I think I have a problem. Experts please help!

gregt

Premium Member
I've had this clam for over a year and it's been growing like a weed. Suddenly today he looks like he's gaping to me.

I don't know why he would suddenly take ill, other than I did just add another VHO bulb this weekend, so maybe that is bothering him?

Should I move him lower? Is this a normal reaction to higher lighting? Is there something more serious wrong? What should I do? Can you think of any questions I haven't asked? :)
<CENTER><TABLE> <TR> <TD COLSPAN = 3><CENTER><IMG SRC=http://www.saltyzoo.com/180/critters/020910/gt020910_1905_02-cp-am-512.jpg></CENTER></TD> </TR> <TR> <TD COLSPAN = 3><B>GT020910_1905_02-cp-am</B> - Is this clam gaping?</TD> </TR> </TABLE><TABLE CELLSPACING=20><TR> <TD><A TARGET=_blank HREF=http://www.saltyzoo.com/Photo.jsp?urlStr=/180/critters/020910&name=gt020910_1905_02-cp-am-1024>1024x768 (113.0K)</A></TD> <TD><A TARGET=_blank HREF=http://www.saltyzoo.com/Photo.jsp?urlStr=/180/critters/020910&name=gt020910_1905_02-cp-am-512> (41.0K)</A></TD> <TD><A TARGET=_blank HREF=http://www.saltyzoo.com/Photo.jsp?urlStr=/180/critters/020910&name=gt020910_1905_02-cp-am> (328.0K)</A></TD> </TR> </TABLE> <BR> <TABLE><TR><td align=center><a TARGET=_blank HREF=http://www.saltyzoo.com/PhotoAlbum.jsp?urlStr=/180/critters/020910><img SRC=http://www.saltyzoo.com/buttons/home.gif border=0></a></td> <td align=center><a TARGET=_blank HREF=http://www.saltyzoo.com/Photo.jsp?urlStr=/180/critters/020910&name=GT020910_1905_05-cp-am-512><img SRC=http://www.saltyzoo.com/buttons/right.gif border=0></a></td> </tr></TABLE></CENTER>
<CENTER><TABLE> <TR> <TD COLSPAN = 3><CENTER><IMG SRC=http://www.saltyzoo.com/180/critters/020910/gt020910_1905_05-cp-am-512.jpg></CENTER></TD> </TR> <TR> <TD COLSPAN = 3><B>GT020910_1905_05-cp-am</B> - Here is a shot from below. In over a year, I've never seen him look like this.</TD> </TR> </TABLE><TABLE CELLSPACING=20><TR> <TD><A TARGET=_blank HREF=http://www.saltyzoo.com/Photo.jsp?urlStr=/180/critters/020910&name=gt020910_1905_05-cp-am-1024>1024x768 (127.0K)</A></TD> <TD><A TARGET=_blank HREF=http://www.saltyzoo.com/Photo.jsp?urlStr=/180/critters/020910&name=gt020910_1905_05-cp-am-512> (43.0K)</A></TD> <TD><A TARGET=_blank HREF=http://www.saltyzoo.com/Photo.jsp?urlStr=/180/critters/020910&name=gt020910_1905_05-cp-am> (361.0K)</A></TD> </TR> </TABLE> <BR> <TABLE><TR><td align=center><a TARGET=_blank HREF=http://www.saltyzoo.com/Photo.jsp?urlStr=/180/critters/020910&name=GT020910_1905_02-cp-am-512><img SRC=http://www.saltyzoo.com/buttons/left.gif border=0></a></td> <td align=center><a TARGET=_blank HREF=http://www.saltyzoo.com/PhotoAlbum.jsp?urlStr=/180/critters/020910><img SRC=http://www.saltyzoo.com/buttons/home.gif border=0></a></td> <td align=center><a TARGET=_blank HREF=http://www.saltyzoo.com/Photo.jsp?urlStr=/180/critters/020910&name=GT020910_1906_07-cp-am-512><img SRC=http://www.saltyzoo.com/buttons/right.gif border=0></a></td> </tr></TABLE></CENTER>
<CENTER><TABLE> <TR> <TD COLSPAN = 3><CENTER><IMG SRC=http://www.saltyzoo.com/180/critters/020910/gt020910_1906_07-cp-am-512.jpg></CENTER></TD> </TR> <TR> <TD COLSPAN = 3><B>GT020910_1906_07-cp-am</B> - This is as far as I could get him to close. Normally when I disturb the water like this he closes up completely. This is what bothers me the most.</TD> </TR> </TABLE><TABLE CELLSPACING=20><TR> <TD><A TARGET=_blank HREF=http://www.saltyzoo.com/Photo.jsp?urlStr=/180/critters/020910&name=gt020910_1906_07-cp-am-1024>1024x768 (118.0K)</A></TD> <TD><A TARGET=_blank HREF=http://www.saltyzoo.com/Photo.jsp?urlStr=/180/critters/020910&name=gt020910_1906_07-cp-am-512> (43.0K)</A></TD> <TD><A TARGET=_blank HREF=http://www.saltyzoo.com/Photo.jsp?urlStr=/180/critters/020910&name=gt020910_1906_07-cp-am> (323.0K)</A></TD> </TR> </TABLE> <BR> <TABLE><TR><td align=center><a TARGET=_blank HREF=http://www.saltyzoo.com/Photo.jsp?urlStr=/180/critters/020910&name=GT020910_1905_05-cp-am-512><img SRC=http://www.saltyzoo.com/buttons/left.gif border=0></a></td> <td align=center><a TARGET=_blank HREF=http://www.saltyzoo.com/PhotoAlbum.jsp?urlStr=/180/critters/020910><img SRC=http://www.saltyzoo.com/buttons/home.gif border=0></a></td> </tr></TABLE></CENTER>

Thanks in advance for any advice,
 
Greg, I'm not sure if I see any problems in that picture. It certainly doesn't look like it's gaping. All I am seeing is just a happy extension of the mantle. What exactly about the clam is worrying you?

Higher lighting should *might* have an affect on it, but even that usually isn't something you should be concerned with.

Everything looks good fromthe pictures.
 
Is the white you see the clam or the mantle? From what I've seen, it looks pretty normal. I don't think it would need more light if it has been doing fine. You say you added some new lighting? Maybe try cutting that light for a day and see what happens.

Rock Anemone :D
 
Well, I'm happy to report that I think this was a false alarm.

I moved the clam to the sandbed (it had be only a few inches from the water surface) and as I was moving him (actually I was moving his base rock) I noticed that he was rather loosely attached, and also that he closed up tight. (Thank goodness)

After 30 minutes on the sandbed, he has returned to perfectly normal!!!!

I believe he was just acting strangely because he was trying to move away from the brighter lights.
 
Greg, I am assuming that the incurrent siphon normally is more closed than the picturfe you are showing? Have yoiu added any other new livestock, clams, coral or fish? I also am assuming that you have tested normal water parameters?
Nitrite
Nitrate
Ammonia
PH
Salinity
Calcium
Alkalinity

Have you changed feeding amounts or types of food you feed?

I have several clams in my personal system so do not gape at all, and some have been gaping for months with no ill effects.

The addition of more light is a possiblility, what kind of light did you add? Actinic or sunlight? How many watts?

Have you changed any dosing like trace elements?

Maybe he is just having a bad day! Best of luck, Rob
 
Thanks for your help everybody, but disaster seems to have been averted. Here's how he looks this morning:

<CENTER><TABLE> <TR> <TD COLSPAN = 3><CENTER><IMG SRC=http://www.saltyzoo.com/180/critters/020910/gt020911_0753_05-cp-am-512.jpg></CENTER></TD> </TR> <TR> <TD COLSPAN = 3><B>GT020911_0753_05-cp-am</B> - Happy as a Clam</TD> </TR> </TABLE><TABLE CELLSPACING=20><TR> <TD><A TARGET=_blank HREF=http://www.saltyzoo.com/Photo.jsp?urlStr=/180/critters/020910&name=gt020911_0753_05-cp-am-1024>1024x768 (125.0K)</A></TD> <TD><A TARGET=_blank HREF=http://www.saltyzoo.com/Photo.jsp?urlStr=/180/critters/020910&name=gt020911_0753_05-cp-am-512> (43.0K)</A></TD> <TD><A TARGET=_blank HREF=http://www.saltyzoo.com/Photo.jsp?urlStr=/180/critters/020910&name=gt020911_0753_05-cp-am> (374.0K)</A></TD> </TR> </TABLE> <BR> <TABLE><TR><td align=center><a TARGET=_blank HREF=http://www.saltyzoo.com/Photo.jsp?urlStr=/180/critters/020910&name=GT020910_1906_07-cp-am-512><img SRC=http://www.saltyzoo.com/buttons/left.gif border=0></a></td> <td align=center><a TARGET=_blank HREF=http://www.saltyzoo.com/PhotoAlbum.jsp?urlStr=/180/critters/020910><img SRC=http://www.saltyzoo.com/buttons/home.gif border=0></a></td> <td align=center><a TARGET=_blank HREF=http://www.saltyzoo.com/Photo.jsp?urlStr=/180/critters/020910&name=GT020911_0752_01-cp-am-512><img SRC=http://www.saltyzoo.com/buttons/right.gif border=0></a></td> </tr></TABLE></CENTER>
 
Excellent clam Greg. I bought a 2" maxima a couple of months ago. After two weeks it also started looking like your first pic which panicked me.:eek: It had never attached to the rock so I also moved mine to the sandbed. Looked great after that.
 
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