Protecting my clam

M

mwilk19

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I bought a Crocea clam about 3 weeks ago. It's right around 2 to 2.5 inches. I'm having a problem keeping it on a hard surface for the foot to take hold because my tangs swim by and have to peck at the shell. They don't go after the mantle at all but the clam always ends up on its' side. I even got a clam mount but that hasn't helped. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can protect this clam long enough to grab hold of a form substrate be it rubble rock or a clam mount?
 
Mike, clams are perfectly able to be situated in the substrate as well. If you kind of rest them up against your base rocks, they will grab a hold of them under the sand.
 
Thank you for the response. I didn't put it directly down in the substrate because I read that organisms can attack the basil foot and kill the clam. That me be what I have to do because what I'm trying now isn't working.
 
I eventually glued my with aquascape to a rock. seemed to do ok even though it says not to do that. I have large zebra snails and they love cleaning the clam and keep knocking it over.
 
Here's what I did. I cut the top off of a 1 liter plastic Coke bottle about 5" down. Then I cut cut off the neck of the bottle so that flow would still get to the clam but the fish would have a hard time getting to it. The clear plastic will make sure it gets plenty of light. We'll see how it goes.
 
You could also use eggcrate to make a box to protect it, especially if your coke bottle gets dirty too quickly for light penetration.
Where are you wanting it long term?
Just as others have said, they can go through the substrate easily. I put a circle about 2 inch in diameter of thin plastic about and buried it under the sand and then pushed the clam down over it. Within a week it had grabbed ahold of the plastic and attatched.
A few cool points to this method.
1. I don't have to worry about it attaching to the actual tank bottom if I ever upgrade or whatever.
2. I can move it anywhere under the sand and it will stay put, right side up.
3. I used the same method on a second clam and then was able to glue the plastic to rock work so the clam stayed put where I wanted it and how I wanted it orientated.
 
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