Algae growing on Maxima shell

[hazmat]

I have a Maxima clam and it has what I believe is red hair algae growing on both sides in the scutes. The clam doesn't seem to mind and occasionally my Turbo snail will come along and eat it off but then it comes right back.

 

Is this detrimental to the clam? It's so ugly! Any suggestions for getting it off and keeping it off? Sometimes I actually pick up my Turbo snail and place him on the shell so he will clean it. I have tried to pull it off with some tweezers but it's really fine. Not easy to pull off. And I'm not sure how delicate the scutes of a clam are? Is there anything on the outside of the shell that could be damaged?

[bubbles3660]

As long as it doesn't block the mantle from receiving light then it shouldn't be a problem.

 

[insert "bearded clam" joke here]

 

--bubbles

[lakshwadeep]

If you look at pics of wild clams, you'll see a lot of hitchhikers on the shell, including algae:

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/anim...giant-clam.html

[hazmat]

[insert "bearded clam" joke here]

 

--bubbles

 

I know!!!! I am so trying to word it so it doesn't sound nasty. But it really has "hair" growing on it. and it's not very pretty!