YAY! My first Clam!

[prestage3ek]

After reading in this part of the forum for a while, I finally decided to dive in and get a clam. I settled on a Derasa because I dont have a lot of live rock in my tank so I didnt want to have to try to keep a Maxima or another clam happy being on the rocks. Many thanks to Todd from CherryCorals.com for helping me out with my questions and giving me an awesome clam.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v306/allmoterstage3/Picture1360.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v306/allmoterstage3/Picture1359.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v306/allmoterstage3/Picture1358.jpg

The clam is 4" and looks really cool, I love it!

[amashun]

i agree, sweet looking clam. good score

[prestage3ek]

I also wanted to post these pics too. The clam has been in the tank for about 5 days now and I noticed this starting to happen yesterday:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v306/allmoterstage3/Picture1365.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v306/allmoterstage3/Picture1364.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v306/allmoterstage3/Picture1363.jpg

Sorry the pictures arent that clear, I dont have a great camera. Should I be concerned about the flesh curling over like that? Is something happening to it? I have been watching it and nothing seems to be bothering it. I read that Skunk cleaner shrimp can sometimes beat clams up but I havent seen anything like that happen yet.

[amashun]

it looks like Pinched Mantle Disease
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-09/jf/index.php

[prestage3ek]

pinched mantle can happen in 5 days?

[Stoneyscoral]

I still have 30 Derasa clams from the same batch that aren't exibiting any signs of distress. If you feel that Pinched mantle is a possibility by all means follow the directions for a fresh water dip or treatment with metronidazole.

Keep your eyes out for a fish or crab picking at the mantle.

Please keep me posted.

[skinz78]

Looks like pinched mantle to me, do you run phosban or gfo?

[prestage3ek]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12529525#post12529525 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by skinz78
Looks like pinched mantle to me, do you run phosban or gfo?

I dont even know what that stuff is, so no. In the article about treatments for pinched mantle, where it talks about the dip, it says to get the water to flow over the mantle and what not, how are you supposed to do that if more than likely when your holding the clam, it will be closed?

[Barry N.]

treatment with metronidazole

We have experimented with metronidazole for months and it is very hard to find the correct dosage and can kill the zoo.

Better to do a fresh water dip. It may not look good for a few days but in most cases it will be fine within a few days. Keep in mind that some do better than others, such as Tridacna crocea. Tridacna maxima DO NOT do well with FWD. IME & IMO

Best to quarantine all livestock prior to placing in main display tank.

:)

[skinz78]

I would do a 20 min fwd and start running carbon in your tank if you don't already.

[prestage3ek]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12532516#post12532516 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by skinz78
I would do a 20 min fwd and start running carbon in your tank if you don't already.

I did about a 25-30 min dip this afternoon and I do run carbon already in my tank. I was using my turkey baster and blowing water onto the clam. I had to go to work right away though so was not able to keep an eye on it. I came home tonight and it is oepn slightly but not all the way, guess I will just have to keep an eye on it.

[mbbuna]

how did i miss this thread?

add fresh carbon to the tank, preferably in a reactor or canister filter. add as much carbon as you can and when you think you add too much double it :)

if your adding trace elements or iron supplements stop using them.

if you have any metal parts in the tank remove them.

GFO is iron based phosphate remover, if you are using any phosphate remover remove it. (phosban, rowa, any other brand)

[prestage3ek]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12534243#post12534243 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mbbuna
how did i miss this thread?

add fresh carbon to the tank, preferably in a reactor or canister filter. add as much carbon as you can and when you think you add too much double it :)

if your adding trace elements or iron supplements stop using them.

if you have any metal parts in the tank remove them.

GFO is iron based phosphate remover, if you are using any phosphate remover remove it. (phosban, rowa, any other brand)

I dont use any trace elements or phosban stuff. The only thing I dose my tank with is Purple Up, 3 times a week.

Will do with the carbon suggestion, I just changed it 2-3 days ago but I guess I can do it again. The only types of filters I have are a HOB filter that I have carbon inserts in, and a protein skimmer that I have a media bag in that I fill with carbon, so I already have 2 instances of carbon running in the system.

[cfw1199]

I have a small derasa that is showing the same signs as above which I have never had the pleasure of dealing with. I do run GFO and had no idea this was bad. Never heard that before. Can one of you experts please expand or explain this. I also run carbon and tonight will be doing a 15-20 minute freshwater dip in RO/DI to see if it helps. Want to try to save him but do not want it to infect my others. So I will give it a shot. But would like to know about the effects of GFO. Can this cause PM or something.

[cfw1199]

O.k after doing some reasearch I think it might be because that some clams carry the protozoan that are driven into overdrive with the introduction of iron. that was a quote from someone on the internet so don't sue me for plagerisim. If this is correct I might have found my problem well at least I have a hypothesis. I have run GFO for about 6 months now switching from phosguard. Haven't had a problem since the introduction of the GFO so don't think that is it. I did have my lovely cat try and test the waters and knocked my fixture into my tank one night. Lights still work fine but one of the mounting legs snapped off and stripped the 1/8" screw that held the leg on. Still haven't found the screw and have no idea if it is in the tank or not. But this was Friday when this happened. Could this be the cause. I woldn't think that if the screw is in the tank that it would have started to rust as of yet. But if so this might be the cause of the iron spike. Not sure if this is the case or not. Somone please advise as I will have to run a magnet all over the tank to try and locate this screw somehow. Like I said it's about the size of a couple grains of rice.