His hole is bigger....

[Whiterabbitrage]

Got my first clam two days ago. A maxima, about 3 inches. His mantle is fully extended and he looks good. But today I noticed his " hole" is twice as big as it was. It's the incurrent siphon. It's huge now! I can see inside the clam. Is this normal? Does it mean anything? Nothing is irritating the clam from what I can see. I don't have any aggressive fish. Maybe a hermit? The hole doesn't look eaten or torn to me, just stretched very wide, but I'm not an expert.
I'll post a picture if someone can tell me how to post a pic from iPad.

 

[Nina51]

my clam did this once. no idea what caused it but like you, i could see down inside. weird!! it was like that for a couple of days and then back to normal. i've had this clam for 2 years. it happened several weeks ago.

 

[Whiterabbitrage]

Thank you for the response Nina. You are always so nice. Congrads on your 2 year old clam!

Do you remember what it looked like when you looked into the clam? There doesn't seem to be much flesh. Is it supposed to be covered with flesh in there? I can see the inside of the shell. That can't be good. And some of the flesh in there is colored like the mantle although it is inside the clam that seems weird.
The clams intake is stretched wide open but the output siphon looks closed. In the pictures I see the output siphon is always open. I guess there is nothing I can do so I don't know why I am worried. I'll just have to wait and see. I just wish I knew what was happening.

 

[rt67ghy]

A pic would help but it sounds like it's gaping. It's a sign of stress. If all your parameters are fine it should recover. It's best to leave it alone for a couple of weeks so it doesn't increase the stress.

 

[Nina51]

i agree with rt, morgan. i'd just leave it alone for now and see if it improves. i honestly don't remember what it looked like down inside but i remember being very concerned that i was gonna lose it. quite the contrary, he's in perfect shape **touch wood!**

i did come home to a dead kole tang today. he was fine this morning, stiff as a board when i got home from work. no idea what happened, i'll probably never know. i'm watching my tank very closely for right now but i usually figure if my clam in happy, the rest of the tank is.

 

[Whiterabbitrage]

Thank you guys. I will keep my hands off.
Sorry about your Kole, Nina. hope it was just one of those things and that everything else stays healthy.

 

[Whiterabbitrage]

Just an update. The exhainant siphon ( is that what it's called?) is more normal size now. I sure hope this is a good sign, but only time will tell. I'm crossing my fingers that it lives as long as your clam, Nina.

 

[AirForceAquariu]

i usually figure if my clam in happy, the rest of the tank is.

That is how I am with my nem (rock flower) if he is open and happy then all is probably well

 

[Nina51]

so far, so good. haven't had any more deaths, corals are all happy campers. no idea what happened with the tang but i sure miss him in my tank!

Just an update. The exhainant siphon ( is that what it's called?) is more normal size now. I sure hope this is a good sign, but only time will tell. I'm crossing my fingers that it lives as long as your clam, Nina.

this is exactly how my clam's situation played out. he's been just fine ever since. seems to have even had a growth spurt or it's my imagination that he's taking up a lot more room on the sand bed.