Smooth Giant Clam

Guardian: Livio Michetti

Tridacna derasa

A giant Clam can live to about 70 years old. They do not all reach this age, some are simply overgrown by coral, some are smothered by sediments in a storm. Someone told me that they saw blacktip reef sharks tearing the flesh out of a giant clam. Some clams just fall over. We had one growing on top of a coral head that we called Pete. I am not sure why, but one day it fell over and rolled down the side flattening everything in its wake.

This one had a plate coral grow on it that one day became so heavy that it tipped the clam over.