Clam mantle turning white

[Bandsaw]

Greeting all,

I bought this fella a couple of months. He was looking like he was gasping, but I got him anyway. The other couple looking at him only had NO lights and was contemplating him only because it looked nice. So, as opposed to letting this go to someone that I knew would kill it, I decided to give it a try.

Over the last few weeks, a part of his mantle looks like it is bleaching. The pictures are below. The clam is located about midway up a 18 inch tank. The lights are 150W HM 14K Phoenix bulbs. My basic parameters are Alk 8 Dkh, Ca 420 ppm, Mg 1400 ppm, NO3 0, NO2 0.

Any suggestion as to what may be causing this. I have a second Crocea located just to the right of him and he is VERY happy.

Thanks

 

[loosbrew]

it looks like it's asking for more light perhaps?
also, if its small I would dose phyto in the tank a few times per week to supplement his diet.

Good luck!

Luis

 

[Bandsaw]

He is about 4.2 inches in length. I do dose Phyto to the entire tank on a routine basis

 

[mbbuna]

it definitely bleaching. how did you acclimate it to your new lighting?

 

[Bandsaw]

I reduced the lighting time to 2 hours to start for about 2 days. Then I added an hour every couple of days untill I was back to 8 hours per day (10 hours on weekends).

 

[mbbuna]

i would place 6 or 8 sheets of window screening across the top of the tank to shade the clam. leave them there and just observe the clam for a few weeks and see it its starting to repopulate its zoox. if it does start to recover leave the screening in place untill most of the color is back, then remove one sheet every two weeks.

 

[Bandsaw]

Thanks mbbuna. I thought I would do one better and simply move him to a more shady spot in the tank (I got a perfect overhang for him that would have provided a good shade). Alast, after an hour of trying to get him to release from the rock, I've given up. I will have to try to come with another way to shade him without resorting to shading everyone else in the tank.

Seems to be a happy camper where he is. Holding very fast.

 

[mbbuna]

i would hate to try to move it. you dont need to shade the whole tank, just that clam

 

[camaroracer214]

what's the temp in the tank? if it's bleaching it may be too hot and could be expelling it's zooxanthellae from it's mantle.

 

[Bandsaw]

The tank temp is about 77F. During the last couple of weeks in this heat, the tank has risin to about 81. I had thought of the temp.

 

[Bandsaw]

mbbuna, had a look at your reefspace. Very nice.

 

[mbbuna]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10479604#post10479604 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Bandsaw
mbbuna, had a look at your reefspace. Very nice.

thanks, i know its a little jumbled and hard to read but still working on it