Help my clam

[banzai75x]

I think his mantle is starting to recede? I picked him up from a fellow reefer a week ago. He looked fine back then. Should I do a FW dip?

It looks like part of the mantle may not be extending. I don't know if this is called pinching or not. It looks like where it should be extended its folder over, or shriveling up.

What is that white stringy stuff?
http://www.annayu.com/img/fish/PICT0608.JPG

http://www.annayu.com/img/fish/PICT0609.JPG

http://www.annayu.com/img/fish/PICT0610.JPG

http://www.annayu.com/img/fish/PICT0611.JPG

Water params are..

NH4: 0
NO2: 0
NO3: 15-20
Calcium: 380
Alk: 2.51meq/L, 7.0
pH: 8.1
Salinity: 1.025
Temp: 79.3

[aquababy]

It would seem tha your Ca, ALk and PH are low. Try adjusting them and see if the clam does better.

[banzai75x]

im raising both up but he doesnt look better.. i wonder if i should freshwater dip?

[Charlie Davidson]

Not untill you get water right!!! good looking clam though. Cal. 420 or better- alk 9-10 or better I have hear 10 to 11- which is what I keep mine. Salt also seems high- maybe a water change is needed to help bring everything back more in line. keep us posted!

[Charlie Davidson]

how is your clam?

[banzai75x]

He still doesnt look good. I'm not sure if the damaged tissue is supposed to recover immediately or not but it looks like he is still receding and in some places it looks like he is starting to recede some more. Not as fast as before.

I am dosing b-ionic and my Alk is up to 2.85. Calcium is near 400 now. I'm having problems with PH though. My PH is @ 8.3 in the morning. Then goes to 8.35 after I dose. After the lights go on and at the end of the day it is at 8.6.

[Peabody]

I'd get that ALK up to at least 11 dkh. Have you checked for pyramid snails?

[Charlie Davidson]

Ditto Peabody, ALK!- Using a 2 part add both and check. I have had my cal. as high as 500 and believe I had no ill affects! Also, I really do not believe you have damaged tissue- The clam does not seem to like something and is retracting. Please keep us infromed, We all learn from this!!

[banzai75x]

I think I might have pyramid snails. I had the lights off for an hour and checked on the clam. I noticed very small white snails on it. Here are some pics. I don't know if these are pyramid or not but I don't have anything to reference.

How do I get rid of these guys if they are pyramid snails?

http://www.annayu.com/img/fish/PICT0612.JPG
http://www.annayu.com/img/fish/PICT0613.JPG

[dj synystr]

those dont look like pyramid snails. i get those all the time after my snails reproduce. they are simply baby snails. the ok kind for the name.

[Peabody]

Those aren't pyramid snails...but you could still have them. Check around the byssal opening for anything that looks like a tiny grain of rice.

How's that alk doing? Also, what are you using to measure salinity? If it's a hydrometer, check instead with a refractometer ASAP.

[banzai75x]

I have slowly raised the Alk using B-ionic to 3.5 meq/L. My calcium is holding steady at approx 380-400.

The clam looks like it is receding a little more now in some other parts where it previously wasn't. I stopped dripping Kalk because this was giving me PH problems. My ph is ranging from 8.0-8.3 depending on lights on/off.

I'd really like to try to figure out how to control the PH a little more.

I did take those snails off yesterday because I was afraid of them. Should the clam be in high/med/low flow area?

[Peabody]

Clams prefer lower flow.

You still should bump up that CA/ALK. Not that it's necessarily the root of your problems, but it probably isn't helping. Most SPS/Clam guys shoot for 450-460/11-12dkh it seems.

PH naturally swings, but if you haven't yet, check out Randy Holmes-Farley's PH article.

[Peabody]

Also, again, how are you measuring salinity?

[banzai75x]

Forgot to mention that I am using a hydrometer but have order a refractometer and its on its way. I am still trying to up the Alk/Ca.

Do you think he has enough light? I have 2-150W HQI's. Tank is 21" deep with a 3" sandbed and the pendants are 10" off the water.

[bhujang]

PH swings can disturb clams and a high KH from 12 to 15 is best as this helps to stabilize the PH. The snails weren't pyramid snails as they are long and pointy and pure white. Do you have bristle worms in the tank check around the byssal for visible damage from bristle worms. Placing the clam higher up in the rock work can stop bristle worms pestering it. This also helps give the clam more light as 1x 150w MH is a bit low for such a clam. Lovely looking clam though. Don't worry to much as they can recover from things much worse... I have had clams recover from large bits to the mantle as well as receding mantle so be gentle with it and make the water changes gentle and slowly not too sudden. They also like good nutrients can you feed live phyto? That will help to perk it up? Ideally for clams the nitrate levels should be between 15-25 ppm as they thrive best in these conditions.

GL

Bhu

[Peabody]

I pretty much agree with the above. Since you have a squamosa, I don't think the light is too low, though it is a bit on the low side.

Being 150w and a high kelvin bulb, I would not put maximas or croceas in the bottom half of the tank.

Keep pumping that B-Ionic in. It really shouldn't take too long for it to get high.

Not to open up another can of worms, but have you considered getting a CA reactor?

[banzai75x]

I dont think I can afford a CA reactor at this point in time. The next thing I will get is a HOB refugium to help control PH swings and also with nutrient export. HAving some algae outbreaks right now.

The clam is not doing any better. More of his mantle seems to be receding. Calcium is @ 400 at dkh is at 11.

I am doing a water change this friday when my refractometer comes in. I also moved him to a new spot hoping he would like it better. He jumped around a little bit so at least I know he is kicking still.

I don't see any of the clam's foot. the cavity looks somewhat hollow and there is nothing portruding from it.

Any other ideas?

[Charlie Davidson]

Sorry to hear it is still no doing any better, I am reluctant to type this after seeing that another thread blamed FW dip for killing his clam but -- Seems to me-- on MY CLAMS-- the ones that are pinching when I first get them, a FW dip has helped. Again, these are your clams!

[banzai75x]

I'm trying to avoid it all costs.

What exactly are the steps that I need to perform for a FW dip?

[Charlie Davidson]

I use R/O water, heated to same temp as aquarium, let them set25-30 minutes, return them to tank. look in the dipping container, there might be an unwanted critter or 2. The cost might be your clam-----either way. You have tried other things for 2 weeks. FYI, The 2 clams I dipped, opened soon after putting them back in the tank and were fully open the next day! Good luck to you, whatever choice you make.

[bhujang]

Charlie Davidson

What crittors did you find in your ro water after dipping?

cheers

Bhu...

[Charlie Davidson]

1 brissal worm, one small snail, green goop the he "coughed-up" on one of them. Snail was a good kind. one clam had nothing, the one that died also had spit out alot of green goop. I belive it was dead phyto or stuff blocking its feeding. Don't know for sure. and hey that is a pertty one you have showing!!!

[bhujang]

Thanks Charlie Davidson

Yes sure its a beaut... grew 1.5 inches in 1 month then had real bad pinch!!! Satarting to recover now, I havent done a fresh water dip just doing some research first. I did get another deresa clam in the last 2 weeks to see how things would be, it was really healthy at the LFS, I introduced it over 6 hoyurs with a drip method and it was fine the first week, but I am sure its mantle is starting to go wavey as if its tending toward pinch... I could be paranoid but I do hope its not the same problem. I do have brisstle worms one of them a monster! But from late night vigils and checking around the mantle I havent seen a worm or snails on them. Im just hoping they will "toughen up" and cope with what ever is bothering them in the tank.

[Charlie Davidson]

Smart thing, R/C is the greatest!!!! keep reading!! I hope the best for yours!!!!!! monitor your water. do not do Fw dip untill? sorry, do not have aswer for that? I need to read/ learn more! Marines are Very hard to Keep- My dad an brother are one!!!

[bhujang]

Sure I wont be FW dipping at all....

He is slowly recovering and getting better as the days go by, what ever is irritating hiom he will have to learn to live with... I think he will be fine now. Had me worried for a while though... :)

[banzai75x]

Well I dipped him. 25 minutes in RO water. I saw a bristleworm in the bucket. All curled up. Only .5-1" long. That was pretty much it. Some dirt and other stuff.

The clam was gaping after I put him back in the tank. It's been 24 hours now and he is back to what he was looking like before the dip. His mantle is not fully extended but at least his exit syphon is perking up again. Before it used to be a hole and no "spout".

[bhujang]

Maybe the bristle worm was agrevating the clam? Mine is slowlt getting better on its own, what ever had caused its pinch is either gone or the clam is getting used to it and coping. I still fear the FW dip...

[Charlie Davidson]

banzai75x, my telling you to look at what was left over was to help me and others to better understand- most/ alot of the people do not have anything. I am glad you understand, I hope the best for your clams.

[Foster]

What is pinching, and what cuases it?

[bhujang]

platapus that seems to be the million dollar question... Could a number of things, from water conditions, nutritional deficiancy, parasites or less likely an actual disease...

[Charlie Davidson]

Platapus, I am not trying to give a short answer- but- go to the bottom of page and do a search- pinching- very good reading- I hope this helps, SOME seem to have become experts on this very quickly!

[banzai75x]

Update: Just wanted to let everyone know that my clam is doing ALOT better. His mantle has re-extended over the sides of the shell again. He is almost fully extended except for a small part by his mouth.

I also moved him to different spot in the tank which gets a little less flow. He seems happier there and hasn't jumped or moved in awhile.

Maybe it was that one bristleworm that was causing so much pain for this guy.

[bhujang]

banzai75x what type of clam was it again? COuld you see the bristle worm anywhere before the FW dip? If it was a maxima it may have been in the shell fins... Just wondering where the bristle worm was!?

Glad to hear that yours is getting better... My first Deresa clam is also recovering from the pinch, it did loose some of its zooxanthae algae cover around the pinch. I recently bought another deresa...after 2 weeks same pinch again... :( still not sure whether to do the fw dip or wait it out like the first one that recovered...