Clam Deaths

[docwells]

I have recently lost a 3 inch maxima and 6 inch crocea in the past week for unknown reasons. I have a 46 gallon bowfront tank with a 400 watt metal halide and (2) 28 watt actinic pc bulbs. They both looked fine and were reactive the day before I found them dead. They were found dead on different days. They were both situated in the rock structure of the reef , but a part from each other. I did not see any hole in the shells. The crocea did have some very small white specks on the shell, if this makes a difference. The maxima shell was fine. I have a 6 line wrasse and a neon dotty back for bristtleworm control. My other fish are a purple tang, desjardini tang, clarkki clownfish, flamehawk and I have never seen them pick at my clams.
I'm looking for any help I can get as I have 3 more clams in the tank and I don't want to see the dead.
Sorry for the long post.
Thanks
Wellington

 

[toptank]

Wellington,

How long have you had these clams? Have you added any new fish or invert. lately? You said they were in the rock work, have they fallen off and torn their footing?

Barry

 

[Rod Buehler]

probably a stupid question, but, Are the claams being fed?

 

[docwells]

I had the ultra max for about 4-6 weeks and the crocea for about 4 months. I have not added any new fishes. I have added a sand sifting tiger starfish, blue linka starfish and some snails. The maxima had fallen 1-2 times, but there was no apparent damage. The crocea has never fallen.
I feed kents phytoplex or knop brand invert. food ( the name escapes me now) 3-4 times per week.

Wellington

 

[RooFish]

starfish enjoy clams as a tasty treat. That could be the problem, but there would be nothing but a shell left. If there was tissue in the shell, it was probably not them.

 

[docwells]

I do not think it was the starfish. All the clam tissue was left in the shell.
I'm still at a lost to explain it.

Wellington

 

[Jared Cooper]

Clams in my tank have only died from one thing: changes in PH. Is there anyting in your tank that would make your PH fluctuate. I just started adding B-Ionic to my tank to help out my reactor and stupidly didn't think the PH flucuations it would cause would really matter... I was wrong and I lost my biggest most awsome maxima. Two years ago I had a bunch of kalk enter my tank and teh PH move killed a clam. So watch the PH

 

[docwells]

I think you may be right. I was using b-ionic without any problems, then I set up my calcium reactor last week. My alkalinity got too high and my ph dropped. I remedied the situation with water changes. I stopped the reactor because of that and the fact that it developed leak. I have gone back to b-ionic until my reactor replacement part arrives. Hopefully I can get my parameters stable again , then I will consider replacing my clams and adding any other livestock.
Thanks for the help.

Wellington