RBTA attached to clam

[SerialHobbiest]

Picked up a small RBTA a couple weeks ago. Naturally, it’s been moving around quite a bit. But the last couple of days it’s settled on my Derasa clam of all places. Neither seems to be bothered by the other, but it still seems goofy to me.

 

[BryanM]

Cute, but I would not be a fan. Hopefully it moves soon.

 

[SerialHobbiest]

I’m not a fan either, but what can I do that won’t tick off both the BTA and clam? I’m also not a fan of the clam wedging itself into that corner of the aquarium, but again, it moved itself there right up against the glass.

 

[BryanM]

I’m not a fan either, but what can I do that won’t tick off both the BTA and clam? I’m also not a fan of the clam wedging itself into that corner of the aquarium, but again, it moved itself there right up against the glass.

Tough spot, clams are delicate, I hate messing with them.

I would be inclined to peel it off by hand though, if it were me, if it doesn't move in a couple days. If it thinks thats permanent, when it gets bigger I think it'll only stress out the clam.

 

[exnisstech]

Looks like a derasa so it shouldn't be attached. I would pull it then peel the nem off. My derasas don't seem to mind if I pull them out to clean algae off the shells. They start to open immediately after being placed back in the tank. You have a nice growth band on the clam I would be worried the nem may irritate it.

 

[BryanM]

Looks like a derasa so it shouldn't be attached. I would pull it then peel the nem off. My derasas don't seem to mind if I pull them out to clean algae off the shells. They start to open immediately after being placed back in the tank. You have a nice growth band on the clam I would be worried the nem may irritate it.

Your clams foot doesn't attach to something? I think that's what happened to mine, and when I moved it I broke its hinge. All in the mess of dinos fighting and whatnot, it didn't make it.

 

[exnisstech]

Your clams foot doesn't attach to something? I think that's what happened to mine, and when I moved it I broke its hinge. All in the mess of dinos fighting and whatnot, it didn't make it.

Maxima and crocea do attach but my derasas just sit on the sand. Everything I've read states that in the wild derasa loose their byssal threads when they mature and their weight holds them in place.
I did loose a derasa to a broken hinge once but it had been in the same spot for over a year so I don't know what caused it.

 

[SerialHobbiest]

Looks like a derasa so it shouldn't be attached. I would pull it then peel the nem off. My derasas don't seem to mind if I pull them out to clean algae off the shells. They start to open immediately after being placed back in the tank. You have a nice growth band on the clam I would be worried the nem may irritate it.

Yeah, the Derasa seems to be doing really well in this setup. I’ll give this a shot. Do you just pull the Derasa into a bucket of tank water when you clean yours off?

 

[exnisstech]

I don't clean them on a regular basis but when I have I just use a bowl of tank water and a brush. IME (which is very limited) and what I've read being out of water while cleaning isn't an issue.