Something Is Wrong With My Clam

[Ed Reef]

Last night I was looking at my tank and I notice that my blue T. Crocea is all close-up? Upon a closer inspection, I notice that something is taking bites off the left side of its shell?? I never notice this before as the Crocea mantle is usually fully open and cover the side of its shell.

I don’t see or find any pyramid snails or any other type of snails for that matter (apart from my Turbos) and was wondering what could have cause it?? I don’t think any of my fishes can cause that type of damage to the shell??

I don’t know if you can spot the left side of the shell where it seem like someone or something been chewing on it and has left the outer shell expose I have this clam for over a 1.5 years now so I hope I can find the source and try to save it!!

My other 2 clams are fine and doing well.

Any ideas guys??

 

[a4twenty]

it looks like there is something growing on the shell on that side?? what is it??


what is your fish / invert list??

list your parameters??

what and how do you dose??

can take a picture from further back so we can see his environment??

 

[Jay03GT]

I agree with a4, looks like something growing from the pics. My crocea had a sponge or tunicate growing on the side of it. Maybe something is growing that is poking and irritating the clams mantle when extended? Or does it look different in person and maybe the shell is deteriorating?

 

[Ed Reef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13730357#post13730357 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by a4twenty
it looks like there is something growing on the shell on that side?? what is it??


what is your fish / invert list??

list your parameters??

what and how do you dose??

can take a picture from further back so we can see his environment??

The white part is actually the inner layer of the shell. Something/ someone been chewing off the outer layer. SO far, no sign of Pyramid snails or pest of sort.

This is my water params as of last Sun, Nov 9

➢ Temperature â€"œ 27.0 degree C (light on)
➢ Salinity â€"œ 1.026
➢ Ph â€"œ 8.21 (Light on)
➢ NO3 â€"œ 0.2 (Salifert â€"œ same as last week)
➢ PO4 â€"œ 0.03 (Salifert â€"œstarting to show a slight tint of blue)
➢ PO4 â€"œ 0.06 (D&D PO4 â€"œ same as last week)
➢ dKH â€"œ 8.5 (API test kit â€"œ drop from last week 9)
➢ dKH â€"œ 9 (Elos test kit â€"œ same as last week)
➢ Ca â€"œ 440 (Salifert test kit â€"œ same as last week)
➢ Ca â€"œ 460 (Elos test kit â€"œ up from last week 440)
➢ Mg â€"œ 1440 (Salifert test kit - down from last week 1500)
➢ Mg â€"œ 1450 (Elos test kit â€"œ down from last week 1500)
➢ Potassium â€"œ380 (stable)

Water parma re mostly stable as I check weekly and I used a Ca Rx

Fishes I got which could possible post a high risk to my clams, apart from Anthias and Gobies are as below:
- 1 x Niger Trigger
- 1 x Flame Angel
- 1 x Majestic
- 2 x Pyramid Butterfly
- 1 x Golden Masked Butterfly
- I x Tinker Butterfly
- 1 x Three spot wrasse
- 1 x Regal Tang
- 1 x yellow Tang

However most of them have been with the clams for months (some years like the Regal/yellow tang, trigger)

Anyway, wanted to do a FW dip but his condition got worst since I posted and decided to make a cage using egg crate for him to protect him from becoming dinner. As of last night, his mantle have shrink in even further and he has loss all respond to touch

I think he is beyond saving but will still like to see if others out there has similar experience as my 2 other clans are doing healthy.

 

[Jay03GT]

I would suspect one of the angels or maybe the trigger or butterfly fishes. Sometimes fish just decide to start doing crazy things. Hopefully you don't have this problem with the other clams, but now you know to watch very closely.

 

[Ed Reef]

Could be - thanks Jay. Never seen a fish chew on the outer shell of a clam before thou'??

 

[Jay03GT]

maybe they were eating at something growing on the shell?

 

[Ed Reef]

Could be Jay....

As of last night, my clam has RIP

 

[a4twenty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13735353#post13735353 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Jay03GT
I would suspect one of the angels or maybe the trigger or butterfly fishes. Sometimes fish just decide to start doing crazy things. Hopefully you don't have this problem with the other clams, but now you know to watch very closely.

i agree, there are a few known clam nippers there. sorry to hear he didn't make it.