Giant Clams

Here is my first giant clam, as seen from above. The slit in the flesh allows water to circulate inside the clam, allowing it to feed and respire.

A close-up of the original clam. Notice that the flesh (mantle) has been extruded so that the clam can get more light. These creatures have a symbiotic relationship with algae and require high light levels in order to survive. The siphon can be seen in the middle, and the black dots along the edge of the mantle are eye spots, which allow the clam to close up if something approaches it.

My latest specimen: you can see how much further the mantle extends on this specimen, indicating that it is happy. The tips of a kenya tree can be seen on the right.