Tip for everyone incase you have PM

[ezcompany]

After the FW dip, ISOLATE your clam from EVERYTHING.

they become very weakened and everything tries to pick at it. hermits, snails, fish, etc.

i've noticed this when i saw my black and white torn apart. the six line was nibbling at it here and there.

i am so ready to quit this stupid hobby...:blown:

 

[mbbuna]

no way EZ, you lost it?

 

[ezcompany]

i am not sure yet.....it looks VERY bad....

 

[Unarce]

 

[a4twenty]

omg, i missed this..........


hopefully he will pull through, got my fingers crossed

 

[reefkoi]

Re: Tip for everyone incase you have PM

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9516252#post9516252 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ezcompany


i am so ready to quit this stupid hobby...:blown:

Well I know how you feel, its always the best ones that don't make it. Like in the Koi world the best most expensive ones always die or get hauled off by a predator first it seems. And they are so so much more expensive than reef fish or clams, even black maxis, which I would love to own, I hope it makes it!!!
Chris

 

[ezcompany]

its looking worse.....the shell is almost closed....but don't clams die with their shells open?

 

[ezcompany]

placed him in a isolated plastic container in the tank.
increased lighting schedule from 7.5 hours to 10 hours.
increased phyto feeding from once a week to a once a day.

 

[LeeMc]

Consult with Barb and others at the Clamsdirect forum. From what I gather - clams may be compromised by the time they show signs of stress.

 

[Litefoot Sr]

By no means am I an expert on clams. I got my first two from Barry at Christmas time, and within a couple of weeks I noticed the signs of PM.
It started on one but within a couple of weeks both were showing signs. They recommended the fresh water dip so I did and everything seemed OK.
Here's the thing, both clams open right back up within 10-15 minuets and look perfect. But, within a couple of weeks, I see the signs start to appear again. I was hesitant to do the dip again but I did, and they again looked great.
I kid you not, I've been doing this since mid January, probably at least 8 times each. It doesn't seem to hurt them at all. I assume because I don't wait until they look really bad, they are healthy enough to go through the stress without a problem.
I add about 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda to about 3/4 gal of RODI water and warm it up to match the tank and plop they go.
Now you may ask if I'm sure they are actually suffering a case of PM. Well, I do usually wait about a week to see if they uncurl by themselves, but after a week they are really looking curled up. I don't let it go any further and so I guess they are still technically pretty healthy.
I don't know if this will help anyone, but I wanted to share my experiences. Good luck.

 

[ezcompany]

thats very interesting..

 

[slojmn]

ez, what a shame . I have seen a couple clams I really wanted to buy in the past few months but I am so darn paranoid of bringing in PM or some other clam disease that I passed. Last year I had 5 clams then brought in a sixth and bam within a few months all but 1 had died. I still have that happy camper and the black T. max I got from Karl. I am really to scared to risk either of these clams for new ones...very sad. I hope it pulls through somehow.

 

[Loralie]

I also recently had a case of PM on my 12" gigas. I did 2 FW dips in as many days and waited. Within a week or so the clam had fully re-opened. The clams was retracted into the shell a good 1 1/2" and the mantle was puckered badly. It took a couple weeks for it to return to normal, but it did pull through. I also have 5 crocea's, 1 deresa and a Maxium in the same tank, which showed no signs of pm, nor have they.
Also what was really odd was that all these clams have been in the system for quite some time. The gigas had been in the tank for 18+ months, then suddenly showed signs of PM.

 

[ezcompany]

i swear, i think all clams carry PM but they're just inactive...slojmn, i wouldn't be scared to add new clams

update: I am having a custom acrylic cage built for the clam right now to maximize flow.

 

[jay24k]

I haven't added a clam in over almost 18 months to my tank. My crocea I have had for about 3 years just got PM. I thought it might of been alk because it dropped to 6dkh but I generally keep it at 8 to 9. I raised it back up but still no good signs. This morning I noticed it was receeded almost all the way in the shell. I did the FW dip out of last resort. We will see if it makes it tommorrow. I'm kind of bummed as I have around 7 clams from a 12" squamosa, 7 to 8 inch deresa raised from a 3 inch one, 2 more croceas, couple maximas.

Currently he is closed up pretty dang tight but I've read that can be normal for two days. I think this one is full grown because every clam but him has shown growth in the last year. This hasn't grown one bit and is somewhere around 6".

 

[slojmn]

Interesting to hear about folks having clams show signs of PM when they have had them for a long time without bringing in other clams. I wonder, can a coral bring in the PM pathogen??

 

[ezcompany]

probably more likely present on liverock than the coral. i wonder how often they get it at the wild? obviously its something artificial we're doing thats causing it.

 

[mbbuna]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9582798#post9582798 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by slojmn
Interesting to hear about folks having clams show signs of PM when they have had them for a long time without bringing in other clams. I wonder, can a coral bring in the PM pathogen??

i dont think anyone really knows yet. and unfortunately me may never know. Barry N. is doing research but needs help, http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1075026

no offence to anyone, but it just seems strange that in this hobby with thousand $ skimmers, lights ect.. that so few are willing to paypal $5 for legit research and put an end to this mess. the findings will be published in an aquarium mag., on-line or both for all to see and use FREE, and the researchers will publish in a science journal. so if anyone can help please do, or at least spread the word

 

[Barry N.]

i swear, i think all clams carry PM but they're just inactive

For sometime I have thought the same thing. I think the protozoan is present but not active till the clam is stressed or something in the water or possible water warfare. Something like ich on a fish.

I know people that have bought clams from the same supplier and never had sign of PM. Go figure.

 

[jay24k]

Well I haven't added anything in my tank in months coral or rockwise. It would be curious to figure this out.