clam lost foot !!!

R1Bill · 04-22-2002, 01:04 AM

i got a nice 1" gold clam today, put it on a nice rock with a hole in it for its foot. few hours later a turbo snail knocked it off the rock and the foot is still in the hole. does this mean that the clam is going to die?

Bill

jjharrisx4 · 04-22-2002, 02:03 PM

not necessarily....clams, scallops, etc. attach by connecting very stron threads to an object. They can release these threads at will when they choose to do so. It may be that the snail irritated the clam and it just let go. If forcefully removed, it likely will be fatal. You'll just have to wait and see.

R1Bill · 04-22-2002, 02:09 PM

jj,

thanks, can these things propel themselves around? this morning when i went looking for it, it seems to have disapeared!

bill

jjharrisx4 · 04-22-2002, 02:22 PM

Have you ever seen a flame scallop swim? They can move by forcefully clamping their shell and expelling water. Clams can move if necessity demands it by shell clamping IME.

What other fish are in the system. It's possible that a fish moved your small clam as well. Possibly even a crab.

toptank · 04-23-2002, 03:19 AM

You might want to consider moving him somewhere where won't jump or be knocked behind a rock that you can't get to him.

Barry

R1Bill · 04-23-2002, 10:44 AM

finally found him, after three hours of searching. of course while getting him out from under my brain, my cleaner wrasse jumped out. didn't notice until hours later.

does the crap ever end!!!!

bill