Hitchhiker Clams

Kasrift · Feb 3, 2023

What are the chances of a hitchhiker clam on a coral being one of the pretty ones? I currently have 4 hitchhiker clams on four different corals that I've bought over the last year from wild shipments from AquaSD.

One of them killed the hammer frag it was on, I wasn't sure if it was the movement or it releasing boring acid of however they dig in. I placed zoas on it so now it has some friends, but just curious on the chances they are maxima type clams? You can see the mantle on this one zoa piece in the front.

Sir Bubb · Feb 3, 2023

Very cool hitchhiker! Looks like Spondylus, aka thorny/spiny oyster from the pic, which are actually more closely related to scallops than oysters. They are non photosynthetic, so dosing photo and/or particulate foods like reef roids will help keep them alive long term (I have at least 3 that came in as tiny hitchhikers on some LR a couple years ago, and are still around and growing).

vetteguy53081 · Feb 3, 2023

Kasrift said:
What are the chances of a hitchhiker clam on a coral being one of the pretty ones? I currently have 4 hitchhiker clams on four different corals that I've bought over the last year from wild shipments from AquaSD.

One of them killed the hammer frag it was on, I wasn't sure if it was the movement or it releasing boring acid of however they dig in. I placed zoas on it so now it has some friends, but just curious on the chances they are maxima type clams? You can see the mantle on this one zoa piece in the front.

Looks like bi-valve which is a filter feeder and not very long lived and often referred to as a clam but related more to scallop grouping

Kasrift · Feb 3, 2023

Thanks. I've had it since May last year. I culture phyto and dose it, and it has grown. I guess I was curious if it was a baby tridacna since their baby stage has these flukes off the front like in this image https://www.frontiersin.org/files/A...3761-HTML-r1/image_m/fmars-08-633761-g001.jpg

I know people aquaculture tridacna, but there aren't very many photos of them in their young states. I'll have to get photos of the other hitchhikers since they are very different shaped compared to this one.