clam seems unhappy

[Ti]

My clam isn'looking too hot today.
I looked closer and I found these little thing crawling on it;s mantle.
THey are white and have a pointy shell.
Are they bad?
Are they stressin my clam?

 

[Peabody]

Pyramid snails. They mean death to clams if not eradicated from your tank. Search here and you'll find all the info in the world about them.

 

[Ti]

So it looks liks removal by hand is my only option.
I picked some off today, but there are still more.

 

[PSEUDOREEFER]

If your tank can handle the extra stocking, a 6 line wrasse is a must IMO if you have clams. Mine ate all of the snails off an infested clam in a few days. 6 lines aren't an alternative to removing the snails physically, but are excellent as a precaution and help quite a bit when used in conjuntion with physically removing them.

 

[mbbuna]

6 lines will eat pyrams but dont depend on it u will still need to remove them by hand, 6 lines will eat pods over pyrams any day

 

[Ti]

update: I took the clam out last night and picked off all the pyramid snails. It's open today and no longer agitated. Is this the end, or are those pesky snails hiding elsewhere in the tank?

 

[Peabody]

You're still going to have to do it for a pretty long time beccause I guarentee you there are plenty more in the tank. Take him out every night for a week and check everywhere on the clam, especially around the mantle and byssal opening. After a few nights of not finding any, let it go for a few more days and then check again. Periodic checkups are always a good idea. You never know when you'll find one

 

[mbbuna]

agreeded

 

[Ti]

Looks like they have returned. =(

 

[mbbuna]

Ti dont give up!!! it can take a while to get ride of them. just keep checking every other night. it can take a few months but ur clams are worth it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Ti]

I think one got inside or something.
I picked it up and cleaned it today, but it's still closed/pinched.

 

[mbbuna]

Ti can u get a pic?
they will get inside but most of the time it's from the byssal opening. next time u clean ur clams, suck up some substraight from where the clam was,or from around the rocks where it was.most of the time pyrams are right on the clam but they will be in the sand and rocks around them so it good to claen that also

 

[Diehl]

I would try and keep it off the rocks or sandbed until you get rid of the snails. I would use a PVC coupler and sit him elevated off the sand.