Clam Went Poof

[Lockhartia]

I came home yesterday to find my absolute favorite crocea upsidedown in a mass of acans. I wasn't too worried at first, as I've been re-aquascaping quite a bit and figured the clam didn't like his new home all that much. However, when I pulled him out to right him, I noticed that the mantle had completely retracted into the shell, and the clam was gaping pretty bad. I looked at his foot....well, where the foot SHOULD have been, and it was gone, completely torn out.

Paramaters are as follows:

Salinity 1.024
PH 8.1 (it's always a little low)
Nitrate/Nitrite/Ammonia 0
Calcium 450
Alk 11 (All taken with API Test Kits)

The tank is 7 yrs old, the clam I've had for well over a year. Inhabitants are:

1 Leopard Wrasse
1 Purple Tang
2 Trimma gobies
1 Red Capped Goby
Handful of hermits/Snails.
1 Cleaner shrimp

Lighting: Aquactinics Constellation (7 x 54watt SLR unit)

Any ideas as to what happened? My concern is very high as I have 4 more crocea, one derasa and two maximas in the tank as well. I have added nothing new to the tank in about 4-5 months. I have inspected for pyramids and nothing. I do not run GFO or carbon or anything on the tank. All other clams are doing very well. The clam also had a nice white ring of new growth around the shell and up until yesterday, was doing awsome. It was the nicest crocea I'd ever seen, very metallic...almost electric in color.

Thanks for any suggestions!

 

[sahin]

It is very hard to say what caused this especially as this is a very established tank and the clam has been in the tank for over 12 months and that this ocurred very suddenly.

There is nothing out of the ordinary in your parameters.

How long have you had the lighting setup? Is it new or did you recently change from Halides or something?

When you aquascaped, how did you move the clam? Did you move the whole rock with the clam attached to the rock or did you move the clam from its original rock?

Once the foot goes clam is more or less dead. Did you recall seeing ANYTHING unusual? maybe even slight pinched mantles?

What fishes and other inverts do you have in the tank?

I put down the death of the clam to the following:

1. Clam was injured during aquascaping.

2. Some kind of disease (bacterial) but somewhat not sure on this because (fortunately) the other clams in the tank are ok.

3. Clam was attacked by something in the tank that caused a sudden demise.

4. Clam mantle can usually withstand dirct contact with various stinging corals for very prolonged periods before iritation/stress of irritation causes death. I have just got back into the hobby so unsure how toxic acans are (new coral to me). BUT, I doubt that could have caused such sudden demise of the clam.

There is no exact answer but these are possibilities. Let me know if there is anything else you can think of. I'll save this thread and check tomorrow.

I love clams and had beautiful specimens just before I left the hobby. Currently setng up a clam/SPS nano tank. Hope your other clams are ok.

 

[sahin]

I have several books solely on clams and will check the disease sections in my books to see if there is anything mentioned there. As I said, please post your observations anything you can remember about what you did with the clam during aquascaping and after and when you found it after returning from work.

 

[Jay03GT]

Acans pack a very powerful punch. Some guys have said they flipped an acan over to kill an encrusting monti, to give you an idea of how strong they can be. Depending on how long the clam was on the acan, and provided there wasn't any damage done during the aquascape it is possible the acans could kill the clam. I have seen damage to the mantle of one of my maxima's where a stinger cell from a frogspawn floated off and landed on the clam.

 

[Lockhartia]

I don't see why the clam wouldn't have just closed up if he fell into the acan? I know they're not the smartest critters, but.....lol.

When I moved the clam, he was moved rock and all. He was on a flat frag plug that was very easy to move around. Oddly enough he was pressed into the glass for a long time and seemed to like it there! When I made a "hole" for him so he wouldn't have to be so cramped, he seemed to hate it and that's when he let go of the frag plug and I found him upsidedown a few days later in the acans.

I've had the lighting system for about a year and a half now. Bulbs are in need of replacing, but I seriously doubt that's what did it. I saw no pinched mantle or irritation or anything. I do have a suspicion that my red capped coby may take a sample or two out of my Derasa, but other than that, everyone plays nicely. The only fish in that tank capable of the damage I saw would be the wrasse or purple tang. The clam was about 4".

Thanks for the help guys. It's just frustrating when you don't exactly know why!

I have two more crocea's coming today too.....so we'll see.

 

[sahin]

Due to clam physiology, it takes a lot of exertion and energy to stay closed. Clams are designed to stay open. Its rather like you flexing your arms, you have to exert force.

Jay03GT has explained that acans are very toxic. So it is very possible.

At least with this explanation it means your other clams are ok. That is better than there being some kind of problem in the tank itself.

 

[Day With 2 Suns]

Since I read thos post now I'm gettig concerned. I have a 3 inch Max that is between 2 Acans. For the past 2 days it has detatched it's muscle and lies on its side still open fully. Tried yesterday to put him up right and wedge him in there but still decides to lay on its side and push one of the acans to the side. Its a small acan about 2 x 3 not attached to the main rock. The max is taller than the acans so whats the deal do you think here? Just mis behaving or a problem that I need to correct post haste??

 

[Jay03GT]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15601926#post15601926 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Day With 2 Suns
Since I read thos post now I'm gettig concerned. I have a 3 inch Max that is between 2 Acans. For the past 2 days it has detatched it's muscle and lies on its side still open fully. Tried yesterday to put him up right and wedge him in there but still decides to lay on its side and push one of the acans to the side. Its a small acan about 2 x 3 not attached to the main rock. The max is taller than the acans so whats the deal do you think here? Just mis behaving or a problem that I need to correct post haste??

If the clam is trying to move, it's not happy. One thing we all need to remember, these are living creatures and just because the look good somewhere, doesn't mean the are happy there. I'd try finding somewhere else it might be happy, keep in mind they tend to orient themselves with the current (at least mine do if the flow is moderate/strong) and if they are happy with the light.