A River Runs Through It

It’s rare that I look at a clam in a reef aquarium and see just the clam. Unless the mantle is completely expanded, what I usually see is a river running through a canyon. I can’t help it. I don’t always see things the way most people view them. The fun thing for my eyes is that each “river” is different and the “canyon” walls are usually rather stunning.
   The other day I saw a picture of a clam and it reminded me that I have a couple of clam shots in the archives that I still like. That sent me on a treasure hunt to find them so I could share them here. I don’t have a favorite. Each has a different appeal
   In the first image I see a river running through some kind of sand-flat canyon. As the river flows south it flows around an elongated island (the clam intake opening) and spills into a small delta before it flows into the ocean. The best part is the whole view is illuminated with electric colors.
   In the second image we have a winding river, hitting a small island in one of the bends. The river has spent many years cutting through a rainbow-colored, delicately translucent canyon, creating tall, vertical walls. Somewhere to the north I’m confident are some spectacular rapids.
   In the mind of a normal person, clams are simply one of the more impressive animals we can keep in a reef aquarium. In my oddly wired mind, there’s much more to see in those multi-colored mantles.-Gary L. Parr, www.gparr.com, www.reefthreads.com