Clam newbie question

[Riclat]

Hi
I added a clam to my aquarium 8 days ago. For the first four days he was fully open. But since then he's only opened his shells about 1/4 to 1/2 inch.

Any ideas what the problem may be?

Lighting is Orbit 4x96 pc.

Below is a picture of the tank

Thanks, Richard

 

[Peabody]

It could be lighting, chemistry, or predation, or any combination of the 3.

Your lighting is too low for that clam, in my opinion, and in my experience. Most I've seen last around 6 months.

What is your chemistry? Salinity, CA, ALK, etc, and how are they measured

What fish do you have. Any angels, blennies, etc?

 

[Riclat]

Here's more information about my aquarium water and inhabitants

I used Salifert tests except for phosphate and iodine (Seachem) and pH (meter) and refractometer

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0.1
Nitrate 1
KH/Alk 8.0/286
Calcium 330
Phosphate 0.03
Iodine 0.005
Salinity 1.027
pH 8.08

Fish
1 Clark's Clown
1 Bicolor Blemmy
2 Yellowtain Blue Damsels
1 Longfin Cardinalfish

Inverts
2 Cleaner shrimp
1 Elysia slug
1 Mespilla urchin
6 Emerald crabs
Blueleg hermit crabs
Turbo snails

Richard

 

[mbbuna]

your Ca is low, Sg high and you should have .00 Nitrites. Bicolored Blennies are clam nippers. step back from the tank where the fish cant see you, and spend a few hours just watching the fish and clam. if the Blennie nips at the clam, there's the problem and you will need to remove the fish or the clam

 

[Peabody]

Agreed...get the blenny the heck out of there. THey are notorious clam killers/nippers, and the worst part is you almost never actually see them do it.

Also agreed the CA is low. Shoot for maybe closer to 400-450. The alk is acceptable, but lower than I run mine.

But...99.9% chance it's the blenny!

 

[Riclat]

Thanks for the quick answers guys.

As I was writing this post I saw the blemmy nip at the clam. "Beauregard" has become my wife and daughter's favorite fish, and catching him is going to be alot tougher that catching the clam

Richard

 

[Riclat]

Update:

Two nights ago I caught the bicolored blemmy and returned him to the lfs. Within hours my clam was opening wider and showing more mantle.

Richard

 

[mbbuna]

:celeb1:

 

[Barry N.]

Two nights ago I caught the bicolored blemmy and returned him to the lfs. Within hours my clam was opening wider and showing more mantle.

I bet it wasn't easy to catch.

Also clams will not open FULLY if they are receiving some water movement that they don't like.