Clam and freshwater dip.

[StirCrazy]

Ok I got a clam today, nice golden maxima, and I am aclimating it now.. I have seen flat worms in the water that I am aclimating it in so my question is can a clam with stand a fresh water dip of a couple seconds or is there a better way to do it?

Steve

[One_Divided]

I would imagine that is risky business. It might be ok for a really quick dip, but I wouldn't recommend it. I would take it back to Kora or whoever you bought it from. Then order some flatworm exit.. Then dip the clam in a seperate container with some FW exit..

[christyf5]

It would have to be an extremely quick dip. If the clam opens its mantle there is huge possibility for osmotic pressure changes (ie cells uptake the freshwater due to the osmotic pressure, causing rupture of cells) and could kill the clam. Can you not just either scrub the flatworms off with a toothbrush with the clam out of water or pick them off with tweezers or something??

Christy :)

PS all that osmotic pressure change stuff may possibly be BS :rolleyes: IMO I wouldn't risk it though.

[EmilyB]

I wouldn't risk that either. I think it would kill them.

That said, a long time clam keeper told me early on how to take them out of the water, make sure they were tightly closed, hold them upside down, and run fw over them, while toothbrushing them all over.

It worked for me... :confused:

[StirCrazy]

Hmm ok, sence no one answered me fast enuf :lol: I did some reading on ReefCentral. Aparently a 30 min fresh water dip is one of the fixes for a pinched mantle. and I saw various other types of fresh water dips used on clams also.

So what I did was shake the clam upside down for about 10 seconds, then back to new salt water.. I repeted this a few times till I was sure there were no more flat worms.

here he is 10 min later.

http://members.shaw.ca/stircrazy/clam05.jpg

Steve

[One_Divided]

let's see another pic 10 days later... see how he looks then! :eek: :razz: :lol:

[StirCrazy]

well how about one today. aparently he likes whare he is and attched this morning (after I put him back on his rock) I never thought they would attach so fast.. it was about 5 min from the time I replaced him till I checked again. :eek: The first pic shows the foot better, the second shows the clam better.

http://members.shaw.ca/stircrazy/attached.jpg

http://members.shaw.ca/stircrazy/attached_open.jpg

Steve

[Canadian Man]

Hey Steve.
When you said a "pinched mantle" what does this look like exactlly?
My large Dersa has a pinced mantle, I think :confused: .
It's been like this for about 2 to 3 months.
clam is doing well and showing growth but it doesent extend it's mantle all the way.

[StirCrazy]

I am not sure as I was skimming and not looking at pics. just do a serch on "pinched mantle" I am sure it will be simple.

Steve

[StirCrazy]

Ok after watching him some more, that is indeed his foot and not the byassel threads, so he is still trying to decide whare to grab hehe..

Steve

[Canadian Man]

Thank's!
Looking through the search as I type this :biggrin:

[StirCrazy]

hmm guess I am wrong.. this is quite interesting actualy.. his foot went down then back in so I thought he was looking for a place to "attach" well he has dont this 3 times now and I see 3 hair like threads, so I guess this is how they make there threads for attaching. I will try to get some pics of it..

Steve

[christyf5]

Hey Steve, it kinda looks to me, in that picture, like it is trying to grab the rock but its foot just isn't long enough. Maybe thats why it keeps doing that??

[StirCrazy]

nope it is spinning threads.. I have a couple pics of them and I will get some more and post a progress set.

Steve

[smokinreefer]

very interesting steve.
cool that the rock you chose to put it on allows you to see it attach.
now lets see those pics!

[StirCrazy]

ok there are finaly enuf threads you can sort of see it..

it is taking its time but it is constantly putting its foot down to lay out a new thread. thease threads are like silk so I imagin it will be going for a while. the red arows highlight the thread for thoes who can't pick it out fast :mrgreen:

http://members.shaw.ca/stircrazy/clam_thread.jpg


Steve