Clam hitchhiker on snail shell

[Ruskin]

So I just noticed what most definelty looks like a clam growing on this empty snail shell. The other day I noticed the white/grey growth but today I've noticed several times that it is photosensitive. It will open and shut anytime something moves around it, like when I cleaned the glass for the picture.

What species am I looking at though, if its not too early to tell? It's about 1" wide (thats just an astrea snail shell) in low flow and a low light section of the tank. I'd love to be able to cater to its needs now that I've noticed it, so thanks in advance for any help.

 

[sfin52]

I would just call it a bivalve. It may not be photosensitive. Responding to movement. Most are filter feeders.

 

[Picasso Clown]

I’d just throw some reefroids or phyto on it and leave it alone. How cool would it be if you got a tridacna clam?!?! Chances are, it’s not but it would be EPIC if it were. Free maxima?? Heck yeah

 

[Ruskin]

I’d just throw some reefroids or phyto on it and leave it alone. How cool would it be if you got a tridacna clam?!?! Chances are, it’s not but it would be EPIC if it were. Free maxima?? Heck yeah

Yea, I'm going the reedroids route when I feed everything tonight. I know, my thoughts exactly, I thought Id ask in the off chance that's what it is. It would be excellent, considering that ended up being a 3 dollar snail shell (the snail was dead when I bought it)

 

[Picasso Clown]

Yea, I'm going the reedroids route when I feed everything tonight. I know, my thoughts exactly, I thought Id ask in the off chance that's what it is. It would be excellent, considering that ended up being a 3 dollar snail shell (the snail was dead when I bought it)

They still made you pay $3 for a dead snail? That’s 3x more than I pay for live astreas... but if you get a $100 clam out of it then that’s definitely a win!

 

[Ruskin]

They still made you pay $3 for a dead snail? That’s 3x more than I pay for live astreas... but if you get a $100 clam out of it then that’s definitely a win!

Yea, the LFS I use to buy from has an awful policy on marine animals. I no longer shop there after getting a cleaner shrimp that didn't even last me the ride home and being told they would meet me half way with a 25% off my next one. I was like... where do I start with that math?

A win for sure! thanks

 

[Picasso Clown]

Yea, the LFS I use to buy from has an awful policy on marine animals. I no longer shop there after getting a cleaner shrimp that didn't even last me the ride home and being told they would meet me half way with a 25% off my next one. I was like... where do I start with that math?

A win for sure! thanks

Yep, some bad lfs have some good stuff if you look hard... always observe an animal for at least 5 minutes before buying and ask them to feed it. If it’s alert, swimming fine (has good behavior, some fish like anglers don’t swim much), has good color with no spots (ich/ velvet/ flukes/ etc), and eats with vigor then it’s probably okay to buy. If any one of those things isnt there, pass it up or put it on hold and come back (like if the fish had been fed recently and therefore shows no interest in food but demonstrates the other two) I’ve used this rule for 30 years and as long as all of those boxes are checked, the fish is good. Hope this helps you!