Dying Clam? See Pics.. HELP!

[hypermikie]

I posted this on Clamsdirect.com Forum. Any suggestions?

Okay here is the long story to go along with the pics.

I have had this little guy for about 4+ months. He is in my 24g Pod with 70w MH. I had him placed from mid-high on a rock and all was going well. Health, Happy, & Growing...

Earlier this month he fell off a couple of times and I placed him back. Nothing new has been added to the tank in quite some time. Three days ago I noticed the mantle "pinching" and he had again moved down. I pulled him out and inspected him for pyramid snails and other inhabitants all around the clam. I cleaned him then placed him back on the sand bed last night. These pics are from today.

Late last night I noticed a Nassarius climb "into" the clam and seem to be focusing its attention around the "pinched" area.

No new corals added, no new inhabitants. Water quality normal, I dose small amounts of Iodine, and calcium through my ATO so no big swings in those or salinity. Everything else is great. He was semi-near a galaxy coral that has some pretty nasty sweepers but none of the other corals near him (or between the two) looked stung and I have never seen the sweepers go that far.

Tank Inhabitants: Percula, Firefish, Stientz Prawn Goby, Cleaner Shrimp, Pepermint Shrimp (2), Sexy Shrimp (2), Maroon Sepent Star, Blue Legs, Red Legs, Black & White Hawaiian Crab, Nassarius snails, Bahas, Margaritas. Various Corals and BTA.

 

[hypermikie]

COPY OF MY CLAMS DIRECT POST: 2/18/07

I did a freshwater dip last night (upon Clamsdirect.com Suggestion) while I did my water change. I matched PH, and temp. and left him in for approx. 23 minutes. I basted the spot in questions frequently, as well as the entire clam.

After a couple of hours back in the tank and as of this morning, he looked sort of "gaped" open with entire mantle recessed. I'm not sure if this is normal after the FWD...

I will keep an eye on him.

 

[hypermikie]

Things are looking pretty bad in my opinion.

I came home from work to find the clam had moved and was upside down. He was fairly closed up. After placing him back in the rock work he "gaped" back open and the mantle is still fully recessed. In addition I can now see completely through him, from the incurrent siphon through the byssal openining.

I am not sure how long this should continue. I want to give it every chance back to health, but at this time I do not have a quarantine tank to move him to even if that was the best option. Likewise I do not want the clam, if dying, to be a detriment to my nano system. It is only 24 gallons.

 

[magdelan]

From the looks of your first and second pics, it looks as if he was being stung by your GSP. believe it or not, they can pack a punch. Just leave him be for now. Keep him away from anything that can potentially touch it's mantle. "this is just a suggestion".

 

[hypermikie]

It was not touching the GSP and was moved there only after the "pinching" began.

 

[concept3]

I've never done or needed to do a FWD for PM before, and I used to frequent clamsdirect's forums in the past as well. 20+ minutes for a Dip seems a little long isn't it? (it's a question, not a flame )

You would think due to the osmotic differences in their natural saltwater habitat and Freshwater, that it would do more harm than good for that long of a time frame; no?

The clam doesn't look too good right now- I would leave it be until it really needs to be taken out for reasons with held

 

[dvmsn]

Sorry, that guy is already dead. I wouldn't blame the dip though. He was on his way. It was worth a shot.

 

[d4a2n0k]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9290781#post9290781 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dvmsn
Sorry, that guy is already dead. I wouldn't blame the dip though. He was on his way. It was worth a shot.

I agree, get him out before he fouls your tank. When they get that sunken in, they dont recover.

 

[Ventralis321]

i've had pm and 5-10 min is good. You want to repeat these dips as necessary so one long one seems bad to me.

 

[hypermikie]

UPDATE............

DEAD... and removed from tank.

Anybody looking for a Galaxy Coral?

 

[dvmsn]

I don't think it was stung. I think it was sick. They think that pinched mantle is cause my protozoans, that is why the dip works,

 

[Chaotic Reefer4u]

poor thing...

 

[gliebig]

I had the same thing happen to 3 of my clams last year. They were doing great for over a year and then 1 by 1, they all died just like yours. Fine one day, two days later, gone. I still have no idea why.

 

[h20cooled]

I just had the same thing happen to 2 of my Maxima's, one day they looked great and the next they are all recessed and then dead. I've tested all of the parameters and everything is great. 1 of them was only in the tank 2 months the other 2 yrs. I have 2 other clams and they look great. Its really sad and weird.

 

[brickmnjim]

I'm on my 3rd and its receding also. I believe they burn out or its possible my water parameters varied to much. I don't think I will kill anymore. It seems I feel this way when I lose one of Gods's creation. I have trouble with 120 gallons isn't God amazing? Good Luck

 

[trae]

Beleive it or not the Pepermint shrimp where picking at your clam at night. I found out the hardway. i gave three to my mantis and i got three to go.

 

[hypermikie]

I am fairly confident that my peppermint shrimp had absolutely nothing to do with my clams demise....

 

[Serioussnaps]

I am fairly certain the GSP's were the demise of your clam. GSP's are one of the most, if not the most noxious besides some paly's. It looks blatantly obvious that it was stung by the GSP's. GSP's dont have to touch another coral to "sting" them BTW.

Barring a fish/crab in your tank eating on it, pinched mantle, or snails, or improper water paramters(i doubt this) then I am almost positive it was the GSP's. Rip those things out!!!!!! They even take out mushrooms which are no joke themselves.

 

[hypermikie]

As stated previously the Clam was nowhere near the GSP's. The GSP are located on the sand bed and the Clam was orignally located high up on the rock structure.

The clam was removed from the tank and checked for Pyramid snails and other parasites after noticing its "pinching". It was then later placed on the sand bed "near" the GSP's only after it had already been afflicted.

In addition, the clam was only there temporarily (minutes) until I cleard out another rock surface for it to sit.

So I am quite certain that the GSP had nothing to do with my clams demise....

 

[Ventralis321]

i've had clams receed and die before and i don't think it was pm. You might have stressed the little guy out by taking him out and moving him around too much. Clams are a lot more sensitive than we give them. In nature they rarely get moved around especially croceas which are burried in the coral heads. I had a similar incident with one of my clams that was touching some coral and I left it there for a month or two and when i decided to move it, it looked just like yours and was deformed. I later moved it to a better clear area and it recovered but it took a long time. I think you should always give your clams alot of free space to extend happily without interference.