Some sort of Clam!?

[liquidfunk]

Ok I have two of these clams, they slam shut if I touch them, or get near them in the tank. I didnt know clams live with there open side towards the rock, so I am confused as to the nature of these guys.... Are these benificial? they arnt exactly pretty since I cant even see inside, but there shells do have a ton of feather dusters and barnicles on there backs.

any thoughts?

 

[reefrunner69]

Looks like a turkey wing clam to me, niether beneficial nor detrimental, they are filter feeders so do not require light like Tridacnids, but do require feeding, however, I have never directly fed mine and they are still doing great after 11 months, I do feed a homemade food.

 

[liquidfunk]

Being a filter feeder, are they going to help with nitrates or increase them? will they help filter ditrius that is suspended, or are they going to make more waste? just trying to decide if I need to do anything, its my fuge, so i dont really want a bioload...

 

[Guest]

I also received a cluster of some sorts of clam about three on one that I can tell, I also am not feeding directly. I see it release its waste so, I believe it is getting all of its nutrients out of the water and what I feed... Seem to be doing quite well. I wonder if you had a cluster of about forty, would it be good water filtration?

 

[reefrunner69]

are they going to help with nitrates or increase them?

IMO, they will have little impact one way or the other. They will remoce detritus that is suspended but they will also produce their own waste.

IMO you should leave them, they will not make a difference one way or the other.