Clams - pinched mantles

I have found that sometimes it takes more than one dip. I let the clam recover for 2-3 days and then dip again. Again larger specimens have a greater chance of survival.

Vili_shark: us reefers are very adept at finding ways to counter "harmful" aspects of reef life. Eg we now have off the shelf materials to combat flatworms etc. I think there is something out there to battle red acro bugs etc. Clam mantle pinching is one aspect of clam keeping that at the moment is unknown territory. Hopefully in a few years time (sooner I hope) we will have an easy fix to clam mantle pinching.

I think at the moment some vendors deny there is a "clam mantle disease" (dont want to mention names) and so only once its recognised outright that this is a problem someone wil be bothered enough to find out whats going on.

Perhaps if someone were to study clams exhibiting this effect we would find out an answer/cause very soon.

Freshwater dipping must be killing something that is causing the clam to pinch. We need to find out what.

Clams are what has kept me in this hobby. They are beautiful creatures.
 
Sahin,
I agree with you.
We almost dont know anything about clams.
The big clam disease of last year has gone leaving hundreds if not thousands of dead clams, and us clue less of what had just killed our clams in 48hrs.
The clam pinching disease, we are just guessing with fresh water, that sometimes work, sometimes gives a temporary relief and sometimes dont work at all.
As you, Clams are what is keeping me in the hobby, but I dont see, how this situation of not knowing much more than knowing will improve......
 
Both my maxima's look about the same before the dip but my corcea looks much worse, he barely opens at all, what should I do? I'm thinking it's probably too late to save him but should I dip him again?
 
Somebody was posting about treating this disease with Iodine dip. You may wat to give this a try. He said that he was sucessful with it. It should be less stressful than FW dip. I don't remember the exact dose, and how long.
Minh
 
Minh, this thread sure brings back memories for me. The last clam I treated that made it through I had it for a long time until I sold all my livestock when I left the hobby. I a setting up another tank at the moment; a small nanocube (28G) which I will keep SPS corals and a few clams. It is mainly the idea of keeping clams again that has got me back into the hobby.
 
I keep a nano cube also. And here are my clams. Not as nice as I used to have but I am on the lookout for more.

Clams%202.jpg


BWClam%201.jpg
 
Cham; I'm not sure. I've been out of the hobby for about 5 years and need to educate myself in this area - I will be keeping clams in my tank that I am currently setting up.
 
It is still FWD, very effective treatment if the calm actually have PMD.
The BW Maxima I got actually was having PMD when I got hime. I have 4 tanks right now so I always keep one clam free and use it as clam QT. I watch the clam for 1 week to kane sure that this is indeed the problem and treated him with FWD. He is fine now without any problem. That was ? 2 months ago.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15564528#post15564528 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by OrionN
It is still FWD, very effective treatment if the calm actually have PMD.
The BW Maxima I got actually was having PMD when I got hime. I have 4 tanks right now so I always keep one clam free and use it as clam QT. I watch the clam for 1 week to kane sure that this is indeed the problem and treated him with FWD. He is fine now without any problem. That was ? 2 months ago.
Click to expand...

What's the FWD treatment regimine?
 
Really easy the way I did it. I just get RO water, keep it under the tank for a few hours so the temperature is the same as that of the tank. confirm that it is about the same then put the clam in there for 30 minutes. Remove the clam and put t a clean tank so it won't get reinfected..
This is the definitive initial thread where I discussed about the disease and it's treatment (minus a few pictures)

http://www.reefs.org/forums/topic21957.html
 
Double Dip?

Double Dip?

Hi guys. I have a crocea clam about 2.5+ inches, originally housed in my BC29 after a few weeks my formerly well behaved pigmy angel fish discover it' tasty mantle. The mantle was looking curled at the edges especially at the intake end so I decided to move it to my nano at work until I can catch the fish(which will be no small feat).

Put it in the tank at work, still exhibited the curled mantle and was sliming, researched and found that it looked like PMD.

On 9/15 from about 4:20 to 4:50 I dipped the clam in RO with temp and PH adjusted. Put clam back in tank, it was closed pretty tight but after about 10 minutes it started to loosen up and I left work before it opened. Came in this morning and it was open with nice mantle extension. Today there was limited sliming basted it off a few times, could have been bubbles from the return causing it. Now about 24 hours post dip the mantle looks pretty 'flat' and not pinching in at the intake end.

Now to my subject, should I double dip it? Even though it looks like its getting better should I dip it again tomorrow afternoon incase the first dip did not do it? In your experiences if it looks improved is that it or can it go back to pinching in a week?

Thanks for taking the time to read and for your input.
Jerome
 
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You will really need to monitor the clam very closely. I wouldnt do another dip unless I saw that the PM was setting in again. Your clam is still quite small and when I did FW dips in the past, I found that larger 5+ inches clams fared well with multiple FW dips.

If you did a good dip BEFORE placing the new tank, then that tank would be free of whatever causes PM. To be honest there isnt a right or wrong way...keep an eye on the clam and the first signs of PM setting in/getting worse then it is now, do a dip.

Keep us updated. This thread spans many years and contains some useful experiances over a few years.
 
I will keep a close eye on it, the tank is right next to me so I watch it all day at work. Today when I came in the mantle is out but not 100% extended out flat like. Looks like the YWG and shrimp may have been digging in the vicinity so that could have caused some upset. The lights have only been on for about an hour so I will watch... May do a water change before leaving this afternoon.
I did not think to do the dip before I put it in the new tank. I guess because I though the problem was the nipping not PMD and also how would I acclimate it? Just skip that? Tank one --> 30 minute RO dip --> Right into take two?

Jerome
 
I had PM on 4 clams one being almost 14" someone on here told me to scrub the heck out of the water with carbon and change it every couple days so i did and in about 2 weeks its was gone. No dips needed. The theory is the pm parasite is kicked into action buy something in our water like iron or po2 removers. Buy scrubing the water the PM parasite goes back to normal state and the clam recovers. Don't quote me on the science part but running a ton of carbon saved my clams!
 
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