something wrong with my crocea

[Freckles]

I bought a baby crocea (about 2" at the most) 2 weeks ago. It's a beautiful purple one. I have it in my 20g. I have 70 watts (55 watt PC & a 15 watt NO bulb). I know you are going to say it is not enough light, but I have a friend who has the EXACT same setup as I do, and she has maximas.
This clam looked extremely healthy. I acclimated it for about 45 minutes, and it immediately opened up, reacted to light, too. For the past few days, it looks like it's "lips" (mantle?) are curling up and receding into it's shell, yet it's still reacting to light very well. It fell underneath my mushroom a few times too overnight :( Also, there is a small hole in the mantl (not the foot). Someone at RAG suggested a fish migh have accidentally nipped at it while getting food. Anyways, about the receeding ........ is it starving? My salinity is at 1.027, temp is at 80. I feed MicroVert 2times a week, and I know I need to buy DT's, so I'lll go get some tonight if I can find some at the lfs. Any other ideas on why it is acting this way? I did do a water change on Sunday w/ Ro/DI water.

[TROPHYKW]

Your salinity is way to high it should be 1.024 to1.025 the clam is probably reacting to it.

[Mako]

Nah, I am not buying the salinity being high Nick. 1.027 is pretty darn close to NSW at 35ppm. That's where mine is all the time and all my critters (including 3 clams are fine).

I think you need to find some DT's but quick and start feeding that poor little clam. At 2" it is not big enough to have enough zooxanthella to handle it's nutrition needs.

If it were me, I would get some DT's and start feeding the clam in a bowl of tank water every night. Get a container of some kind that will hold a couple quarts of your tank water. Put your clam in there with the water and add a capful or two of DT's to the water. Let em chow for 15 to 20 mins and then place the clam back in the tank.

Sounds to me like the clam is malnourished so you need to get on this pretty quick.

[Freckles]

Thank you so much!:D About a half an hour after I posted my original question/concern, I noticed he had opened up all the way, and his mantle lips weren't receeding. I had fed some extra microvert and added a few drops of calcium. The lfs thought it was my calcium. I tested my PH and it is in the middle (8.0). I will go buy the DT's tomorrow morning to help the fellow.

Is the hole, the mouth? Ive seen some pics of people's clams and they have a hole in its mantle.

I want to add another PC light strip when I get some more money, too.

[Mako]

Don't count on the microvert to nourish your calm. IME, it will not. You need to be feeding with live phytoplankton....nothing dead.

The holes in the mantle, there should be two, are the clams syphons. One is the incurrent and one is the excurrent.

Here are some articles you can read to expand on your clam knowledge.

http://www.animalnetwork.com/fish2/aqfm/1997/sep/shell/default.asp
http://www.animalnetwork.com/fish2/aqfm/1997/oct/shell/default.asp
http://www.animalnetwork.com/fish2/aqfm/1998/aug/shell/default.asp
http://www.animalnetwork.com/fish2/aqfm/1997/dec/shell/default.asp
http://www.animalnetwork.com/fish2/aqfm/1998/aug/shell/default.asp

HTH

[Freckles]

Thanks, Mako!:)
Do you think this will bring my clam back? Also, this is going to seem dumb, but you cant take clams out of water correct? So do you just transport him back into the tank with the dt food and let the other corals have something to eat?

[Mako]

Direct feeding of your clam at this size will be paramount to it's survival in the long run. I would get in the habit of feeding DT's to your tank also. There are a lot of other filter feeders in there that would benefit from it.

[jim norris]

Freckles,
Do not be afraid to take your clam out of the water. On clam farms to induce spawning clams are left out of the water for hours, then they are put back into the water. Also clams sometimes can be shipped using the dry method but only for afew hours. The key is make sure when you put the clam back into water you get all the air bubbles out of him. You must rotate him under water (burping).
Yes you MUST feed that clam with DTs.
Jim


www.theclamclub.net (theclamclub.net)

[holeinone1972]

Freckles, Mako and Jim Norris are giving great advice. Such a small clam does not have the capability to create it's own food with zooxanthallae. Until your clam is over 3 or 3.5 inches I would definately suppliment it with dt's phyto. You are right we are going to ask you about your lighting, it is not enough. No matter what your friend does, it is not enough. We all only want what is best for your clam. Make sure you do keep it as high as possible, especially with that low lighting level. The only problem with this is that if you are going to take your clam out of the tank to feed it, and it becomes attached with it's byssal threads, you are not going to want to keep moving it. Kind of a catch 22 here. You could always set it on a pvc ring that you can place it as high as you can, so that it will not attach. If it within your means get some stronger lighting. That does not mean you have to spend $1000 on lights, but do what is right for your clam. Please take all this advice as friendly, we just want to help. Best of luck. Rob

[Freckles]

I appreciate all the advice I am being given:) I'm going to go buy the DT's today. I do plan on upgrading the light, too.

I bought the DT's today ....... He's chowing down on it in a bowl right now as I edit this post!

[Freckles]

His mantle has returned to normal!:D I'm so relieved now!