Maxima Clam seems to be in bad way

[serbusfish]

My Maxima clam looks quite unhealthy. For the last few days the shell has been open but the tissue is retracted inside. It was attached to the rockwork but I found it no longer is and its foot is frayed and is hanging off it with not much tissue attached. Also if I look through the clams 'hole' (not sure what its called) I can see right through it.

It is my first clam and ive only had it around a month, can anyone tell me whats going on? My tanks parameters are all within healthy 'reef' conditions and all my corals and fish are happy. Clam is midway up tank under Maxspect Razor LED's and is in low/medium flow.

 

[MondoBongo]

it sounds like it is dead.

sorry for your loss.

there's not much you can really do for clams aside from providing them the right conditions. picking a good, healthy specimen is one of the only other proactive things you can do. even then it can be more art than science in some cases.

 

[serbusfish]

it sounds like it is dead.

sorry for your loss.

there's not much you can really do for clams aside from providing them the right conditions. picking a good, healthy specimen is one of the only other proactive things you can do. even then it can be more art than science in some cases.

That's not very reassuring! It still closes up if I pick it up so it still has life, I just dont know what could be wrong as it seemed nice and health when I bought it?

 

[rt67ghy]

it sounds like it is dead.

sorry for your loss.

there's not much you can really do for clams aside from providing them the right conditions. picking a good, healthy specimen is one of the only other proactive things you can do. even then it can be more art than science in some cases.

+1
If it's not dead now, it will be in a couple of days. I had a clam which died so I know the symptoms. When they reach this stage there's nothing you can do to save them.

I know how you feel. I was devastated when mine died. Sorry for your loss.

 

[cnreef]

Rest in peace, my condolences

 

[C.Eymann]

Sounds like it maybe done for, you will know when it's dead, all your crabs and CUC will be going after it.

When you say you can see right through its hole do you mean incurrent siphon or bylassal gland (foot)?

 

[MondoBongo]

That's not very reassuring! It still closes up if I pick it up so it still has life, I just dont know what could be wrong as it seemed nice and health when I bought it?

These guys are tough. They can linger around a while in poor health before finally giving up the ghost.

Your initial description made it seem like the mantel was retracted inside the shell and that the clam was stretched between the two halves of the shell. Is that accurate?

The best indicator for long term health is usually the shells growth edge. If it looks well defined and clean that's a good sign. On any species of tridacna it should be visible at the very end of the shell, under the mantel, and will appear as a pearly white, clean band of new shell precipitation.

 

[serbusfish]

It died...

I dont understand why though. I was sure all its needs were being met, the only thing I can think of is not enough light? It was under LED's but only midway up, it was under Radions in shallow water at the store.

Either way its £70 down the drain.

 

[lokmar]

Any chance something ripped it off the rockwork? The reason I ask is because I had an urchin who became attracted to pealing up my clam to eat the byssal threads. Like an idiot, I let it happened 3 times over the course of 6 months or so and the third time the clam died. The urchin was given to me by my daughter.

 

[ca1ore]

Anytime a clam recedes down inside the shell it's a gonner. My own personal opinion is that it's likely malnutrition. A sign to look for is the white growing edge on the shell. Absent that clam is not in good shape.

 

[serbusfish]

Any chance something ripped it off the rockwork? The reason I ask is because I had an urchin who became attracted to pealing up my clam to eat the byssal threads. Like an idiot, I let it happened 3 times over the course of 6 months or so and the third time the clam died. The urchin was given to me by my daughter.

I dont have an Urchin, only thing that is strong enough is my Emerald crab.

Anytime a clam recedes down inside the shell it's a gonner. My own personal opinion is that it's likely malnutrition. A sign to look for is the white growing edge on the shell. Absent that clam is not in good shape.

It did have a white rim... why would it be malnourished? Lack of light or something else because I didnt think they needed feeding otherwise?

 

[ca1ore]

It did have a white rim... why would it be malnourished? Lack of light or something else because I didnt think they needed feeding otherwise?

Maxima's do need a ton of light, so the lack of it during the collection and shipping process could have done it in (was it a new purchase?). They also need dissolved nutrients form the water so in a low nutrient coral system, keeping them alive can be problematic. It's also possible that in the process of falling off the rock that the byssal gland was damaged which can also spell doom for these animals.

 

[Mwhreefer]

Anytime a clam recedes down inside the shell it's a gonner. My own personal opinion is that it's likely malnutrition. A sign to look for is the white growing edge on the shell. Absent that clam is not in good shape.

Yeah that is correct.:sad2:

 

[Nina51]

i just recently lost a clam with the same symptoms, same description as the OP did. i'd had this clam for several years. it was probably 2" when i bought it and it ended up being about 9". the mantle simply receded into the shell. i saw nothing parasitic and it had been anchored to the bottom glass for over 2 years. made me sick to lose it.

 

[MondoBongo]

i just recently lost a clam with the same symptoms, same description as the OP did. i'd had this clam for several years. it was probably 2" when i bought it and it ended up being about 9". the mantle simply receded into the shell. i saw nothing parasitic and it had been anchored to the bottom glass for over 2 years. made me sick to lose it.

sorry for your loss. dealing with losing a long term pet is hard enough, not being able to find a root cause makes it even worse.

 

[Nina51]

yeah, i was and still am pretty bummed about it. nothing had changed in my tank, no new additions, my bulbs aren't old enough to make a difference, everything else is doing great, i test regularly, blah blah blah. it just...died.