Missing Clam

Reefer1225 · 05/12/2012, 12:04 AM

So, I bought a small 2'' ultra blue maxima clam a couple of weeks ago. I put it in the sandbed under my LED lights. Clam did great for the first couple of weeks. I put a flat rock in the sandbed, but the clam never attached its foot. In fact I never saw its foot after a couple of weeks. It use to move slightly to the left or right around the rock, but it then stopped. Then I noticed it stop opening all the way and I believed something was messing with him. I would come home from work and find the clam on its side on the sanded, or completely upside down, or moved to the other side of the tank, or moved on top of the rocks, etc.

I tried to spend a weekend to figure out who was doing it, but never saw. It's like when I was watching the tank nothing happened to clam, and it looked alright, but by the next morning he would be moved again. Today, after work I came home and my clam is missing. I literally spent a couple of work looking everywhere in the tank, even moving big rocks. I am at a loss where it could be.

The likely culprits in order of my suspicion
1. Melanarus Wrasse
2. Radiant Wrasse
3. A bullseye pistol shrimp I got a long time ago that I could never catch or see, but could here him snapping away everyday.
4. Blue Tang

Anyways, my first clam experience did not go so well. Not sure what else I can do. I don't want to move rocks and disturb everything. Is he dead? Should I give up looking? Will his death nuke my tank? What do you guys think? Call it a loss? Really liked the clam too.

Apon · 05/12/2012, 01:45 AM

the shell is gone too or was it empty? I am guess it fell behind some rocks- probably still alive. if you find it you may want to get some of those clam holders or some flat rock and place the clam on them on the sand until it attaches. Then you can move the rock to where you want. I hope it turns up.

Reefer1225 · 05/12/2012, 03:49 AM

Thanks. Yah, the shell is missing too. Can't find any sign of him unless I remove all the rocks. Hope he turns up too. Feel bad if he is stuck somewhere slowly dying or something.

yachtdr22 · 05/20/2012, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reefer1225

Thanks. Yah, the shell is missing too. Can't find any sign of him unless I remove all the rocks. Hope he turns up too. Feel bad if he is stuck somewhere slowly dying or something.

Did you ever find him?

I had a flame scallop that use to like to play hide and go seek!!

Reefer1225 · 05/20/2012, 09:05 PM

Nope. Going on 2 weeks missing now. It was a nice electric blue ultra maxima too... ;(

05/12/2012, 12:04 AM	#1
Reefer1225 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 570	Missing Clam So, I bought a small 2'' ultra blue maxima clam a couple of weeks ago. I put it in the sandbed under my LED lights. Clam did great for the first couple of weeks. I put a flat rock in the sandbed, but the clam never attached its foot. In fact I never saw its foot after a couple of weeks. It use to move slightly to the left or right around the rock, but it then stopped. Then I noticed it stop opening all the way and I believed something was messing with him. I would come home from work and find the clam on its side on the sanded, or completely upside down, or moved to the other side of the tank, or moved on top of the rocks, etc. I tried to spend a weekend to figure out who was doing it, but never saw. It's like when I was watching the tank nothing happened to clam, and it looked alright, but by the next morning he would be moved again. Today, after work I came home and my clam is missing. I literally spent a couple of work looking everywhere in the tank, even moving big rocks. I am at a loss where it could be. The likely culprits in order of my suspicion 1. Melanarus Wrasse 2. Radiant Wrasse 3. A bullseye pistol shrimp I got a long time ago that I could never catch or see, but could here him snapping away everyday. 4. Blue Tang Anyways, my first clam experience did not go so well. Not sure what else I can do. I don't want to move rocks and disturb everything. Is he dead? Should I give up looking? Will his death nuke my tank? What do you guys think? Call it a loss? Really liked the clam too.

05/12/2012, 01:45 AM	#2
Apon Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: San Francisco Posts: 1,015	the shell is gone too or was it empty? I am guess it fell behind some rocks- probably still alive. if you find it you may want to get some of those clam holders or some flat rock and place the clam on them on the sand until it attaches. Then you can move the rock to where you want. I hope it turns up. __________________ Thanks, Arnold BAR Member Current Tank Info: 40 gallon soft coral reef/ 120 galon mixed reef tank

05/12/2012, 03:49 AM	#3
Reefer1225 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 570	Thanks. Yah, the shell is missing too. Can't find any sign of him unless I remove all the rocks. Hope he turns up too. Feel bad if he is stuck somewhere slowly dying or something.

05/20/2012, 09:05 PM	#5
Reefer1225 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 570	Nope. Going on 2 weeks missing now. It was a nice electric blue ultra maxima too... ;(