How can you tell if clam is dead?

How can you tell if clam is dead? I have had a small purple maxima clam for about two weeks now. Last night the clam looked great. Today when the lights turned on the clam is closed and mucus substance is all around the clam. Any ideas?

Thanks

 

any of those pesky vermatid snails around.

 

Total of four snails (3) Turbo and (1) with an orange shell that I cannot recall its name. I also have one blue knuckle hermit but do not think he would bother the clam.

 

a vermatid ssnail is a stationary snail that shoots web like mucus around. it comes out of a spiral shaped tube. try a google search to see if you have any

otherwise further reading tells me that the mucus is used as well as the byssal threads to help the clam attatch

 

this is staight off this sitehttp://www.everything.com/Invertebrates-Classification-Snails-Clams-Squid-and-Relatives-Phylum-Mollu/

"Bivalves are unique in that they have gills that function not only as organs of respiration but also as a means of acquiring food. All species studied thus far have been found to be filter feeders, most of which trap plankton in the sticky mucus that covers the gills"


aparently clams do this for a few reasons. the answers i give you are only from what i read not personal experience. hope it helps

 

I do not see anything like that around the clam, here are a couple of pictures. This is the first time I have had this in my tank, it seems like those snail secrete the mucus fairly regular.

Thanks!

 

I appreciate your help!

 

ur welcome.

the clam looks fairly small. have you been feeding it.

 

JMO Get it out....

 

Looks like I need a new LFS. The clam was dead and all I can do is take this as a learning experience. So strange how quickly it died with really no signs. It was eating what appeared normal. I read all the forums I could find and tried to feed accordingly. I tested all water conditions with nothing out of whack (all other coral and fish are fine). LFS told me my lights would be fine which I questioned this but they have several biocubes in their store and seemed very confident that the lighting would be sufficient if I placed the clam high in the tank. Pretty disappointed as this is my first death in the tank :-[. I guess at this point I am contributing death to insufficient lighting and newbness to clams. Thanks for all the assistance.