HELP-losing my clam!

[lynn53]

I've had this large squamosa for quite some time and just went on vacation for the last two weeks. I returned today to find him looking like this. He is totally shrunken in, so shrunken that there are wrinkles. He syphon part almost looks like it was bit off? He is only opening up this amount in the picture. All water parameters are good ...no changes there. Can anyone help me ..please?
thanks so much in advance

 

[mbbuna]

how was your tank maintained while you were gone? how do/did you maintain ALK?

please post all test results from every test kit you have

 

[lynn53]

Oh, my daughter looks after it (26 yrs old) and does the top up etc.
nitrates-10ppm
amm 0
alk 12
cal 400
ph 8.2
she fed the usual dose of DT's and oyster eggs, phyto etc. that we feed everynight. topped up everynight with the usual water and additives.
I have no fish in there that are known to pick at a clam..
purple tang,pair of clowns,manderin, a watchman goby and the rest are fairy and flasher wrasses. I watch my tank alot and have never seen one even remotely looking like they are interested in picking on him.
temp 78 (same as it's been)
lighting on same schedule.
It's been in this tank for 4 months now and normally looks beautiful and open.
thanks again

 

[ezcompany]

i suspect its the purple tang.
what type of lighting is it under?

 

[lynn53]

Oh, almost forgot ...added a 40w UV sterlizer 4 weeks ago.

 

[lynn53]

lighting is 3 250 metal halides and a 4 foot stip of compacts.

 

[mbbuna]

topped up everynight with the usual water and additives.

please elaborate.

 

[lynn53]

topped up with water and cal turbo from Kent that I've used for seven years

 

[mbbuna]

we really need more info. how do you maintain ALK? please tell us what product and exactly how they are added. do you drip them slowly? if so what does slowly mean to you? 1/2 hour? 14 hours? do you add them to the sump or to the tank? does your daughter always add the additives or way this the first time? could she have missed a dose and then tried to make up for it the next day? are your lights on a timer? could your lights have been left on longer then normal?

 

[lynn53]

The alk basically maintains inself. I add my amount of calcuim turbo to the pail and stir. I then pour it into the sump. Lights are on a timer. Thanks, but I really believe that this is not the problem otherwise it would be showing these symtoms long time ago. The more I look at it the more I think that some critter or fish is nipping at it. I have removed it from that tank and put it in another tank (that also has clams) It is opening up a bit more, but it really looks like the it's syhon is actually missing. It either has got bit off or it's atophied for some reasons. If you look close it is also got little almost bite marks around it's edge.
thanks

 

[RedEyeElf]

Pinch Mantle?

 

[mbbuna]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9494339#post9494339 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by lynn53
The alk basically maintains inself.

????????

 

[lynn53]

Yeah, I never touch the alkinity. Haven't since my tanks have been set up. It stays right around 12 all the time. Our well water that i use for changes and top up has alot to do with that. I'm lucky it works this way for me. Also, my PH never drops below 8.2 and I add nothing to keep it that way. To keep the calcuim level up I merely add Kent calcuim booster every night. I've maintained before with the two part system (when I first got into salt) and have used Argamight with good sucess as well.