Nursing a clam back to health

[KurtsReef]

I picked up a 5-6" crocea clam one week ago today that appeared to be healthy.

First couple of days it continued to extend its mantle and would move around (jump from the rocks) and I would find another spot to put it back on a rock hoping it would like the new home.

I assumed when I purchased it that the algae in my tank (scrapped of the glass daily lately) and the cyclopeeze would be enough...then read the cyclopeeze were too large for the clam and planned on picking up some photyoplankton... I did pick up some rotifers and phyotoplankton yesterday to feed it on a regular basis hoping to nurse it back to life (it still looked pretty much ok yesterday morning) but when I got home it appears the clam has started to come un attached from the shell near where the opening begins.

I mixed up some rotifers and plankton, then added some vitamins allowing it to soak as well as get to tank temperature then released it near the clams...

Should I use some MelaFix or something to help bring the clam back or is it a gonner? I wish I had gotten too the store to pick up some food for it sooner

 

[jmaneyapanda]

A subject of much debate, but many (myself included) contend that clams do not need to be purposefully fed. You clam is declining because the minimal conditions aren't being met (lots of lights, proper calcium, alkalinity, and flow, stable salinity and temp). Get/make sure these are in check, and you should be on the right path. Without these, the best clam food in the world wont help.

 

[KurtsReef]

Well, I guess its a possibility that it does not like something about the tank water but all the parameters are fine (have not checked the alk, but will). Could not say for sure what the water flow was like where he was, but unless it needs a real high flow it should have been fine.

In Georgia and a Sabres fan? Love it

 

[jmaneyapanda]

It could also be just suffering from stress. Nonetheless, A clam that is moving about is unhappy with its surroundings, so try to find that sweet spot.

Yeah, I was born and rasied in Buffalo, and moved to Georgia. I suffered many years of watching them suck, and it almost appears they might be headed that way again this year. We'll see. Worst case scenario, I jump on the Thrashers bandwagon.

 

[KurtsReef]

I ran some tests again today, nothing looks 'bad' too me. Ca was only 440 ppm so I added enough buffer and calcium to bring it up a bit. KH was 179, Phosphates were under .25 I have trouble with the colors on that test but it was somewhere between the 0.0 and .25 markings. Nitrates were 10ppm which after an issue I had after adding some live rock is very good, alk was at 2.9 and PH at 8.4. Ammonia tested at 0.0 and salinity at 1.025

Temp was very high last week (up to 85 for a sustained period) but is back down to 80 right now at the hottest point of the day. I guess the temp may have been a problem.

I am going too move it down in the cellar in a tank by itself, it looks dead too me but will give it a day or two too see if its just real sick.

 

[KurtsReef]

Oh, I do not think the Sabres will fare too badly this year. It looks like a game in January will be played at Ralph Wilson Stadium...may be worth a trip up.

 

[KurtsReef]

Clam did not make it. I set up a 30g breeder in the cellar with only about 8" of water in it so the two 65w PC bulbs I had to put on top of it would supply the clam with sufficient lighting. Used a mixture of water from my tank and newly made salt water along with some medication, vitamins, and food with a single powerhead to provide water movement. Waited for the temp of the tank too get up to the 80 degrees the display was at before introducing the clam, and set a therm at 77 degrees....

This morning the entire body of clam flesh is resting at the bottom of the shell. I guess it is now gone