What is this?

[TowBoater]

Ok, You are gonna think I am crazy but this rock I think is some sort of clam. I kept noticing that it was moving out of the corner of my eye so I sat and stared at it for about 2 hours and it opened a little and closed. I moved it out from under some rocks into the open and it opens alot more. What the heck is it? Here is a pic of the tank and of the rock/clam:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v242/tessamax/DSCF0239.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v242/tessamax/DSCF0242.jpg

[jttt3]

What region is your live rock from?

[coachfraley]

Have you checked it at night? Wait until really late, after the lights have been off for a while and sneak up on it with a flashlight.

That is really cool.

[TowBoater]

Yes, it is open all the time when it is dark. I got it from a local pet shop. Suppose to be cured but I guess not eh? It is really old because it has junk all over it from feather dusters to barnacles and it looks like a rock it is so old. I know that is not enough either, I was a little low on $$$ and I had 4 tanks to add rock to so I put a little less in my smaller tanks.

[2manyfish]

That whole thing opens and closes?!?! :malelovies: I've had rock boring clams before that were on the live rock but nothing of that size!!
Info: they're just a clam that bore down into the rock to position themselves. They are not photosynthetic so no special lighting is required for them. They do need particles in the water to feed on though. The ones I had were small and I never target fed them but they thrived on what the tank was fed. Considering the size of that one, I would consider getting some phytoplankton to feed it with. You can buy this at most marine stores but if you can, get DT's phyto that would be the best of the bunch. This is live phyto and must be kept refrigerated. The "dead" phyto is good too but the live is better IMO. Be careful not to overfeed...in your tank maybe 2 teaspoons 2x's a week or so.
I had mine for a little over 5 years, they died along with most everything else during the hurricanes. With good care these guys should live for 20 to 30 years.
HTH :c5:

[Drumachine09]

I cant help you on your LR situation, but you can take the airline off of your power head. That is only for sticking out of the water and aerating your tank. There should be a plug that you can stick in its place, if not, you can just leave it open.

[TowBoater]

Wow, how old you think that one is? I will go by my LFS later and pick some up. It is so cool!!!

[2manyfish]

Wow, how old you think that one is?

Considering it's size I'd think at least 10 years!


Good call Drum!! I didn't even see that airline curling around in there!! I think I need stronger glasses! :laugh1blue:

[Fishguy2727]

That doesn't mean it is not cured, it just means that clam didn't die during shipping. Curing just means allowing the stuff that died during shipping to rot away. Some also scrub certain things off the rock, but curing generally means letting dead stuff rot off.

Many clams have lots of things growing on them, any surface in the reef will becomea home for something.