Is this a clear case of PM?

cant see enough from the photo, can you get a better one

picture20064sa5.jpg
 
Let me add a bit more detail while I wait for a response. The above picture was taken over the weekend. This morning I found the maxima laying in the sand on its side. I originaly placed him high on the rocks and he attached to the rock right away. Since my lighting is T5, I thought he should be placed in the top 1/3 of the tank to get more light. So, after finding him in the sand this morning I placed him back on the rock and he reattached. However, only around 1/2 of his mantle is extended beyond the clam shell. here are my water parameters:

PH 8.0
Cal 560
alk 120
Nitrite and Nitrate 0
Temp 80.5
Sal 1.024(1/2)

Im running carbon in the overflow box. I just changed it this morning.
 
can you list all fish, shrimp and crabs

from the cropped photo i don't see any curling of the mantle, just retraction. your Ca is kinda high and your Alk is low, what is your Mg and how do you maintain Ca,Alk Mg?
 
Last edited:
I use RO water and change 10% weekly. I have not found it necessary to use any additive to adjust Ca or Alk. Now I see that I am borderline on the alk and PH. I may need to look into some sort of buffer additive to bump up the alk. I’ll pick up a test kit for Mg tomorrow and post the results. That’s the one test kit I haven’t gotten yet.

List of tank mates:
Pair of mated Coral Banded Shrimp
Green Emerald Crab
Sea Serpent Starfish
Brittle Starfish
Reef safe Hermits
Pair of false Perc Clowns
Bicolor Blenny

I researched all of them prior to purchasing the clam and found the only possible problem to be the blenny. However, I have not seen him pick at the clam so far.
 
I went through this myself with four other clams over the past month or so. Mine looked very much like yours. They began retracting, and then slowly withered away and died.

I also went through the same discussion you are... testing parameters, listing tank inhabitants, adding carbon... and so on.

I have no scientific basis for this statement, but I truly think that this is a manifestation of PM as it appears in Maximas. The photos of what PM look like are almost always showing it in a Crocea. I don't think I've seen a single photo of PM in a Maxima from an authoritative source.

I'm tagging on to this, so I can keep an eye on the outcome. Hope it all works out for you.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10126431#post10126431 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Rovert
I went through this myself with four other clams over the past month or so. Mine looked very much like yours. They began retracting, and then slowly withered away and died.

I also went through the same discussion you are... testing parameters, listing tank inhabitants, adding carbon... and so on.

I have no scientific basis for this statement, but I truly think that this is a manifestation of PM as it appears in Maximas. The photos of what PM look like are almost always showing it in a Crocea. I don't think I've seen a single photo of PM in a Maxima from an authoritative source.

I'm tagging on to this, so I can keep an eye on the outcome. Hope it all works out for you.
Click to expand...

Rovert, as i explained to you before PM manifests it self the same way regardless of species. i keep mostly Maximas and have lost quite a few to PM

heres one of a maxima in the early stages

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1124899&highlight=pinched+mantle

heres a Crocea and a Derasa showing the same signs

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=8203433#post8203433

heres a Squamosa showing the same signs

20070605pc6.jpg


the common denominator is the upward and inward curling of the mantle. sometimes you also get slime comming from where the shell and mantle meet
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10125659#post10125659 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gcpowers

Bicolor Blenny

I researched all of them prior to purchasing the clam and found the only possible problem to be the blenny. However, I have not seen him pick at the clam so far.
Click to expand...

get your water parameters in line and cover the clam so that fish cant get to it. cut the top of a clear 2L soda bottle, drill some holes in it for water flow and place it over the clam
 
Ill have to order a Magnesium test kit online. After 4 stops at various pet stores, I give up. I sure feel bad for the saltwater fish at “Petco, where the (condemned) pets go”.

Events from last night:
I have the PH and Alc up to acceptable parameters now thanks to one dosage of Kent superbuffer. Still running heavy carbon.
PH â€"œ 8.2
Alk â€"œ 180
The maxima is still looking pretty bad and seems slightly worse. After close examination of the mantle it looks shriveled for a lack of a better word. I do not see any torn tissue as I might expect to see if he were getting nipped at by the blenny.
I decided to perform a FW dip on the clam because I don’t want to wait until he is too sick to recover from one. I followed directions I found on the Clamsdirect Forums.
After adjusting the FW temp to match my tank temp, I pulled the complete rock the clam is attached to and dumped it into the 5 gallon buck of fw. I left him in for 20 minutes and used a turkey baster to shoot water around the clam shell. I then put the rock with clam back in my tank. He stayed closed for around 30 -45 minutes. Once he opened, he looked slightly better.

This Morning:
My first stop from bed is to check the maxima. I am saddened to see him lying in the sand. Once again during the night, he unattached from the rock and fell in the sandbed. This time I get a smaller rock and hope he attaches to it. Its tough moving huge rocks in the aquarium! I placed him in the same area of the tank, however. ( Anyone know how to explain to your boss you’re late because you’ve been taking care of a sick clam?)

Anyway, I get home from work and the maxi looks really good! He has great extension and I see nothing at all amiss. I’ll try and get a picture of it and post shortly. At this point, I’m convinced that the FW dip really helped the clam. I will not go so far to say that its PM, I’ll defer to the experts here. Maybe a different parasite infected the clam? I removed the carbon and will wait to see what happens.
 
Magnesium has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with your clam's current situation. Is it good to maintain MG at NSW levels? Yes, of course. Is it bad and cause serious issues like one you are having.......no. Don't go in a tailspin looking for a mg test kit when it ain't gonna help you.

Also, what is an ALK of 180? I dont know what your measuring the alkalinity in but it isnt DKH or meq/l.

I would provide the clam with a clean environment...and leave it the hell alone...thats my .02 cent.

I have had two clams do that....i provide optimum water quality and leave the dang things alone and they come around just fine.

All this advice to go tinkering a do FW dips is nonsensical.
 
My other thoughts are do you have this thing in really high direct flow? If you do this can cause it to tense up like it is and also how long has this tank been set up? The rock looks bare and like it is brand new.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10134810#post10134810 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Serioussnaps
Magnesium has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with your clam's current situation. Is it good to maintain MG at NSW levels? Yes, of course. Is it bad and cause serious issues like one you are having.......no.
Click to expand...

if you read the first post you will see that the Ca is high and Alk is low. and they didnt provide a Mg #. low Mg is a common couse for high, low Alk. low Alk can cause the condition the clam was showing. if Mg is low its very hard to raise Alk and get Ca/Alk Mg back into line.

Also, what is an ALK of 180?
Click to expand...

it being measured in ppm.

provide optimum water quality
Click to expand...

that's why i asked about Mg in the first place

All this advice to go tinkering a do FW dips is nonsensical.
Click to expand...

relax and reread the thread. no one recommended to do a FWD
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10134810#post10134810 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Serioussnaps
Magnesium has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with your clam's current situation. Is it good to maintain MG at NSW levels? Yes, of course. Is it bad and cause serious issues like one you are having......
Click to expand...

just to make sure you are saying, Mg levels have nothing to do with your Alk and Ca levels?

i think you need to go back and read the chemistry and the aquarium article published years ago. while Mg levels aren't going to be the cause they may be a tell tale sign of the problem.
 
Ill have to order a Magnesium test kit online. After 4 stops at various pet stores, I give up. I sure feel bad for the saltwater fish at “Petco, where the (condemned) pets go”.

Events from last night:
I have the PH and Alc up to acceptable parameters now thanks to one dosage of Kent superbuffer. Still running heavy carbon.
PH â€"œ 8.2
Alk â€"œ 180
The maxima is still looking pretty bad and seems slightly worse. After close examination of the mantle it looks shriveled for a lack of a better word. I do not see any torn tissue as I might expect to see if he were getting nipped at by the blenny.
I decided to perform a FW dip on the clam because I don’t want to wait until he is too sick to recover from one. I followed directions I found on the Clamsdirect Forums.
After adjusting the FW temp to match my tank temp, I pulled the complete rock the clam is attached to and dumped it into the 5 gallon buck of fw. I left him in for 20 minutes and used a turkey baster to shoot water around the clam shell. I then put the rock with clam back in my tank. He stayed closed for around 30 -45 minutes. Once he opened, he looked slightly better.

This Morning:
My first stop from bed is to check the maxima. I am saddened to see him lying in the sand. Once again during the night, he unattached from the rock and fell in the sandbed. This time I get a smaller rock and hope he attaches to it. Its tough moving huge rocks in the aquarium! I placed him in the same area of the tank, however. ( Anyone know how to explain to your boss you’re late because you’ve been taking care of a sick clam?)

Anyway, I get home from work and the maxi looks really good! He has great extension and I see nothing at all amiss. I’ll try and get a picture of it and post shortly. At this point, I’m convinced that the FW dip really helped the clam. I will not go so far to say that its PM, I’ll defer to the experts here. Maybe a different parasite infected the clam? I removed the carbon and will wait to see what happens.
 
Several of my boyfriend and I's clams started showing signs of PM, and every one of the FW dips we have done have proven effective. I'm still learning much about care of clams, but so far so good, keep up with the FW dips
 
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