# Clam Question



## caker_chris (Apr 22, 2010)

I have a Crocea Clam and for the past couple of days he stays closed when the lights are on, but opens up at night with just the moonlights on. I find this to be very strange and shouldn't it be the other way around? I tested the water today and got the following:

Amonia = 0ppm
Nitrite = 0ppm
Nitrate = <5ppm
Salinity = 1.025
PH = 8.1

All my corals are doing great and growing. Does anyone know why this might be happening?


----------



## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

How much light do you have and where in the tank is it located?

Also, what fish do you have?


----------



## caker_chris (Apr 22, 2010)

I have 4 T5-HO bulbs in a 30 gal tank.

The fish i have are:

2 percula clowns
1 coral beauty angel
1 domino damsel
1 blue/green chromis
1 fantasia wrasse
1 cleaner shrimp


----------



## acer (May 18, 2010)

what are the ratings on the bulbs?

and how long have you had the clam?

annnnd.... angels aren't very safe to keep with clams, but I'm not sure if it would cause the behaviour.


----------



## conix67 (Jul 27, 2008)

coral beauty should be safe. I have one and my clam is doing just fine.

It could be something else (not fish) bothering clam mantles.

How long have you had your clam? Just 2 days?


----------



## caker_chris (Apr 22, 2010)

I have had the clam about a month. The coral beauty has never touched any coral or the clam that I have seen. The clam has been out fully every day since i got it until recently.

Each bulb is 31w so a total of 124w.


----------



## caker_chris (Apr 22, 2010)

anyone have any idea? It still has not changed.


----------



## acer (May 18, 2010)

probably a really far fetched idea... but it's the only one I can think of... 
maybe it want's to or is trying to spawn? the moon lights might be throwing the lunar cycle off, but I'm not planning on keeping clams anytime soon, so I haven't done a whole lot of research on them and not sure about their behaviour.

and by rating I meant... 6700k, 10000k ... 14000k etc.

lastly... what's the temp of the tank?


----------



## caker_chris (Apr 22, 2010)

sorry they are 10,000k and the temp of the tank is 77 -78.

i thought the moonlights were supposed to simulate the lunar cycle not screw it up.


----------



## acer (May 18, 2010)

I just meant that because the moon lights are on every night, the clam might think that it's the full moon or something (they spawn during full moons)... because the moon isn't always out at night, there are a few nights where there is "no" moon and it gradually gets brighter as it reaches the full moon. Like I said... it's a really far fetched idea and is probably wrong. 
but assuming that the clam has been doing this behaviour for about a 5 days now, it should have stopped and gone back to normal behaviour (opening during the day) within 4 days.

your lighting seems alright... temp too. 

maybe try asking the LFS you got it from and see if anyone else is having the same thing happen to them, or if they know what is wrong. 

is the clam still eating do you know (not photosynthesizing obviously, but filter feeding)?



something else... to think about... maybe it is parasite related. not entirely sure about parasites that effect clams, but I think there are a couple that might make the clam close.


----------



## caker_chris (Apr 22, 2010)

how do you know if something is filter feeding? I target feed the clam phyto and he reacts to it so I assume he is eating it.


----------



## acer (May 18, 2010)

well... if the siphon comes up then it's filter eating... if no siphon then not eating by filter. :s

hope it all works out.


----------



## caker_chris (Apr 22, 2010)

siphon does come up


----------



## conix67 (Jul 27, 2008)

stop target feeding it and leave it like that for few days or weeks. Clams get their nutrition mainly from photosynthesis, so if it gets hungry it will open up to capture lights. If it doesn't, you will have to call marine biology specialist as it could be a mutation...


----------



## caker_chris (Apr 22, 2010)

I am not target feeding anymore and he is opening up more but still not like he use to. He is open but his mantels are inside not out.

I am seeing improvement though every day.


----------

