Still at.25 -- critters on new rock
 

not knowing what's going on in your tank especially when you're knew is not
uncommon. The best thing for you is that you're coming in here looking for
answers. When you get replies to your posting, you're looking for
consistancy with the answers. Everyone has different idea/ methods of doing
things.. look for the most consistant answer and you'll do fine.
I would suggest that you read all the postings until you have a good idea
what you're doing, also go to your local LFS and pick up a book and read up
on what you want to do with your tank i.e. Fish Only With Live Rock (FOWLR)
or do plan on making a mini reef. Read up on topics such as Lighting,
Filtrations, Water changes, adding stock to you tank, as well as what the
readings on your test strips really mean.
As far as your clam; I have no idea.
Something else: If you find something you think is wierd with your tank,
take a photo of it (dont use a flash) post it to a free web site or
photobucket.com so others can view it, more then likely, someone in here
can tell you what it is or whats going on with your tank.
In time, you will read postings from someone who is new to this and think..
I remember when this happened to my tank..pretty soon, you will be one of
those answering questions as oppose to asking them.
Good luck

"StringerBell" wrote in message
...

"Peter Pan" wrote in message Good luck with your
tank, sounds like its progressing nicely

Thanks. The thing is---most of the time I dont know what I`m really
looking
at. There are some soft things coming out of the rock. Some look like what
I
would think are "sponges" but I really have no idea.
BTW---how do clams grow? Do they shed their shells? Or do the shells grow
with them?

Still at.25 -- critters on new rock
 

StringerBell wrote:

BTW---how do clams grow? Do they shed their shells? Or do the shells grow
with them?

They secrete the material from which the shells are made and add on to the
edges, making the shell bigger.

George Patterson
All successes in conservation are temporary. All defeats are permanent.

Still at.25 -- critters on new rock
 

StringerBell wrote:

How do they proliferate? I keep thinking I see more---but am never quite
sure. There are a few empty shells that must have dropped from the rock. If
they died in the cycle, I dont know why I dont see any "meat" in the shells.
All the shells are about Pistachio-nut sized or smaller.

Well, every so often, a small one appears where there wasn't one before. I have
several that resemble green pistachio nuts. One just appeared a week or so back
and is tiny. The largest is nut sized. They aren't forming colonies; I have no
idea where the next one will appear. Mine are definitely alive, since each is
slightly open, and I can see the flesh inside. One of mine is on a piece of dead
coral and couldn't have come in with the rock, so they have to be reproducing.

I also have something about 1.5" long that seems to be some sort of limpet. It
looks like part of the rock, but it closes up when you touch it. The effect is
as if part of the rock suddenly shrank.

As far as no meat in your shells is concerned, shellfish spoil and rot very
rapidly. All of mine are firmly secured to something. I would guess that, if you
find one lying on the substrate, it's dead.

Also---in the Pod department---there is a handfull of much larger animals in
that "scene" that seem very aggressive. It looks like they are eating
voraciously---almost "pumping" through the water in repetetive short bursts.
There are tons of Pods in there. I was thinking if the first fish introduced
was a pod-eater it could be a very successful acclimation.

I've been thinking the same myself and wondering if a 125 gallon tank is large
enough to keep enough pods growing to feed a Mandarin.

George Patterson
All successes in conservation are temporary. All defeats are permanent.

Still at.25
 

Red Sea test kits are junk.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



StringerBell wrote on 10/4/2006 12:31 AM:
Sounds like your doing pretty well!

I was also wondering about the test itself. Mine is Red Sea---Ihe ammonia
test always starts yellow (good) but ends up at .25 after the directed 15
minute wait.Theres also 19 total drops of chemical to be made into the test
tube. I`m a total novice----but these factors seem like they could leave a
lot of room for innacuarracies.
Is there another relatively inexpensive test kit that leaves less variables
to human error?

Still at.25 -- critters on new rock
 

They are probably mussels. They send sperm and eggs into
the water. I think some species fertilize internally, and
then send out the eggs. I know there is one fresh water
clam that is a live bearer.

The mussels will attach to the rock, and will move around,
so they can be in one spot one day, and in another spot
another day.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



George Patterson wrote on 10/6/2006 11:02 AM:
StringerBell wrote:

How do they proliferate? I keep thinking I see more---but am never
quite sure. There are a few empty shells that must have dropped from
the rock. If they died in the cycle, I dont know why I dont see any
"meat" in the shells. All the shells are about Pistachio-nut sized or
smaller.

Well, every so often, a small one appears where there wasn't one before.
I have several that resemble green pistachio nuts. One just appeared a
week or so back and is tiny. The largest is nut sized. They aren't
forming colonies; I have no idea where the next one will appear. Mine
are definitely alive, since each is slightly open, and I can see the
flesh inside. One of mine is on a piece of dead coral and couldn't have
come in with the rock, so they have to be reproducing.

I also have something about 1.5" long that seems to be some sort of
limpet. It looks like part of the rock, but it closes up when you touch
it. The effect is as if part of the rock suddenly shrank.

As far as no meat in your shells is concerned, shellfish spoil and rot
very rapidly. All of mine are firmly secured to something. I would guess
that, if you find one lying on the substrate, it's dead.

Also---in the Pod department---there is a handfull of much larger
animals in that "scene" that seem very aggressive. It looks like they
are eating voraciously---almost "pumping" through the water in
repetetive short bursts.
There are tons of Pods in there. I was thinking if the first fish
introduced was a pod-eater it could be a very successful acclimation.

I've been thinking the same myself and wondering if a 125 gallon tank is
large enough to keep enough pods growing to feed a Mandarin.

George Patterson
All successes in conservation are temporary. All defeats are
permanent.

Still at.25 -- critters on new rock
 

Wayne Sallee wrote:

The mussels will attach to the rock, and will move around, so they can
be in one spot one day, and in another spot another day.

I was going to post that mine don't seem to move, but the one that was on my
dead coral disappeared the day after you posted that. I found a new one in the
sand at the other end of the tank today. It's full-size, so I'd guess it's the
same one. How can one travel six feet like that?

George Patterson
All successes in conservation are temporary. All defeats are permanent.

Still at.25 -- critters on new rock
 

Six feet in one day is quite a bit, so it's probably a
different one.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



George Patterson wrote on 10/8/2006 11:14 PM:
Wayne Sallee wrote:

The mussels will attach to the rock, and will move around, so they can
be in one spot one day, and in another spot another day.

I was going to post that mine don't seem to move, but the one that was
on my dead coral disappeared the day after you posted that. I found a
new one in the sand at the other end of the tank today. It's full-size,
so I'd guess it's the same one. How can one travel six feet like that?

George Patterson
All successes in conservation are temporary. All defeats are
permanent.