180 build from scratch!

[cornhusker85]

The crash is not as bad as everyone predicts. It will be okay in the long run. The market was impacting to greatly in the last 4 years by speculators and banks giving morgates to people who couldnt afford them. Banks shot them selfs in there own foot on this issue. Sorry for ranting.

I cant wait to see your dream build unfold. Goodluck with the move.

 

[michika]

The way I figure it is if we play it smart, keep our debt low to none, and save as much as we can, just in case, then we will be fine. I still feel bad for the people who are in over their head in debt.

I am super excited to get started on this project. I just wish it was Friday already (after I finish writing my paper tonight), and that I could take a roll of painters tape into the basement and go to town with it.

 

[michika]

There is something very wrong with my gigas clam. It started on Sunday, and now the problem is much worse. On Sunday the clam had grown to the point that its shell was touching the glass. Just before it was moved you could see on its right side that the mantle had actually come away from the shell on the inside. Its almost like pieces of the shell attached to the mantle flaked off leaving the mantle free from the rest oft he shell.

The clam isn't gaping per say but it is lopsided. Yesterday it wasn't extending its mantle as it has been in the past. I'm not sure what is happening because this is undoubtably nothing like anything I've seen before. I will post a photo or two of this tonight when I get home.

I am sad. I love my gigas clam, and its been with me for 4 years now. I don't want it to die.

 

[jnarowe]

post pics so we can see.

 

[melev]

Ask for help in the Clam Forum asap. Clams don't decline slowly, and every hour counts.

 

[michika]

Alright so some cool things about the clam

1) the problem isn't getting worse, I just though it was
2) The mantle still retracts and responds to light.
3) My clam is too big to close its shell anymore and has been for at least 3 years.

So close up

side shot

mantle retracted

mantle extended

I am in a rush, but as soon as I get to Edmonton I am going to to post this up on Clams Direct as well.

 

[jnarowe]

I wonder if the vermetids are irritating it?

 

[jnarowe]

This appears to show an egg cluster (circled) so maybe something has taken up residence and is irritating or even dining on the coral?

 

[michika]

Well my attempt to go to Edmonton failed, so I am home now.

Your eyes are good. It just looks like crap from cleaning the glass that collected onto more crap that was hanging off the clam. So do you think I should take the clam out and scrub its shell?

 

[jnarowe]

there are some things I would remove like the vermetids and also there is some sort of roundish things on the shell that don't look like they belong there. Whether to take it out or not, either way is a risk. Did you post in the clam forum? That would be your best bet, but I think there is something on that shell.

 

[michika]

I have had 0 replies to my posting in the clam forum. I am having more luck on the new clams direct forum though.

The roundish thing is actually coraline with a darker spot in the middle. I really does look like a vermetid when you look at the photos! Wow, talk about optical illusion. As soon as I can find a brush, I'll scrub off the clam and see if that helps.

 

[jnarowe]

or coraline???

 

[Oceanodroma]

Definitely watching the progression!

 

[michika]

I was looking at the other purple area on the other peak in the shell! Sorry my photoshop skills aren't as hot as yours. We are going to scrub the shell as soon as Kevin gets home. Those are just bumps on the shell covered over with coraline. I'm still going to scrub it anyways to be sure.

The response from the new clams direct forum is that its something they've never seen. My gigas seems to be a grow slower,at least in comparison to the one that a mod. over there keeps. That is a possible underlying factor in this.

My home board suggests tying up the clam a bit to relieve some pressure. I am afraid to do this. This clam's shell doesn't close, so I worry tying it will cause more problems.

I'll definitely scrub the shell then leave the clam alone until we move the tank on Sunday. I'll keep photographing it everyday. In the very least I can leave a photographic trail for anyone else that comes across this in the future.

 

[jnarowe]

I suggest you carefully inspect those bumps. They could be some sort of boring creature and I have never seen them before.

 

[michika]

Definitely. I will take photos and let you know what I find. The more eyes, the better chance I have of getting this sorted out.

 

[jnarowe]

Therein lies the rub. When clams go, they go fast, just as Marc stated. Remember I lost all of my clams a couple three months ago for no apparent reason.

 

[michika]

I was so sad for you when that happened. I would be absolutely crushed if it happened to me. I am overly attached to everything in my tank.

 

[cornhusker85]

How the clams doing Im a sucker for clams also?

 

[michika]

The clam is going on like nothing is happening. It actually seems quite fine. I would love to take some more photos and post them, however the camera got packed in my derby bag for this weekend's games. Maybe I will pull it out tomorrow morning and take a final FTS.

On a similar derby note, our travel team, the Hellion Rebellion was in Tacoma WA, and your Dockyard Dames kicked our sweet little Canadian booties.

Anyways tank is moving in 3 days!