Gigas problem

cristhiam

New member
My gigas is receding and not sure what is happening. The clam is getting close to be 4 years old, I have a crocea and a derasa and they are not showing any kind of stress and they are about the same age.

I had problems a few months ago 5+ with high nitrates 80+ ppm but since then I managed it to get them into the 10 â€"œ 15ppm range by implementing a DSB in the sump, cheto, caulerpa and a denitrator, I also got rid of my largest fish a sailfin tang and a cowfish to help lower the nitrates, and less feeding, I only feed every two days. The only corals that got damaged by the high nitrates were sps lost one big colony (3+ year old). I have not introduced anything new for at least 7+ months.

I been fighting with caulerpa in the display I guess the cowfish and the sailfin kept it trimmed, but that’s about the only problem I have for now.

My chemistry is: calc 380-400 (very hard to keep it there), alk 3.4 - 4.00 mql. PH ranges from 8.0 â€"œ 8.3 at the end of the day, mg 1200 â€"œ 1300, salinity 1.026. Top off water with kalk about 2 gallons a day.

Lights are changed every 6 months, overdriven 40W 6500K bulbs total of 4 with 2 110 URI actinics using 2 IceCaps 660 ballasts.

The gigas was 2.5” when I got and now it’s 12+/- inches, the derasa is about 8+/- now and the crocea about 7”

I don’t see any parasites on any of the clams, what else I am missing, I need ideas and quick, I will take a pic tonight.

Thanks
 
Ok I will try that tonight, but the only thing is that it takes about 3 - 4 months to start working. I was thinking of a FW dip but that maybe will push it to the limit.

Oh the temp was at 83.3 last night at about 8pm when I got home, I wonder if it hit higher during the day, not sure.
 
humm wife says the tank temp is at 84 right now, I think that's the highest I've seen it, other corals and fish looks fine. Also one side of the mantle is up and the other down like 1/2 of it, yesterday it was both sides down tours the back.
 
This is what it looked like December/January 08
dendroDec067.jpg
 
the anemone just might be doing it, also it pretty close to what looks like an elegance and they have very nasty stings
 
I will get it away from the elegance that could be the problem, but not sure they been together for a long time and I don't see them touching, just occationally when the clam moves that way and I usually put it back, the anemone it's been there close to a year on the same spot but what would be the best way to get it to move?
 
Ok, I removed the anemone, if you look at the pictures it was attached to the left front side of the the clam it does look pretty bad on that side, now I don't get why the back of it's all withdrawn.
It does have good reflexions when I picked it up, it shoot water outside the tank.

The first picture is after a few minutes of removing the anemone.
DSC09607.jpg


A close up
DSC09609.jpg


And this one is about 30 minutes later, gapping big but I've seen this before on this guy.

DSC09616.jpg
 
So far the clam made it through the night, it's not gapping anymore (it was still gapping couple hours after the lights went off last night), I think I see some improvement on the mantle extension but lights are off. This clam never closes all the way. I re-test the nitrates and it's at .2ppm (salifert) it's the lowest I've seen it for a while, calc 400.
 
I agree with the elegance theory. Do you run GFO or phosban? If so, try discontinuing use and add as much carbon as you can. Keep an eye on it too and make sure nothing is picking on it. Sometimes fish randomly go to the "dark side" after being fine for a long time. Id supsect the clowns or the blennies. Best of luck to you
 
Hi, I don't run a GFO or phosban. I'm going to get some carbon tonight and also I might build an eggcrate cage for it just incase someone is picking at it, I did see the Starry Blennie try to clean the white area inside the clam but I think that is just the nature of the fish (1 time), not sure, the other fish that is fearly new is the kole 3+months but I doubt that's the one, the other 2 clams are fine.
 
I have a clownfish that only attacks squamosa's. He is fine with other clams. From the bright side I got to add another 20 gallons of tank to my system becuase of him. Fish can be wierd.
 
Here are some pics I just took, it seems that it's puffing up again at least the front of it but the back still sunken in. Stills reacts good to shadows.
gigas001.jpg


Close up of the back
gigas002.jpg
 
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