Dead clam - request comments

[bwyoung]

My first experience with hosting a clam in my year old 120 gal SPS coral reef lasted about 24 hours unfortunately.

I bought this clam (a crocea) yesterday, I acclimated it over several hours (dripping) and placed it on the rock shelf.

It looked fine with a normal mantel and reaction to light until this morning.

Any comments/suggestions are appreciated. Thank you!

I have the normal SPS water conditions - 1.025 SG, 79F, 8.1-8.3 pH, 1300 Mg, 10 Alk.

 

[kfisc]

Assuming all your other parameters are fine, and match the tank it came from, it may be light shock or a parasite; often enough, they come from a supplier looking relatively ok only to be in truth on their last legs.

 

[giambi4343]

croceas are the least forgiving clams. try a maxima if you are up for another shot at a clam. if you have the room in your tank, try a derasa or a squammosa. they are probably the easyest clam you can have. i have a squammy thats going great. he is my one and only clam i have. i got him knowing very little on clam care at first and he has been kicking for 6 months now with great growth. they do get big though. about a foot to 2 feet. so make sure you have room if you decide to go with a squammy or derasa.

 

[ptr13]

My two clams are doing the same thing,I am trying to figure what the culprit may be,all parameters are fine. Wondering if water change can help change their fortunes. Let me know if you find out anything. I have a feeling its parasitic or some kind of virus or bacterial infection.

 

[rduong89]

i just lost 2 clams recently that was in my tank for over a year. I have no clue what happen.

 

[a4twenty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14297252#post14297252 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by giambi4343
croceas are the least forgiving clams. try a maxima if you are up for another shot at a clam.

you have this backwards, the maxima is the least forgiving of the Tridancna clams.

 

[mscarpena]

It looks like there might be somecentral bleaching in that pictured clam. Is the center of it white?? If so you need to be more carefull acclimating it to light. Also the several hours of acclimation did you provide light?? I dont think a several hour acclimation is needed for clams. About an hour should be fine. Also when did you retailer get it in. I always try to wait a week or two. If your retailer just got it in and then you added the seven hour dark time to acclimate then blasted it with light thats probably the cause. It does not look like anything ate it. Also before you buy look at the shells and under sides. Make sure there are no holes in the shell, no snails on the base, and your best to brush the shell with a toothbrush to remove any critters from their shell. Try a deresa or aquamosa. Also what type of lighting??

 

[bwyoung]

Thanks for the replies

Thanks for the replies

Thanks for the help. My LFS said they got them a few weeks ao, but I cannot confirm that. I acclimated the clam in my fuge with just ambient light. I then brought it upstairs and placed it on the rock at the bottom of my tank. My MH lights were on for a few hours. It sounds like the light was the factor then (?)

He looked like the pictures the next morning.

For those experienced clam owners, Is there a recommended procedure that you preferred when acclimating the different varieties?

Thanks for all the replies!

 

[phil519]

When you say it reacted to "light" - do you mean it reacted to a shadow?

(a la the hand over the clam to see if it closes?)

btw I agree with a4twenty - croceas are easier than maximas.

 

[bwyoung]

Lights

Lights

Yes it would react if we came up to the tank and cast a shadow onto it.

 

[a4twenty]

sorry for your loss


it's very hard to say what caused the clams demise, do you have any pics from when you first got the clam???

what fish / inverts do you have??

 

[rduong89]

is it always better to feed your clam with phyto even though they are 4in +?

 

[a4twenty]

a little off topic but clams do not need supplemental feeding at any size as long as they are getting strong light and you feed your tank / fish.

 

[bigleman]

right before my crabs destroyed it, mine looked exactly the same
but the only reason i could find for it dying was that my heater crapped out and the water temp dropped to 63* overnight

 

[ptr13]

I have notice that sailfin tangs can be really mantle nippers as my last of my clam is close always,it is feeding on the mucus but it is worse now as it nips on mantle,I do feed it everyday with mysis so I am not sure what to do aside getting rid of the saifin tang?

 

[a4twenty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14328850#post14328850 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ptr13
so I am not sure what to do aside getting rid of the saifin tang?

the only other option is to get rid of the clam, once the fish starts they very rarely stop.