Durasa

[kwajtrader]

<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I added a Durasa clam to my tank about a week ago and have him on the sand bed. I tried putting a flat frag plug under his foot directly underneath him expecting him to attach, but this hasn’t happened, and unless I partially bury him in the sand he keeps getting knocked over by hermit crabs and snails, etc. I've also noticed worms near his foot the other night when I set him up again. What’s the best way to keep him upright and should I worry about the worms bothering him?</span>
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[kwajtrader]

Ooops, Derasa...

 

[porpoiseaquatics]

The best thing that I have found is to use a piece of round pvc pipe to keep them upright. Bury the pipe in the sand with just enough sticking up so that it will keep the clam upright.

I beg to differ on worms not bothering living things....bristle worms will hang out at the base/foot of a clam in hopes of finding food. I've had clams for years and never have I not found at least one bristle worm if I pick up the clam.

Make sure there's plenty of light. The reason the mantle appears to be receeding is it looks like you took the picture later in the day (or early in the morning) under mostly actinic light. The mantle will receed during that time.

This article may be of benefit to you: http://www.liveaquaria.com/PIC/article.cfm?aid=117">http://www.liveaquaria.com/PIC/article.cfm?aid=117</a>

Good luck!!

 

[kwajtrader]

Thank you both for the feedback/advice. I have a radion G3 pro ~21" from the sand bed on a 70g corner and the clam's mantle had been extending out a good 1/4" beyond the shell for a while. My wife said one of the cone shell type snails was "bugging him" (and knocked him over) when this all started. I also target fed him with phytoplankton yesterday as a precaution and buried him about an inch in the sand with a flat frag disk under his foot area.