Evil Microscopic Clam Stabber

[Captain Clam]

To begin with, all my clams now seem fine. I did however, have a traumatic experience Tuesday night. I was sitting in front of my tank staring at my clams (as usual), wondering why my new small squamosa wouldn't extend his mantle on one side. As I watched, he slowly started to extend it and all of a sudden, this little stinger thing reached out and stabbed the clams mantle. The clam quickly pulled back his mantle once again. I have no idea what in the world it was, but as I watched it happened again. It had to be some tiny animal, hidden in the clams scute, that would stick out this little "spear" and stab my clam when he tried to extend his mantle. It definitely appeared to come from somewhere on the outside of the clams shell, near the top scute. The "stabber" was a little less than 1 cm long, at least as much as I could see of it. It looked like a snake striking or a frog's tongue smacking a fly. It reached out and stabbed really fast and then retracted and dissappeared just as quickly. It was really weird. Anyway, after I got over the shock, I grabbed my clam out of the tank and scrubbed the hell out of his shell with a toothbrush. I couldn't find the "stabber" in the bowl I cleaned him over, but now he is slowly starting to fully extend his mantle on both sides and I have seen no more evidence of whatever the creature was. Any idea of what it might have been? Now I'm worried about my other clams but I'll watch them closely. Thanks for any input or advice.

[Barry N.]

LMAO, The way you discribed it.

After you wrote to me I went on a search and could not find anything like that but maybe being so small hard to see when it is hidden in the scutes.

Good thing that you can stare at your clams. Let us know if you see something else.

Barry