New clam need advice please

BDeVaney · May 16, 2014

Hello, I just got a new derasa clam yesterday! It's a little over 3 inches from end to end. Maybe close to 4. Anyways I have an ai hydra led light and I have placed it on the sand like I have been told. I am fairly certain my LFS didn't expose it to air because he told me to make sure that I don't expose it to air when putting it in my tank. I use his same water so I don't mind getting that in my tank (he has the cleanest store/tanks/water I have ever seen) still I know many of you advise against this. When I finally placed it in my tank yesterday my peak lighting period was already started to decline so it is yet to be exposed to a full day of peak lighting in my tank. It did not open completely yesterday maybe 3/4 or 1/2 an inch. I am not worried about lighting and it has plenty of flow but not directly in front of a powerhead or anything like that. Should I be worried or is it normal not to open very much right away? Also even though I am fairly certain it was not exposed to air should i still attempt the burping method to make sure? Would this harm the clam if it does not necessarily need to be burped? Btw it does not have pinched mantle, any bleaching, gaping, or those snails everyone says to watch out for. Looks like a very fine specimen.

Tahoe61 · May 16, 2014

You can still burp the clam if your concerned. Personally I have removed a lot of clams from the water and exposed them to air and never had an issue. At low tide in the wild some clams are completely exposed to the air.

I would be inclined to give the clam more time to acclimate. If it does not open fully within the next 24 hours I would try an area with less flow.

You sound very prepared. You put the clam in the sand bed, excellent. You checked for usual clam problems, excellent.

Next I would check your water chemistry. If the issue continues I would post an image.

Congrats on your new clam.

BDeVaney · May 16, 2014

Ok yeah my water params aren't always spot on perfect but I have some monti pieces that I use as a gauge. Those pieces are growing and fully open all the time so I know nothing is too out of wack. I have some fish that I had to hospitalize and they have been back in the DT for about a month now. I have been feeding them a little extra to help their immune system so there might be a little bit of a higher nitrate reading than desired but nothing too crazy. The only current water param that has me nervous is my salinity. I keep it at 1.025-1.026 but this dry heat evaporates water so quickly that I need to top it off many times throughout the day. So on work days like today I will be going hours without a top off. I should still be able to catch it before it goes to 1.027 for very long. I need to get an auto top off. Anyways, what is the most effective way to burp the clam?

Z06-Hec · May 16, 2014

I have a Crocea and a Derasa for 3 months now. Exposed them to air fully as I was looking for snails when i first got them. Never burped them and they were fine. In fact the Derasa burped itself, let out a few bubbles of air over a minute or so. Both are from 3-4 inches. I did have a tiny maxima and it did not make it, was about 1.25 inches and lasted about a month.

Aquarium Art · May 16, 2014

The clams we sell always get exposed to oxygen when there going to get there picture taken ... so you can scratch that off the list

Z06-Hec · May 16, 2014

Z06-Hec said:
I have a Crocea and a Derasa for 3 months now. Exposed them to air fully as I was looking for snails when i first got them. Never burped them and they were fine. In fact the Derasa burped itself, let out a few bubbles of air over a minute or so. Both are from 3-4 inches. I did have a tiny maxima and it did not make it, was about 1.25 inches and lasted about a month.

Here they are