Clam foot problem

[MoOriginal]

I was wondering if I can help Ill get a picture up later for better explanation.

I have bought a new fairly small sized Maxima clam gold/black on saturday.

When I got the clam from the lfs - i noticed that it had started to attach to coral rubble it had been on in the lfs.

I didnt disturb this and wedged between to 2 rocks and put it on my own coral rubble.

I then left it and it seemed to be slowly day by day opening up.
Its only small - about 2 inches.

The problem I have is related to the foot.
I have a another maxima in the tank much larger and well established - originally I took the advice here on trying to get the clam to attach to a dummy surface so that it would allow me to move it if i needed in the future.
So I got it attach to the smooth side of an old clam shell on half.

I am trying the same thing with the new clam.
However as of last night where it had been pointing vertically
this morning had fallen or flipped onto its side -
The bysal foot still has rubble attached to it.

But what i noticed is that about 2cm away its got one long thread of bysall attached to side of rock nearby.
It looks like its going to attach to this rock.

Problem I have is not that its on it side or on the rubble hopefully.

But the rock its attaching to - has a acan echi colony on top of it.
What should i do ?
Cut the foot thread or let it attach to the rock with the acan echi colony on it.

Im worried about disturbing it too much etc etc..

Any advice appreciated

Mo

[amcarrig]

Personally, I would leave it be but that's your choice. Why do you have an issue with it attaching to a piece of rock that has a coral colony on it?

[wildreef]

small clam's such as the maxima are very delicate.
I would not suggest in cutting the foot if at all possible.
you've only had it for a few day's and its small .

cutting or pulling will most likely kill it.

[MoOriginal]

Well ive updated saga with this thing

The reason why im worried its attaching to side of the rock so its not pointing upwards
this rock is at bottom of tank
and has acan echi colony on it - which I know can be aggressive to anything within touching distance

ive got updated pictures here to show whats happened all by itself this morning..



you can see in this pic the remains of the bysal that was left behind by the clam last night
it had started to attach to this half clam shell i put underneath it but as pic shows it has left that and moved to rock with acan on it ...
The grey rock was used to prop up the clam last night vertically to help it attach more to the clam shell..



of course the thing is now - shall i just leave it there ?

I will take out the clam shell that is unused now - and the rock of course but you can notice that the angle its got is being propped up somewhat by the edge of the discarded clam shell - so when i remove those things its not going to have any support under the bottom part of its shell to the sand...

should i just remove the extra things - not touch it and see what it does ?

[amcarrig]

I would leave it be for the time being. If you notice that the clam doesn't open up within the next week or so, I'd look to move it.

[MoOriginal]

Thanks
I was thinking id have to leave it alone

As its been interfered with a fair bit since saturday

[amcarrig]

Nice tank by the way

[Tangster]

Clams do not have to point up wards . They will rotate and move themselves into the position they want to be in.. I had on that had been in its spot so long it when closed could not be seen for the acros growing on it then when opened the corals where at an angle (: little calms like that do not take being disturbed well at all at 2 inches its just getting to a safe size.. I'd leave it right where you have it..
More clams are killed by people moving them then I care to recall .. Myself included when I first started to deal with them.. Oh I lost that old clam last month ): Thanks to my son

[MoOriginal]

Thanks very much for comments all.

I think common sense was kicking in as I know I cant afford to mess around with it anymore and if its stuck to side of acan rock then ill just wait and see what the acan does in long run.

Your right ive lost a maxima once before same reason you have - too much interference..

you can imagine that thought in back of mind while ive been messing around with it last night ...
I can only hope when i get home tonight its still ok and opened a bit more.

Amazing that the little git moved all that way [2-3 cms] all by himself.
Guess those strands are very useful.

[MoOriginal]

Originally Posted by amcarrig

Nice tank by the way

Thank you..

I try....

Ill have a new thread up soon - of Custom Cube build
Going to get 2 clams for that setup too!