Living Reefs > Reef Aquarium > Invertebrates > Clam foot injured

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      July 11th, 2011
I'm not sure how it happened, but I saw some filaments hanging from my clam about a week ago. Three days ago I found it flipped up on it's back. There were still some parts clinging to the rock, but the majority of the foot was detached. It's been in this tank in the same spot for almost a year now. Nothing major has happened in the tank and no additions for the past 3 months.

When I flipped it back foot down, the clam reacted as normal but did not close completely. The two sides felt loose and unconnected too. I figured for sure it'd die. But today it's looking the same as always. Every day I've checked it and it always reacts to shadows.

IS there a chance it'll recover? When will I know when I need to pull it? My tank is skimmerless so I really don't want it rotting away in there while I'm at work for 12 hrs.

Thanks guys.

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      July 11th, 2011
The chance is slim that a clam will recover from a torn foot. But if the damage is slight, it may have a shot. Pull it if it stops responding to light.

 
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      July 11th, 2011
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bifferwine View Post
The chance is slim that a clam will recover from a torn foot. But if the damage is slight, it may have a shot. Pull it if it stops responding to light.
Gratsi. Sucks, had this thing forever. I wish I knew what happened.

Biffer while I've got you here. I have an open brain coral that has some mushrooms encroaching it's territory. Will the brain coral defend itself, do I need to move it? Or do I need to get the razorblade out and do my own defending. Soon I think I might have a couple xenia chilling out by it also..what's the strategy there?

Thanks again.

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      July 12th, 2011
i dont want to start an argument or nothing with bifferwine but.i borrowed a book from my friend a couple month ago.the book is on the anatomy , aquarium care , and how they act in the ocean.you have about a 50/50 chance it will be alright.i have a real passion for clams.and i had 2 75s with just clams in my old system. ive bought clams with absolutely no foot and live the whole time ive owned them.clams are very tricky. if it does die. a little tip any clam the smaller it is the harder it is to keep.the bigger the easyer to care for , the bigger ones feed more on the zooxanthellae than water.any questions shoot me over e-mail or message.the foot can regrow. in the wild they get knocked off there rock and regrow.im not saying you were but its not good to through shadow over it.it is necessary to check.when the clam closes it uses a massive amount of energy to close.when its open its not using any if any very little to stay open.thats why i had the 75s just for them no fish swimming over top = no closing = more growth.

 
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      July 12th, 2011
That could be why she's saying that in a regular reef aquarium it's hard for them to survive with a torn foot. With fish swimming over them all the time and expending energy trying to close they may not survive as well as opposed to a tank dedicated to caring for a clam. Just saying.

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      July 12th, 2011
nice tank. corals lookin good
Quote:
Originally Posted by coolhandgoose View Post
That could be why she's saying that in a regular reef aquarium it's hard for them to survive with a torn foot. With fish swimming over them all the time and expending energy trying to close they may not survive as well as opposed to a tank dedicated to caring for a clam. Just saying.

 
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      July 23rd, 2011
The clam's still alive and responding to light like normal. It's still not opening as full as it used to, and the two halves when it is open are not lined up correctly, but it closes up tightly. It looks fine otherwise.

Update on the brain coral: The mushrooms really did a number on that brain coral. It killed a huge section of it. I was really surprised. The mushroom took a decent dent, it receded a lot initially and half of it turned white. I moved the brain coral and it'll recover. Happened really quickly though.

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