Randomly loosing clams

[ReefRockerLive]

Lately, out of 11 clams over 1 month I have been losing my Crocea clams out of the blue. So far I have lost 2 crocea clams, I have had them for 6 months then all of a sudden they stopped opening up. Following that effect, there body became thinner and lighter, then died. What's even more strange is that I was holding 3 clams for a friend, 2 three inch Maximas and a 4" Dersea clam and that Dersea clam died. One of the maximas don't look so good now and is doing the same exact thing as the croceas that died so far. During the time of holding these clams the both croceas died.

Nothing has changed in terms of daily routine or having added new foods.

My levels are as follows:

pH- 8.1
NO2- 0
NO3- 0
NH3- 0
PO4- 0.02
Ca- 480ppm (Purposely high)
Alk- 7 DKH
Avg Temp- 79 F

Could the clams being held hold a bacterial infection? If so, then would there be a cure for this problem? I would be furious if my Blue spot squamossa died.

Tips and/or advice is greatly appreciated.

TIA

RRL

 

[WayneY]

Hopefully it's not pinched mantle disease.

 

[mbbuna]

can you post some photos of the clams and list all fish shrimp and snails.

also please list your lighting and any additives/filtration media you use

 

[ReefRockerLive]

I will try to take a photo of the next dead clam which will surely be the maxima.

Here's what I have:

1xOcellaris Clown
1xAcanthrus Nigrofuscus
1xHippo Tang
1xYellow Coris Wrasse
1xBlue-Sided Wrasse
1xFoxface Rabbitfish
2xHutchii Anthias

Inverts(Shrimp&Snails)

2xCleaner shrimp
Approx. 100 nassarius snails

Lighting and Equipment:

6x54w Fauna Marin UltraSolaris
Fauna Marin UltraSkim 2 Protein Skimmer
UltraLith System- UltraBio, UltraBak, UltraMinS

Getting a pic may be difficult since the clam that is next is only 3 inches and my camera is nothing great, I'll try to get a detailed pic later today.

Do clams catch bacterial infections?

 

[WayneY]

I would really watch the blue hippo. All of a sudden one day out of the blue, my hippo started biting the mantles on my clams and actually left half moon bite marks. Do you see any bite marks on the edges of the mantle?

 

[ReefRockerLive]

I looked for any bite marks on every mantle and there isn't anything there.

 

[skinz78]

Pic's would be great.

I would suspect the 2 wrasses, cleaner shrimp, and the hippo

 

[mbbuna]

clams can get bacterial infections. your also running a bacterial driven low nutrient system, these systems can sometimes drive nutrients too low and starve the clam out

 

[ReefRockerLive]

Here are one of the clams that I managed to take some pictures of:

So far I've lost 6 clams.

 

[mbbuna]

do you have photos of the clams that are still alive

 

[ReefRockerLive]

Here they are:

 

[skinz78]

judgeing by the looks of the live clams I would say you have a clam nipping fish in your tank, try covering the clams with bottles cut in half filled with holes for circulation. This should shield the clams from the fish, if you quit loosing clams then you know you have a culprit fish.

 

[mbbuna]

how much, how often and what do you feed your fish/corals?

 

[ReefRockerLive]

The corals are fed on a daily basis with UltraMinS and fish are fed every 3 or 4 days. Would feeding the fish more often probably remedy my problem?

 

[volcom69]

Yes feed the fish more in a low nutrient tank like yours the more you feed your fish the better for the corals and the clams i feed 3-4 times a day nothing better then fish poop. If you feed your fish more the less you have to feed your corals. I would watch the fish to make sure they are not nipping at your corals, but 6 lost in a month wow im sorry man i just dont see a fish killing 6 in a month but then again you never know.

 

[ReefRockerLive]

I have my doubts that it could be a fish that is causing these problems because every clam that has died does not show any rips or torn pieces. They just usually come clean off the shell after they are closed for a couple days.

 

[volcom69]

My yellow tang does the same thing just cleans the shell, but i would def. try to feed your fish more to create more fish poop for corals and clams in the tank. Everynow and then i feed phyto to the tank, but not very often.

 

[ReefRockerLive]

Thanks for the advice guys, I'll start feeding more often. Maybe everyday would be enough?

 

[volcom69]

Yea you can try everyday or even twice a day if you feed more then once i would do it in small amounts though.

 

[mbbuna]

start feeding every day or twice a day in small amounts. i think thats what the problem is, just not enough dissolved nutrients in the water for the clams