Help with a new maxima

[nauti1us]

I just brought home a very nice 3" Gold Tear drop maxima. In the LFS the mantle was fully extended and the clam looked in good health.

I brought it home and prepared to put it into my quarentine tank. Before doing that I acclimated the clam to proper temp etc. I also performed a freshwater dip which is where I think I went wrong...

I sat the clam is RO/DI water for 15 minutes and then put it into my quarentine tank.

Checking on the clam this morning, the clam looks pretty bad. The mantle is patially out, but doesn't react to light changes. When I pass my hand over the top of the tank, it doesn't twitch. When I gently press on the shell, the shell appearts spongy and not firm, as if the muscles have let go. The mantle edges appear to be curled along the edges...

I'm afraid I've really screwed this guy up with my freshwater dip. I had heard from a reliable source that it's ok to freshwater dip clams but I'm thinking that maximas may not tolerate that long of a period (15 min).

Can anyone advise me of what I can do to save this clam..?

 

[Rovert]

Opinions vary, but I don't see a reason to do a FWD without cause. The clam was probably stressed enough already by the trip to the LFS, and who knows whether or not the conditions there were adequate.

Leave him in the QT tank, don't disturb him, make sure he has enough light, and see what happens over the coming few days. You might also consider feeding phytoplankton just in case. Opinions differ on this also, but I see no harm, and only possible benefit from a feeding with the proper food.

 

[GreenSarco]

He might pull out under the right conditions. I never fresh water dip a clam. The only thing I do is scrub the shell with a toothbrush just to make sure there aren't any pyramid snails. good luck.

 

[nauti1us]

This morning (over 24 hours later) the clam is now sensitive to light changes again... thank god... yesterday it would not even twitch when I passed my hand over it.

Now, it is much more responsive and is looking better. I really though it was doomed.

FWIW, a few weeks back I was talking to a gentleman from Clams Direct who told me that as long as I do it correctly and as long as the clam is reasonably healthy, a freshwater dip is considered ok to do especially if the clam has pinched mantle or some other condition that warrents it.

In my case, I discovered that the LFS had flatworms in the main system. I wasn't 100% sure that the tank where my clam came from was safe so I aired on the side of caution and went for the FWD.

That was the reason for the FWD. It was either that or flatworm exit... and I assmed that the FWD would be easier on the clam...