the rock.

i agree - crocea.

you can also bury a small piece of LR rubble under it in the sand for it to attach to.

[jessinator752]

they have attached several times, but a few hours latter i find them in the sand. last night before i went to bed i check to see that they were both firmly attached and they were. then this morning they were both in the sand. i thought i had babies living under one, but that was a few weeks ago. now i don't see the babies anymore, and the clams are constantly coming off the rocks. is it possible that i have some "pests" that would get under them and irritate them? looking at them right now i can see their foot is attached and it's been about 3 hours since they've come off the rock. http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p300/jessinator752/shell2.jpg
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p300/jessinator752/shell1.jpg
there are some pictures of the shell of one. i can't seem to get at the other one without moving it, and since they are finally staying on the rock i don't want to move it just yet.

[matt]

They're almost certainly croceas. It is possible they're being irritated by predators; the most common ones are tiny snails. You might go to www.clamsdirect.com, log onto the forums, and browse the disease forum. It's also possible they don't like the flow where they are; they usually like it pretty calm. There are probably some good suggestions for getting them to attach on the clamsdirect forums.

I sure hope you have lots of light for these; mine are about 6" under a 250W DE bulb.

[caferacermike]

Crocea as well, They don't have the characteristic overlapping scalloped mantle that a maxima does. I was going to ask you if they had enough light as well. Maybe they are seeking out a better place? What do you have in the tank that could knock them around? I had one crocea a long time back die on me. It did the same thigns you are talking about. I've heard that when they let go of their footing something bad is about to happen. In this pic the clam looks to be in very good health, http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p300/jessinator752/clamandzoos.jpg Is it an older pic? Is it from right now when the problems are occurring? The mantle looks great and the mouth is not gaping to much.

[jessinator752]

these pictures were taken last month, but the clams are in the same health. my lights did go out right after the pictures were taken, but i borrowed some lights from jynxgirl for the moment. i am planning on buying her old set up (130 gal tank), hopefully this weekend. my plan is to get them moved into that tank preferably by this time next month. then they will be under 250 metal halides. i'm not sure what the lighting is right now, but she said that they are strong enough that it won't hurt my clams or other corals. other than the lighting nothing has changed since i bought the tank back in sept. here is a picture i just took of my tank. it's not the greatest, but it'll give you an idea of what is all in it. http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p300/jessinator752/1-17.jpg i was looking close at my rocks by the clams, and i can see little things moving around. they almost look like baby fish or shirmp? they are about the size of a pin head and are clear. i can't get the camera to focus on them because they are so small. the clam that has the light coloring on it has stayed still since i put it on the rock this morning, but the other one has moved to the other side of the rock since my last post. it seems to be trying to get away from whatever is crawling on that rock. i haven't put anything new in the tank since last month, so i have no idea how i would have gotten anything new in the water. my ammonia and nitrates were at .25 and 80 since i got the tank. i didn't know that was bad until last month when i posted a question asking about a coral i bought that just disintegrated, and was told that i should have my levels at zero. i've been doing small water changes and finally this past weekend got the levels to zero. now i seem to have trouble with my clams. could the change in levels be bothering them?

[jessinator752]

i just checked the date when i took that picture you asked about, and the date i have for it being taken is jan 1.

[caferacermike]

Well these are the offenders if you have them. http://www.reefland.com/forum/attachments/clams-corals/1521-true-if-you-have-clam-you-need-6-line-unknown_pyramid_snails1.jpg (not my pics, found on Yahoo.)

Sounds more like "pods" to me at this point. Example, http://www.science.siu.edu/zoology/wilhelm/images/Cave_amphipods.jpg

You mention that the lighting has been screwy for a few days? That one set burned out and that you are borrowing a set? Your latest pic looks to be of a great softie tank.

[jessinator752]

i have seen the ones in the bottom picture. are they bad? yes, my lighting system went out. at once both sets of bulbs i had went out, so yes i am borrowing a set until i can purchse new lights and tank. the clam that moved is now back in the sand. what do i need to do to fix this problem, or is it even a problem? thanks again for all the input, jessica

[JimD]

Just leave it alone, as long as it has good mantle extention and its intake syphon isnt gaping, It'll be fine. Sometimes slight changes can cause unusual reactions in perfectly healthy specimans.

[jessinator752]

so letting it sit in the sand is ok? i was told i need to keep it as high up as i can so it can get as much light as possible.

[DaBird47]

if they are Pods, they are good. Upgrade your lighting as soon as possible and let em find a spot that they like...hope this helps and keep asking questions, its how to keep em happy...

[jroescher]

You may want to look at this page: http://www.melevsreef.com/id/pods.html for some id about the pods your seeing. The ones that caferacermike posted in the samll pic are amphipods, they are good. Fish food!!

[jessinator752]

i think i have these in my tank: http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p300/jessinator752/mysis_tb1.jpg as well as the ones in the small picture that caferacermike posted. i think my one clam is happy. it hasn't moved since i put it back on a different rock this morning. the other one however keeps moving off of any and all rocks i put it on. i noticed today that when i picked it up out of the sand little clear critters came out of it. i believe they are whatever is in the picture in the link i added.

now for upgrading my lighting asap, does the fact that i have a turbo-twist 3x 9 watt uv stgerilizer help in that area at all? i'm not exactly positive what it does, but it came with my tank so i've had it up and running. i was told it's extra lighting/sterlizing for the corals. just curious if it's as great as i was told.