I lost my 3 year old Squamosa today

[Bayliner]

Really feeling bad right now.
I noticed last night things were not looking normal and I thought about doing a fresh water dip, but decided to see how it did through the night. Today it was dead. I have no idea why. I checked all parameters and everything was normal.

The tank is fishless, Just two clams.... well now one clam and the rest is all SPS corals. I have not added any new live stock in the last 6 months, as this is the tank I use for growing out my frags.

The only thing different is that I added a phosphate sponge last week. But I have used them in the past and never had any problems.

The whole family is upset about this loss, as it was our first clam. 2.5 " when we got it and it was over 6" when I took it out today. It also had two new layers of white shell growth showing. It always had two nice white new growth layers since we had it.

Cam

 

[Rockhead21564]

Sorry, I hate losing "a buddy". Always wonder what I did to him/her, we name them. Again sorry.

 

[rharr21]

Sorry to hear about your loss.

 

[Bayliner]

Thanks guys,
I know what you mean by blaming yourself.. I am wondering right now what I could have done....

 

[Apon]

I lost a 13 inch squamosa not to long ago.....not really sure why it died either. Sorry for the loss.

 

[nickj88]

Sorry about the loss.

 

[Zoalander]

Sorry for your loss, sometimes things just die.

 

[critterkeeper]

How are/were you providing nutrients for your clams if they were being kept in a fishless tank? Just curious...

 

[Bayliner]

Thank you everyone for the kind words.

Critterkeeper, I feed the tank phyto, DT's, Golden Pearls and frozen cyclop on a rotating schedule. I figured that would produce nutrients into the tank.
If I am wrong I would really appreciate some help on this, as I still have a clam in that tank. It is a two-year-old Crocea.

Thanks,
Cam

 

[critterkeeper]

Just checking. Are you using the "Active Spheres" golden pearls? They're the right size, but the rest are probably to big to be useful.

See link if you don't know what I mean:
http://www.brineshrimpdirect.com/other_goldpearl_particle.html

I have tried to find particle size info fro cyclopese but haven't had any luck. the manufacturer's (LiquidLife) web site is down, too. I'd bet it's way to big for clams to eat though. Could be wrong...

Take a look at this too:
http://www.phytofeast.com/

good stuff

BTW- stuff that doesn't get eaten will be broken down by bacteria, and the clams can absorb to resultant ammonia and other nutrients directly from the water. But, if your going to use foods, you might as well give them something they can take directly. That way you don't end up with a bunch of algae competing for the nutrients.

 

[kevensquint]

IMO, cyclopeeze is too big. Clams supposidly eat phyto which is so tiny you only see it as a colored liquid. With cyclopeeze you can easily see the shape of each little critter, like a copepod...too big.

 

[Bayliner]

Good point, I should have mentioned that all of the above food I mentioned are for the differnt types of corals in the tank. I never really intended for any of them to be for the clams.

I figured calcium and lots of light was enough.

Cam

 

[kevensquint]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6351829#post6351829 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Bayliner
I figured calcium and lots of light was enough.

Cam

If the clam is over 3" it is. Add good ALK, PH and S.G. levels to the Ca and light and your on your way.

 

[Vamp75]

Sorry for the loss

 

[nanoreefbro]

Sorry to hear about your lossI just started keeping clams several months ago and I just bought a 4" Maxima..

 

[botp2k1]

Sorry to hear about that, when clams go, usually they go fast which makes it so much more painful.