Gigas clam on my sandbed

[jimeluiz]

We introduced a small gigas clam a few weeks ago. It is doing well, good growth - quite rapid. Its mantle looks great, healthy.

The thing is it won't stay on the rockwork. Every time I put it on a little shelf, assuming it will prefer sitting on rock over sitting on the dsb, it jumps off. Recently I put it on an old open brain skeleton with a bowl-like depression in the center hoping the clam would stay put on this more cupped platform, but hop, hop, hop... she is back on the sand.

Should I keep trying or let her be? What are the disadvantages of a clam resting on the dsb?

 

[Eric]

gigas like deep sand bed

and there is no disadvantages to it being on the sand bed as far as I know

I'd let it go hope this helps good luck

 

[corvettephreek]

i agree with eek, you want your clams to be on a SB. shell keep hopping off if youmove it, which may stress it out. just make sure there isnt any sand in or on her, as it will stress her out, and may even kill her. good luck!!!

 

[jimeluiz]

Silly me - I thought I read they prefer a rock base and that being on the sand put them at risk of parasites...

So much to learn!

Thanks.

 

[Tarasco]

Here's a chapter from Fenner and Calfo's book "Reef Invertebrates"

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/BookMatters/WWM/NMA-RI/NMA-RI_Tridacnids-demo.pdf

They basically say that they should be placed on a hard flat rock that you can bury in the sand. I've seen this done, but with oyster shells. HTH.

 

[SueT]

The gigas clam is a sand bed dweller as well as the derasa, squamosa and hippopus clam. The only rock dwellers that prefer the rocks are the crocea and maxima.

The gigas will be the most happy in the sand. There sure are some nice gigas clams out there right now. How bout a pic???