Clam ejects byssal threads

bubbletip · 10-04-2006, 01:37 PM

I have a 4" Crocea that just ejected a 1" fleshy hairy mass from its byssal(I guess a bunch of threads).

Kind of scared there for a minute. The byssal on the clam now looks very clean & healthy. I guess this is normal for tridacnads after reading some posts on clamsdirect.com forums. I have only seen Clams ejecting from their mouths.

gwen_o_lyn · 10-04-2006, 07:49 PM

This same thing happened to me! Let me get some pictures.

gwen_o_lyn · 10-04-2006, 07:59 PM

This is what my clam shed. I bought it from the LFS and they popped it off the rock. Then a few days later, it shed the strings, and then within a week it died.

The LFS gave me full credit back.

bubbletip · 10-05-2006, 05:56 PM

This was much different as the flesh of the byssal was still in tact on the clam and looks very healthy. I read that sometimes they do this and it is important to check to see if the byssal on the clam is damaged. If so, obviously that is a problem. I wish I took a picture of the mass I found as it was mostly threads with a little fleash.

Jarhead · 10-05-2006, 06:09 PM

In the past I had numerous clams do this. None that I can recall died.

Bubbletip - I am pretty sure it is normal behavior for the crocea. At 4" it is probably going to be fine. The crocea is also called "boring clam. It will wedge itself into rock and once it is old enough will eject the byssal threads and never regrow them from what I understand.

Gwen - your clam was most likely damaged when the store clerk ripped it from the rock. If the byssal gland is damaged in any way the clam will usually perish. I am glad they gave you your money back, but it was a needless death.

Next time you get a clam from this LFS imstruct them on the proper procedure which is:
Gently pull the clam (but do not pull it off the rock) and expose the threads that are attaching it. Then use a razor to cut the threads as close to the rock as possible. The clam will most likely shed those threads in a few days, and grow new ones to reattch to a new rock.
This will insure a happy, healthy transition to it's new home.

bubbletip · 10-05-2006, 10:30 PM

This is what I figured Jarhead that it wa normal behavior. I have not seen any change in the clam so all is good. Sorry to hear about your clam as well Gwen. I have seen the same thing in a local LFS. The first employee could not get the clam off a rock. He called upon another employee that did not want to be bothered and I watched him rip the clam out in seconds. I thought to myself, oh my god what is this guy doing. Obviously uninformed. I really wanted to say something and really wish I did. Hopefully the clam is ok, but I doubt it with that kind of force. Good thing your LFS reimbursed you. Great advice as well, Jarhead.