Hitchhiker baby clam on a snail!!

dufferdan · #1 01/08/2004, 09:44 PM

Last Sunday I went to my LFS and bought some Trochus snails. I also needed some empty shells for my hermit crabs which they gave me for free. The shells were from various types of snails. I noticed that one looked kind of deformed, it had an odd lump on it. I didn't care because they were just for hermit crabs.

Anyway, a day or so later I noticed that one of the shells was moving, it was the deformed one, and it wasn't because a crab moved in. Bonus! free snail! I'm not sure what kind of snail it is though, its kinda like a Nass but its not a Nass.

Continuing on... today I'm looking at my tank and see this snail with the lump. It's clos to the glass so I can see it better. Hey, that lump looks like a clam!! It has the zig-zap mouth, and its slightly open!! Then one of my Nass snails glides by (they all come out after I feed the tank) and the mouth closes. The clam is alive!

I think this is really neat! I never found any cool hitchhikers when I got my liverock so I felt kinda jipped.

So... I need help with I.D. what is it? and with how I can take care of it. Is it going to be OK on the back of a snail? Should I kill the snail so that I can keep it in one spot and upright? The clam is about the size of my baby finger tip.

I have a pic I will try and post it.

Cheers

Freed · #2 01/08/2004, 10:00 PM

Please post a clear close up. I would kill the snail so the clam can be oriented to the light. If not the snail may knock off in a back corner and then so will your clam. Freed

dufferdan · #3 01/08/2004, 10:41 PM

Had to figure out how to post a picture. hope this works

dufferdan · #4 01/08/2004, 10:42 PM

Anybody want to guess what kind of clam it is? or
Anybody know what kind of snail it is?

dufferdan · #5 01/09/2004, 12:33 PM

I think the snail is a Cerith snail from looking at the pictures on some of the sponsors sites.

wooglin · #6 01/09/2004, 04:03 PM

Lots of clams are not photosynthetic, my guess is its not.

Freed · #7 01/09/2004, 07:12 PM

It looks like the clam may be of the Tridacnid type because of the scutes on the shell opening. Could be wrong but looks like the typical maxima or crocea shell. Freed

SaltwaterSensei · #8 01/09/2004, 09:04 PM

cool kil the snail and raise th clam!!!!! O

dufferdan · #9 01/10/2004, 02:40 PM

I decided to kill the snail and try and keep the clam. The snail is the kind that will sometimes bury in the sand, so if the clam needs light it wouldn't stand a chance.
I have never had a clam, let alone a baby. How fast do they grow?
Any, suggestions on how to best care for it would be appreciated.

OrionN · #10 01/10/2004, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dufferdan
I decided to kill the snail and try and keep the clam. The snail is the kind that will sometimes bury in the sand, so if the clam needs light it wouldn't stand a chance.
I have never had a clam, let alone a baby. How fast do they grow?
Any, suggestions on how to best care for it would be appreciated.

Your clam does not need light and will likely not live long in your tank. Don't kill your snail. Vast majority of clams do not require light except the Tridacna sp. clams. Just leave them along. IMO, if it survide this long on the shell of the snail (from larves settlement until this size, then it means that it does not require light.
Minh

Freed · #11 01/10/2004, 05:12 PM

If it is a Tridacna species it will not need light for the first 2-3 inches of its life. Will need to be fed phytoplankton or similar I believe. After the first 2-3 inches it will then need light to survive. Please ask around to see exactly what type of food you should feed it for the first 2-3 inches of its life and exactly how to feed it as well. Freed

Freed · #12 01/10/2004, 05:13 PM

Please post a more close up picture of the shells and one of the mantle if it opens up for you. Thanks, Freed

OrionN · #13 01/10/2004, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Freed
If it is a Tridacna species it will not need light for the first 2-3 inches of its life. ....
. Freed

This is not true. Light supplies most but not all their reqirement. They need more suplemental feeding when they are younger, but they always require light.
Minh

dufferdan · #14 01/10/2004, 05:25 PM

I'll get more close up photos posted asap.

dufferdan · #15 01/10/2004, 05:51 PM

close up

dufferdan · #16 01/10/2004, 05:53 PM

I need help posting photo's. I lose too much detail after I resize the photo inorder to meet the limitation set for posting photos by the forum.
?

dufferdan · #17 01/10/2004, 06:35 PM

new try

dufferdan · #18 01/10/2004, 07:09 PM

I can't seem it get a closeup detailed photo the right size for posting.
I can see with a magnifying glass that the mantle has tiny tiny spots, maybe green. very hard to see clearly with the lense I have.
I need a photo posting lesson. Or I can email a photo to someone who can post it properly. The file sizes of the photos range from 730kb to 900kb.

MarkS · #19 01/10/2004, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dufferdan
Or I can email a photo to someone who can post it properly. The file sizes of the photos range from 730kb to 900kb.

Check your PM's...

dufferdan · #20 01/10/2004, 09:38 PM

Thanks MarkS

dufferdan · #21 01/10/2004, 10:15 PM

post of closeup pic.
Thanks to MarkS

MarkS · #22 01/10/2004, 10:15 PM

You're welcome!

Looks like a baby Maxima.

OrionN · #23 01/10/2004, 10:21 PM

That does not look like a Maxima. It does look like one of the thousands of the non-photosynthetic to me. If the mantle never extended bejong the shells, then it is not a Tridacna clam.
Minh

MarkS · #24 01/10/2004, 10:22 PM

I think I'd try to kill the snail and see if I could raise the clam. If the clam survives, the snail will not so take care of this early.

MarkS · #25 01/10/2004, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Minh Nguyen
That does not look like a Maxima. It does look like one of the thousands of the non-photosynthetic to me. If the mantle never extended bejong the shells, then it is not a Tridacna clam.
Minh

It could be that the clam is irritated by being dragged around be the snail. I can see what looks to be a faint spotted blue mantle.