anesthetising a clam

[Martin]

G'day from Sydney Australia

A friend has had a halogen light break, and a shard of glass fell into a clam. Since the accident the clam has remained closed, and I'm sure is in distress. I know if I force the clam open this will kill it. Is it possible to anesthetise it, open it, remove the glass and expect it to recover?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Martin

 

[RogerMcAllen]

I have no idea about clams, but I am sure the clam will do what is best for the clam. Forcing it open will surely cause more injury than the clam already has suffered. I would just wait and see what happens.

 

[reefrunner69]

You will have to wait. The clam should expell the foreign object on it's own, there is little to be done about it. FWIW, the shard of glass, if small, shouldn't bother the clam all that much, provided it didn't pierce the clam or burn it when if first touched the clam. There are actually some critters that live inside clams, I would think their scurrying about would do more damage than a static piece of glass

 

[Bang Guy]

If you can easily remove the glass then just do it, othwise leave it be. Clams have no brain so there's nothing to anesthetize. To get to relax an overdose of Magnesium will accomplich that but IMO the Mg is more dangerous than the glass. The clam should eventually expell it on its own.

 

[Guest]

that piece of glass is most likely IMO to be passed by the clam but the concern of it being lodged or breaking down into more than one piece is your biggest threat!! let nature take its course... GOOD LUCK

 

[tkos]

Maybe you will end up with a really big pearl!!