ID on Clam

[Eric]

Hi all,

This calm came on my live rock and I'm wondering if anyone knows what
sort it is, and anything else about it (i.e. is it photosynthetic?).

http://home.woh.rr.com/aiinc/lrclam.jpg

If you can't tell from the picture, it has large frilly things around
the side of it, and a alternating black and white striped mantle. It's
only about an inch long and is wedged into a nook where two pieces of
rock fused together. It gets good light where it is.

More info on my setup:
http://home.woh.rr.com/aiinc/sw-hardware.html

Thanks,
Eric
http://www.atreis.com/

[Ross Bagley]

Eric > writes:

> Hi all,
>
> This calm came on my live rock and I'm wondering if anyone knows what
> sort it is, and anything else about it (i.e. is it photosynthetic?).

Unlikely, though possible. I can't identify it more precisely than a
mollusc (could be a scallop, clam, or mussel). Most molluscs are
filter feeders and will need decent densities of <80um particles to
survive for more than 3-4 months. Almost any wild mollusc will take
about that long to starve, living off of it's own body in the
meantime. You will probably need some way of making sure that there
is a decent density of phytoplankton (or similar sized food particles)
in your tank water to keep this guy around.

If you have a decent sized slow-flow refugium (>50% of main tank
volume), that would certainly help. If you plan to regularly feed
phytoplankton, that will help. If you can encourage diatom growth,
that will almost certainly help. My one concession to dosing (outside
of calcium) is an addition of silica (dilute water glass) to keep my
silica at 1ppm to encourage diatoms and sponge growth. Since dosing
silica, my clams produce quite a few compressed fecal pellets even
though I rarely feed phytoplankton any more (the fecal pellets
are now always appearing at the rate that they used to appear only
after a phyto feeding).

My unscientific hypothesis on my clams is that the diatoms are a
nearly ideal food and are being quite happily consumed by the clams,
which have continued to grow.

Regards,
Ross

-- Ross Bagley http://rossbagley.com/rba
"Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature...
Life is either a daring adventure or nothing." -- Helen Keller

[david]

> volume), that would certainly help. If you plan to regularly feed
> phytoplankton, that will help. If you can encourage diatom growth,
> that will almost certainly help. My one concession to dosing (outside
> of calcium) is an addition of silica (dilute water glass) to keep my
> silica at 1ppm to encourage diatoms and sponge growth.
> Regards,
> Ross
>

Hi Ross
I dont understand "dilute water glass". Some sand is silica ?
could you explain in a way that the slower ones can understand please.

David

[Ross Bagley]

"david" > writes:

> > volume), that would certainly help. If you plan to regularly feed
> > phytoplankton, that will help. If you can encourage diatom growth,
> > that will almost certainly help. My one concession to dosing (outside
> > of calcium) is an addition of silica (dilute water glass) to keep my
> > silica at 1ppm to encourage diatoms and sponge growth.
> > Regards,
> > Ross
> >
>
> Hi Ross
> I dont understand "dilute water glass". Some sand is silica ?
> could you explain in a way that the slower ones can understand please.

There is a product called "water glass" which is actually a highly
concentrated solution of sodium silicate (most commonly used for
preserving eggs). This can be added to your aquarium to increase
silica concentrations.

Water glass can be found in some hobby stores, but this place sells
it by the gallon for about $20 (including shipping):

http://chemistrystore.com/sodium_silicate.htm

Here is an "Advanced Aquarist" article that goes into much more detail
on the topic of silica in the aquarium including advice on how to dose.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/jan2003/feature.htm

That gallon of "water glass" will dose 100 gallons at 1ppm/day for 150
years. You can probably split it with a local club, if you can
convince any of them that silica is not the "devil's mineral" :)

Regards,
Ross

-- Ross Bagley http://rossbagley.com/rba
"Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature...
Life is either a daring adventure or nothing." -- Helen Keller

[david]

> There is a product called "water glass" which is actually a highly
> concentrated solution of sodium silicate (most commonly used for
> preserving eggs). This can be added to your aquarium to increase
> silica concentrations.
>
> Water glass can be found in some hobby stores, but this place sells
> it by the gallon for about $20 (including shipping):
>
> http://chemistrystore.com/sodium_silicate.htm
>
> Here is an "Advanced Aquarist" article that goes into much more detail
> on the topic of silica in the aquarium including advice on how to dose.
>
> http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/jan2003/feature.htm
>
> That gallon of "water glass" will dose 100 gallons at 1ppm/day for 150
> years. You can probably split it with a local club, if you can
> convince any of them that silica is not the "devil's mineral" :)
>
> Regards,
> Ross
thanks Ross looks like some more reading then....:-)
David

[Eric]

Thanks for the information. I do have a refugium and dose phyto to the
tnak. I had always through silica a bad thing. Thanks for the
additional information.

I've still not identified the critter despite some looking around on the
web. I can't find any good sites with pictures of the various types of
clams. I might have to break down and buy Knop's book and see if I can
learn anything from there.

Eric

Ross Bagley wrote:
> "david" > writes:
>
>
>>>volume), that would certainly help. If you plan to regularly feed
>>>phytoplankton, that will help. If you can encourage diatom growth,
>>>that will almost certainly help. My one concession to dosing (outside
>>>of calcium) is an addition of silica (dilute water glass) to keep my
>>>silica at 1ppm to encourage diatoms and sponge growth.
>>>Regards,
>>>Ross
>>>
>>
>>Hi Ross
>> I dont understand "dilute water glass". Some sand is silica ?
>>could you explain in a way that the slower ones can understand please.
>
>
> There is a product called "water glass" which is actually a highly
> concentrated solution of sodium silicate (most commonly used for
> preserving eggs). This can be added to your aquarium to increase
> silica concentrations.
>
> Water glass can be found in some hobby stores, but this place sells
> it by the gallon for about $20 (including shipping):
>
> http://chemistrystore.com/sodium_silicate.htm
>
> Here is an "Advanced Aquarist" article that goes into much more detail
> on the topic of silica in the aquarium including advice on how to dose.
>
> http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/jan2003/feature.htm
>
> That gallon of "water glass" will dose 100 gallons at 1ppm/day for 150
> years. You can probably split it with a local club, if you can
> convince any of them that silica is not the "devil's mineral" :)
>
> Regards,
> Ross
>
> -- Ross Bagley http://rossbagley.com/rba
> "Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature...
> Life is either a daring adventure or nothing." -- Helen Keller
>

[CapFusion]

"Eric" > wrote in message
...
> Thanks for the information. I do have a refugium and dose phyto to the
> tnak. I had always through silica a bad thing. Thanks for the
> additional information.
>
> I've still not identified the critter despite some looking around on the
> web. I can't find any good sites with pictures of the various types of
> clams. I might have to break down and buy Knop's book and see if I can
> learn anything from there.
>
> Eric
>

Maybe you do not have to buy it but goto Border or similar book store and
see if there carry it. Read it and buy cup of java.

CapFusion,...