This is painful to watch! Can I save my clams?

Just came across this thread today. Over the last month or so, all the bivalves in my tank have died after the addition of a bay area baby Squamosa. A 3 inch Maxima died after being in the tank for over a year.

My tank was started over two years ago with Tampa Bay Saltwater live rock, which was covered with large clams. They have _all_ died within the last few weeks. I just attributed this all to my screwing something up in the tank (seems like there's always something youre not looking out for :), but after reading this thread I'm a bit creeped out.

Jeff
 
I'm interesting in what can be done to PREVENT this , or better yet, rid the bacteria from the system entirely.

I question a UV sterilizer because it would only clean what was in the water column, not what could be attached to rock/sand/etc...

-Brett
 
I, too, lost all my clams in July.

I have not added any clams since.

It has been 10 weeks since I've tried to add clams back into my system.

Today, I added one crocea into my tank. I'll let you know if anything happens.

Reefdream, sorry to hear about your loss. Did you hear about the lab tests on the clams, you mentioned this in July when I posted about my experience???

I'm keeping my fingers crossed. :)

Len, let me know how your new clams are doing...

Jimmy
 
Hey Jimmy, I lost a LOT of clams as well. That was about 5 months ago. Since then I've set up a new tank and I recently added 7 maximas and 1 hippo clam. So far so good, knock on wood.
 
Just thought I would add some more information on these clams that are dying. After having talked to afew of the major importers that are located in LA apparently there is a infestation of a worm that eats clams. This is happening in one part of the world and the clams are wild (not farmed). Once the worms finish a clam or clams they move onto any clams that are left. So maybe they is a bacteria but IMO I am thinking not. I am told there is one importer that brings these clams into the US. I am trying to get more information and will up date as I learn more. Also I am getting some of these clams to put into a tank just set up for them and will watch! The clams that are infested with these worms are maximas, squamosas and croceas.
Jim
 
Jim, are these worms visible to the eye. I never saw a single worm other than a bristle one time on any dead clams in my system. Of the 11 clams I lost only one was scavenged by my clean up crew, the rest were left untouched and dead with the mantle still somewhat in tact, but retracted. Before I realized the extent of the problem I left one very large maxima in the system for a few days in hopes that it would come back and never saw any typt of worm or critter near it. everythign steered clear of the clam till I removed it. After a few losses I started to get that the death was fairly quick and there was going to be no coming back so I removed the clams quickly once death appeared to have happened.
My reefs have been clam free for about 7 weeks now. I am planning on waiting until November to try again. Keep us posted on this worm thing though.
 
I lost my clam the same time as everyone else here. I've been wondering if enough time has gone by to get a new clam. Please keep us posted. Thanks!
 
Well chipmunk, the bad news is no one really knows when it will be safe. We do not even know what caused the deaths. I have received quite a few emails on the subject, and I would wait at least 3 months from last death. No one really knows, but if people wait 3 months and still have problems, then we will have to wait longer. It is a quessing game. Best of luck, Rob
 
I do not know about anybody else but I do not want a guessing game. I have not lost any clams but I can imagine the horrible feeling if I did. Also not to mention the cost of loosing 5 to 12 clams. I would not want to take a chance 3 months or longer down the road to see another clam or clams die. There is a answer and it will be found. I am investing in several clams from this area (all types)(no they will not be for sale) and if it is worms they will be found. If it is not worms then we will know to move on to the next crossroad.
Jim
 
I'll give it a shot in late October or early November to see if enough time has passed. It'll be in the same tank that the disease was - I didn't tear down the tank, nor did I do any massive water change.
 
I lost quite a few clams as well. I have a derasa that made it (it was showing symptoms as well, but not as badly as the maximas and squamosas-I did lose 2 other derasas though) and has been growing in leaps and bounds since a 2 month cessation of growth after the "clam incident". . It has been about 3 months since it has restarted its growth. I am keeping my eye out for a cheap squamosa to test as they seemed as sensitive as the maximas. Just wondering if it is still in the water...only one way to find out I guess.
 
Jim Norris: IMO, I do not think it is worms that are causing the death. The time from sympton to death is very very quick. I've never noticed any worms unless they are microscopic or in the clam itself. If you check with the site admin at reefs.org, Len, he lost 12 clams. Search for his posts...He stated that he experimented by setting up another tank with a new healthy clam. Then added a small amount of water from the original tank, and the healthy clam died soon after. Something fishy is going on...and no one has a clue as to why the mass death.

A few months ago, I went to a local volume wholesaler Jeff's (very well known and reputable) in Southern California...and I noticed the missing clams from their main tank (some were 10"+). I asked an employee about it and they said that they just mysteriously died. Then I noticed that they weren't carrying any clams for sale. Something is definitely happening.

PR: 7 maximas? Wow! Where are you getting your clams? And how much? I might want to add one more if everything goes smoothly, and need a source for healthy clams. I want to start slow, and see how everything goes.

Jim
 
Jimbo327,
The report on the worms is that that are CLEAR! Almost like the worms (flutes) that are currently infecting alot of the fish brought into the US. But again this is just a path to follow while trying to find an answer. All my clams are imported from the Marshall Island farm. Jeff as I understand imports his own (Iam not certain) from a area that my bew here the infected clams come from. But DO NOT quote me on this!
Jim
 
Clear worms??? Darn, they might as well be invisible. Though that is amazing, and I will keep that in mind. Why does all the parasites have to be so hard to spot? Anyways, I do not see any worms at all on my clam. :)

On the brighter note!!!!

Update: My new 4.5" crocea is stilll doing well. Full extension of mantle and very good reaction to shadows...no symptoms at all.

:beer: :dance: :celeb1: :celeb2: :celeb3: :thumbsup:

I'm still keeping my fingers crossed though. :worried2:

Jimmy & Ratna
 
I hope you folks had better luck.

I bought a small squamosa and a medium size maxima 2 weeks ago & they're both dead.

This is the same tank that housed a clam from the original "bad batch." It's been 5 months since I kept any clams in this tank.

The maxima was the first to go. It looked 100% healthy for about a week and a half then closed it's shell and never opened again.

The squamosa died yesterday. It's mantle suddenly shrunk back and it was dead within 24 hours. This was exactly how the original sick clam died.

My only guess is that whatever bug made it into this tank is still in this tank.

-chipmunk
 
Thanks for the information. Eddie just got a big batch of clams in. I was very close to buying one. I am glad I did not.
 
ReefDream,

So that means you have been clamless for 5 months too, eh? Now how long should I wait, 12 months? I have another tank that I could put a clam in, but I'm paranoid that it shared some water with my "tainted" tank while under the care of a friend when I was on vacation.
 
I hope this doesn't turn out like the Oysters in Chesapeake Bay. One summer couple years ago I was on a boat studying the disease infecting the oysters called D.E.R.M.O, for a couple of weeks. Although its not harmful to the humans eating the oysters, it has seriously hurt the population, and when the intestines bust as the clams die, dermo spreads at its best. They are now having to culture their own oysters and put them back into the bay before they all die off. Hopefully the situation with these Trid. clams wont get that bad..
 
I had this happen to me as well. I then started running a UV sterilizer on the tank for about a month and a half, maybe more. Then let the tank run normally for another couple months. I now have a few clams growing well in this tank for over a month now.

Is it gone? I do not know. But my clams have not shown any signs, and believe me when I say I have been watching them closely.
 
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