squamosa clam help.

[seanliston]

i've had a squamosa clam in my tank for almost 2 years now. it's under 2X 96w. PC bulbs. Its been perfectly healthy, and almost tripled in size since it was added to my tank. it grew so much that it broke the rock it was attached to in half. just recently it started to recede into its shell, with the ex-current siphon closed, and the in current siphon open really wide. it had also tipped over although it stayed attached to the rock. i built a smal extention on the rock with underwater epoxy to keep it from falling over. it still sits there looking unhappy, although it isnt open quite as wide anymore. the only thing that has changed in my tank recently that i could link to this problem would be acrocea that i added, and lost, just a few days after. i thought it possibly coud have had PM. if anyone has any ideas of whats wrong or what i could do? any comments are appreciated.

here are some pics of the clam, sry that they turned out really small photobuchet keeps resizing them to that size.

thnx.
Sean

 

[seanliston]

i just noticed now that it is loosening from the rock and the byssal threads are coming undone

is it just want a change in location?

anyone?

 

[jmaneyapanda]

I would do some water changes to eleiminate the possibility it could be a water pollutant. When the crocea died, it may have release some toxins into the water. Keep the water clean.

 

[seanliston]

I've done 3, 5 gallon water changes since the crocea died. ( my tank is a 50G) the clam was dead for a week before the squamosa started to act weird. i was just making water now actually....

thnx
Sean

 

[seanliston]

oh and in the pics, the clam isnt looking its worst, it was looking like death for a while, and is perking up a little bit in the pics.. if you could call it that

 

[mbbuna]

can you post a full size shot or e-mail it to me?

 

[seanliston]

well i can attach a file. thats the only way i can get a pic up, because my photobuchet account resizes the photos no matter what i do.

 

[seanliston]

heres another.
the foot is only attached by a few threads now.

 

[mbbuna]

i dont see anything obvious from those pics. is the clam getting better, worse or staying the same?

 

[seanliston]

worse, although not as fast as before. the mantle is still attached, although one spot about this long (-----------------) is coming loose.

 

[mbbuna]

please post all water test results from every test kit you have.

what do you add to the tank and how do you add it?(please list everything)

can you get a shot of the mantle separation? maybe one close up and then another shot pulled back so we can see what is around the clam also

 

[seanliston]

ok. i have a simple setup, having no sump/ refugium , or fancy equipment ( i wish i did).

its a 50G system. (3' wide) the clam is ~ 8 inches from the top
w/ current orbit fixture ( 2x96W PC lights)

dosing schedual

Sunday tropic marin bio-calcium. (one large spoonful ( from the large container( they dont give an exact measure on the spoon, just how much it will raise your calcium levels))

Monday 0.6 ml. kent teck 1 ( iodine)/ 5 gallon water change w/ RODI water.

Tuesday bio calcium again

Wendsday 5 ml kent coral vite

Thursday bio calcium again

Friday 0.6 ml kent tech 1 ( iodine)

Saturday 5 ml Kent coral vite

Top off with RO/DI water daily.

test resuls

PH: 8.2
ALK:2.5 meq/L
CALCIUM: 410-420
PO4 : undetectable
nitrates: undetectable
nitrites : never
ammonia : never

sry about the attached pics, i'll get the photobuchet issue fixed up as soon as i can

thnx.

Sean

 

[seanliston]

another. with surrounding corals

 

[mbbuna]

Tm bio calcium is a mix of calcium and baking soda. i dont like the directions that state to just sprinkle it on top, especially if you dont have a sump. both the Ca and baking soda could burn the clam if it fell on it. i think it would be better if you added it to some water then to the tank. also to help keep alk fluctuations down i would add it every day at half the dosage you are adding every other day

 

[mbbuna]

does that flame angel ever pick at your clam? did it ever pick at the Crocea?

 

[seanliston]

no i cant say that the flame angel bothers the clam at all. either of them. the only thing i've seen it do was to take a bite out of my scolymia, which i guess it didnt like, because it hasnt ever done it again. its never even really took any notice of any coral, just goes around picking on the live rock.

and thnx for the advice about the bio calcium, i gotta get myself a reactor.

 

[mbbuna]

i was just thinking that the TM bio might be the problem, if any got on the clam. before you mix it with water and dose it i would ask Randy if it can be mixed that way or if it would just percipatate out

heres Randy's forum

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=112

 

[mbbuna]

just saw Randys reply, and i was afraid he would say that.

you would be better off(and save $) using this

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php

 

[seanliston]

w/e i kinda thought he would say that to, i'll look into that
thnx for the help
Sean