reefpeace Posted January 30, 2006 Share Posted January 30, 2006 When I first cycled my cube, I saw what appeared to be small clam-like creatures living on some of rocks. Over time, hey appeared to close shut so I assumed they were dead. Last week I found a what I thought was an old shell on my sand bed but today, I found this on my front glass! I guess I have survivors! I had no idea that these could move, let alone crawl on glass! Is this a Clam or Scallop or something else? Should I move it to a rock where it could attach or will it just continue to cruise around my tank like it is doing now? Quote Link to comment
Gili Posted January 30, 2006 Share Posted January 30, 2006 A lucky addition! It looks like a bivalve to me, although im not sure why its decided to walk up the glass - some like to attach themselves to rocks, some bury themselves in sand some even free-swim [scallops] - Id let him do his thing, or perhaps try and move him onto a rock instead. Quote Link to comment
c est ma Posted January 30, 2006 Share Posted January 30, 2006 Very cool. Could not find anything like it in a brief search of Wetwebmedia and Reefkeeping mag. Let's hope someone else on n-r has some knowledge of this. The projections from the shell--do they act as holdfasts? They look almost like worm tentacles. Can you see something that looks like a typical bivalve mantle between the half shells? --Diane Quote Link to comment
reefpeace Posted January 30, 2006 Author Share Posted January 30, 2006 Very cool. Could not find anything like it in a brief search of Wetwebmedia and Reefkeeping mag. Let's hope someone else on n-r has some knowledge of this. The projections from the shell--do they act as holdfasts? They look almost like worm tentacles. Can you see something that looks like a typical bivalve mantle between the half shells? --Diane Yes, on the other side (could not get a photo) you can see something inside that is kind of blackish looking with small feather like tentacles at the ends (I am not sure what a mantle is). I really don't know how this could move or hold on glass but you can see the residue left from where it traveled. The shell opens and closes by a small amount regularly - I guess it would feed this way. Quote Link to comment
Diatome Posted January 30, 2006 Share Posted January 30, 2006 The mantle is the flesh that is just protruding around the shell. It looks like a clam and not an oyster (some type of reef clam). They can attach themselves to pilings and rocks and such so they get around pretty well. I have had a couple of different kinds of bivalves come in as hitchikers and so it's just a living filter to me. It will eat by way of a siphon that it will stick out. The opening and closing of the shelll will be for protection and propulsion. You will be very suprised that they will close when they sense you moving from vibrations as you walk. Thought it might be a file clam but the ones I am used to don't usually do that, they just burrow. To prove a point to my wife, I threw one of the clams she brought home in a net bag, for steaming, into my 12 cube and it is tooling around turning the sand over and having a grand old time. She thought they would be dead. I now think I have the best way to turn over sand, beats snails and such. The rest were drenched in melted butter, garlic and old bay seasoning and served over pasta. 1 Quote Link to comment
c est ma Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 That's quite the story! (And you didn't have just a little bit of a problem with steaming them after this demonstration?. I know--I don't want to see the inside of a slaughter house...) And just out of curiosity, isn't an edible-sized clam rather large for a nano? (Now we'll all want to try it.) --Diane Quote Link to comment
reefinnewb Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 i have had one of them in my tank since september. Just moves around from time to time. Has the spines on it it uses them to attach to rock. So far no harm done from him. Quote Link to comment
Lilygirl Posted April 29, 2021 Share Posted April 29, 2021 Hi, I'm new to this and I have a question. My husband and I bought some live rock over a month ago, supposedly from Florida. Along with the rock came an old-looking shell and we thought it was dead. Come to find out we saw it opening and closing and have no idea what it is. Some sort of clam I imagine, but the only thing that looked like it were prehistoric fossils that I found online. Please help, 90 gallon reef tank. I can't figure out how to insert a picture either, lol. Any suggestions on this ? Quote Link to comment
Murphs_Reef Posted April 29, 2021 Share Posted April 29, 2021 1 hour ago, Lilygirl said: Hi, I'm new to this and I have a question. My husband and I bought some live rock over a month ago, supposedly from Florida. Along with the rock came an old-looking shell and we thought it was dead. Come to find out we saw it opening and closing and have no idea what it is. Some sort of clam I imagine, but the only thing that looked like it were prehistoric fossils that I found online. Please help, 90 gallon reef tank. I can't figure out how to insert a picture either, lol. Any suggestions on this ? "Click to choose file" under the text area to insert a picture Quote Link to comment
Lilygirl Posted April 30, 2021 Share Posted April 30, 2021 Thank you so much for responding, here it is. It seems to be flat on the end. Quote Link to comment
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