Derasa clam not opening

[Thresa]

What would cause a Desera clam to stop fully opening. Nothing has changed in my tank (no new creatures or water quality issues) and I have had this clam for months. It's been just barely opening for about 10 days now, when it used to stay completly open all the time. Any input or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Thresa

 

[mbbuna]

please list all fish,shrimp and crabs.when was the last time you changed your bulbs?

 

[Thresa]

My tank inhabitants include:
3 cleaner shrimp
scarlet hermit crabs
lots of cerith, turbo, and nassarius snails
some other hermits that I'm not sure what they are
2 oscallaris clowns
4 blue green chromis
lawnmower blenny
6-line wrasse
purple firefish
coral beauty anglefish
bangai cardinalfish

I have 4-VHO lights on my 135 gallon tank, which is 24 inches deep. I changed the lights 6 months ago.

If the light wasn't sufficient wouldn't the clam be open as much as possible so that it's able to get some light?

 

[lotus02]

Have you picked your clam up and looked underneath? It is possible something maybe bothering it.
Also have you ever watched your coral beauty around your clam it may be nipping at it.

 

[mbbuna]

I'm with lotus on the Coral Beauty, even tho youve had it with the clam for a while, they are notorious clam nippers

 

[Thresa]

I haven't seen the coral beauty touch it yet. I'll will pick it up and look underneath tonight and see if something is bothering it. It had a piece of xenia attached to it, but I took it off...would something like that bother it?

 

[mbbuna]

Ive had xenia touching one of my clams and it had no affect

 

[Thresa]

I picked up my clam this evening to see if anything was bothering it from underneath. I found a bristle worm in the sand right below where the clam was (at least I think it's a bristleworm, I've never seen one before). I was able to remove it from the tank. Could this have bothered the clam?

 

[mbbuna]

bristleworms are scavengers, that wont feed on living tissue .i still think it is the coral beauty

 

[Sullyman]

A lot of people think bristle worms will kill clams but they don't.
How long have you had the clam? Any changes in the tank's flow?
I added a lot of flow to my tank and I've been moving things for the last 2 weeks to get my clams back in their comfort zone. I'd keep checking for things on the lower part of the clam, even with a flash light after lights out. Pyramid snails can be the size of a bead of sand and still irritate the hell out of a clam.
The angel could be it too, but he may never touch the clam when you're around. Watch it from a distance and you might see it nipping. Good luck.

 

[Thresa]

I tried watching my tank from a distance today and I caught the coral beauty nibbling at the clam. I've had them in the same tank for months and the coral beauty never bothered the clam before...very strange. I have decided to sell the clam before the coral beauty does any more damage. Thanks for all of the input.
Thresa

 

[mbbuna]

Thresa,im glad that you found the culprit, but sad that you are selling your clam. i feel that very soon you will be setting up a new tank just for clams