Blasted Pyramid Snails!!

[Danienov]

I'm not getting these on clams, but on my snails

So I would literally be replacing my entire sandbed, not just what's near a clam

 

[moliken]

snail snails probably will not affect the clams at all; pyrams are usu species specific. i misinterpreted what u said. you may lose your snail cuc, but clams are most likely completely safe.

 

[ZephNYC]

I got a response from PEA, Tahitian law prohibits export of clams under 4" so they only have larger specimens. They are working on getting an aquaculture farm setup there to allow export of smaller specimens (and less impact on natural habitat), both good things so really looking forward to it. Don't think it will be anytime soon unfortunately.

Until then I guess I'm stuck with two clams unless I get lucky enough to find a real stunner from ORA and snag it up in time. Bummer...

Then again, I guess I could just upgrade my tank!

Im confused because PEA has been carrying smaller farmed Maximas for the last two weeks. I purchased one and they are awesome. But Dr. Mac removed them just yesterday to prepare for the upcoming swap in NYC. The reason Tahitian laws dont allow export on smaller clams is that their export laws are based on them selling as foods, and not ornaments.
Heres a 2 incher I got from PEA two weeks ago. White and gold with a hint of blue.

 

[DiscusHeckel]

My process follows:
* RODI water
* Put water in ziplock and float in tank to temp acclimate for 15min
* Use baking soda to match pH, add until matched (note it maxes at some point, so I typically use 3/4-tsp per ziplock to get close to my 8.3ph)
* Pour water in bucket (container etc to size)
* Remove clam and immediately blast with turkey baster around the shell starting with mantle area before it closes up completely
* Repeat every 5min
* 30min max total dip is fine
* Scrub shell with toothbrush at some point during dip to remove all foreign matter
* Introduce clam back into main DT, be sure to "burp" the clam by rotating slowly 360deg

It's saved countless cases of PM on my 3 maximas over the ages. I almost consider it routine maintenance at this point. I've done it at least monthly on certain clams, especially my super sensitive and rare small maximas (under 2").


Salinity is 0 to answer your original question

I followed your instructions in the past. However, my clam closed up as soon as I placed it in RODI and remained closed while it was in the freshwater.

What is your advice in this case?

 

[ange062]

Im confused because PEA has been carrying smaller farmed Maximas for the last two weeks. I purchased one and they are awesome. But Dr. Mac removed them just yesterday to prepare for the upcoming swap in NYC. The reason Tahitian laws dont allow export on smaller clams is that their export laws are based on them selling as foods, and not ornaments.
Heres a 2 incher I got from PEA two weeks ago. White and gold with a hint of blue.

Seeing as how that post was a year old, I can see how things may have changed. Like I mentioned originally they were looking into aquaculture farms, but at the time were only importing wild from Tahiti and Tahitian law (at least at that time) was to not export ornamental clams (tridachna) of less then 4".

As of now, they only have 3 clams listed an all are 5". I'd love to see them bring in more small clams that are suitable for my tank though!! And you picked up a nice specimen!

I followed your instructions in the past. However, my clam closed up as soon as I placed it in RODI and remained closed while it was in the freshwater.

What is your advice in this case?

Very well known that they will close up. It's important to have the turkey baster ready to go to blast them immediately. And afterwards, blasting around the mantle area of the shell will still get enough water in to fix the PM.

 

[ZephNYC]

Pyramid snails are probably the worst clam problem anyone can have. Often there is simply nothing you can do. Yellow Cory wrasses and malanerus (sp?) definitely do eat them, but like someone said earlier, the snails dominate at night while the wrasses are hiding/sleeping. You have to commit yourself to constant night time inspection and siphoning as many as you can find, and keep it up till you just dont see them anymore. Unfortunately often that day never arrives and you can simply never get them all, and they do proliferate. I have known many a tank that needed to be stripped down and re started from scratch in order to keep clams successfully . BUTit can be done. You just have to be persistant and LUCKY.

 

[OrionN]

Your really need to quarantine the clam, clean them as you get them. I really scrub them clean on arrival and break all the scuttles on them with a metal spoon, and scrub them with a tooth brush, so that I get all the pest off of them, mainly Aptasia and Pyramid snails (and eggs). Often these are in the tiniest crack on the shell scuttles so break them off is a really good idea. I scrub them in a small tub of tank water, then Quarantine them in my 29 g Aqua Pod under full MH to make sure I did not miss anything.

When you have a large system, this is essential to keep it pest free. The cost of trying to eradicate aptasia, pyramid snails or PMD from my large system is too much. Spend several hundred dollars for a small quarantine tank is a small price to pay.

I second ZephNYC idea of siphoning them out. I use RO tubing with the end tied to a stick so I can direct it easy. Get up at 1AM with flash light and suction them into a gallon container. I just remove the snails and poor the water back in. I use this to get rid of the parasitic snails in my 500 g tank. You have to take all the clams out, break all the scuttles, and scrub them well first to decrease the snail count and remove all the egg mass. Scrub them well, the suction them, you can get your tank parasite free in a few months.

 

[ZephNYC]

Aslo, for giving a clam its very first fresh water dip, I really like to do just 5 minutes the first time. Kind of like a trial run/warm up for future 30 minute dips. It is not unusual for a sick clam to drop dead after a FWD, and i like to see how they respond to the shorter dip before I commit them to a biggie.