Tridacna that want'open ...

[sgiurin]

Hi,

this is my first message, and I'm not usual to write in English, so thanks to who is able to understand me ...

In my reef tank (a 400 lt / 100 Gl Berliner system) I have two Tridacna, that I have not identified. The first (probably a little crocea, about 10 cm) is in my tank from 4 months, at 25 cm from the top of the water, illuminated by an Ab HQI 150 Watt, 10000Ã"šÃ‚°K.

It was going all well, but 3 days ago till now the clam don't opened.

The tissue come out only on the border, and seems beautiful as usual. I inspected over night the clam, to see if there is some worm, or snail. I saw only a very little worm on the rock, but I don't think that the problem can be this.

My tank values are:
ph 8 - 8.4
NO2/NO3 0
Ca 360 ppm
KH 7,5 Ã"šÃ‚°dKH (Yes, calcium ad Alkalinity are low ...)
temp 25Ã"šÃ‚°C

I made non-regular use of Kent Marine Iodide, Strontium, Molibdenum, and Kent CB part A & B.

Anyone has some suggestions ?

TIA, and sorry for my English ...

 

[GH Sniper]

Do you have any cleaner shrimp or fish in the tank with the clam? They could also be possable problems with the clam.

I would hope that this is not a new clam but one that you have had for a period of time. How long have you had the calm?

Again, you know the tank leves that are low. Are you doing anything to bring them back up?

 

[sgiurin]

Yes, I have a pair of Lysmata amboinensis; this shrimps are frequently over the other clam, and very seldom near this clam.

This clam is in the tank from about 4 months.

For calcium & alkalinity I'm slowly integrating with KM tech CB part A & B.

Thanks

 

[GH Sniper]

I have some other thoughts that you may want to investigate.

Have you inspected the shell for signs of holes or snails or a "sponge type" growth? All of these warrant careful inspection because catching it too late can be fatal for the clam.

Has the clam been recently moved within the tank? There may be a lighting issue that needs to be adjusted. The light may be too bright or not bright enough dependant upon the location.

Are there any other corals around it? Other corals may be stinging it in competition for food within the system. If a coral has recently been added then place it elsewhere for a temporary solution.

Do you have any pictures you could share that might enlighten the issue to us here on the forum?

 

[sgiurin]

After this night, I have some news.

First of all, I want reply to your thoughts ...

I have inspected the shell for some altering signs, but for my experience there is nothing suspect.

The clam is ever on the same position in the tank; in December I added a large Sinularia sp. at about 20 cm from the clam. I know that Sinularia can be aggressive, releasing "turpenids" (is this the correct word in English?). I filter one times ever two months with a little quantity of carbon.

I can take a picture so you can help me also to identify the clam. I'll post it this evening ...

But what's the news from last night ?

Well, this night I observed the worm that I saw the night before.

:eek1:

The word come out from a hole at 5 cm from the clam, and is longer than that I have imagined (about 5 cm). And this night I have clearly saw that, remaining fixed in the hole, with the other extremity it enter the clams from the bottom !!

What can I do ?

I take a syringe, filled with Kalkwasser, and for three times I filled the hole of worm.

This morning I repeated the treatment.

What else can I do ?

Thanks a lot

 

[sgiurin]

Up to now, the clam is always semi-closed ...

I take two photos of the clam, but the quality is low
Is possible for you to try to identify the clam ?

This is the first photo:

 

[sgiurin]

This is the second photo:

 

[GH Sniper]

The pictures are not very clear however it does appear to be a T. Maxima variety. They are very hardy and normally prefer to be attached to a rock and normally burrow or "file" into a rock with the ridges on the sides of the clam.

If you have a 5 cm (1.95 inch) worm emerging from the clam then it is time to worry. You can try the kalk to rid the pest however, they only eat things that are dead or dieing. Are you sure it is not a tube on the outside of the clam shell or is it specifically burrowed into the clam?

You may be too late since worms cannot burrow into a shell. That means that another parasite of some kind might have already done it's damage internally and there is nothing to do about it now. Sorry

 

[jim norris]

George,
I think your right it looks like a very nice Max. Please tell us if you notice the worn outside or inside. If inside it is time to operate! That means open the clam and dig the worm out!
Jim

 

[GH Sniper]

After researching Daniel Knop's book on Giant Clams and researching a few other places, it is recommended to remove the worm. The best method I have read is someone gently pulling the worm out. The worm will not want to break and will come out but you must ensure that you attempt to remove it as best as possable. I would treat the tank with additional calcium and watch the Alk for a faster recovery.

Let me know how it is going.

 

[sgiurin]

The worm was (or is ?) inside a hole on the rock, near the clam, not inside the clam.

At night, it mantain an extremity inside the hole on the rock, and exit whit the other extremity, and insert the head into the clam.
I saw clearly that he entered the clam from the bottom !

After the treatment with KW, I didn't saw the worm this night.

This night the tissue of the clam was more expanded than the 3 last day. But now, with lights on, it is semi-closed ....

On a side of the clam, there is a very very little tube, and is visible another organism, with two very very very little antennas ...

Today I'll attack with KW also it ...

I hope there's nothing inside the clam ... in this last 3 days I'm dosing more calcium and Alk, as George suggested.

Thanks to all.

 

[GH Sniper]

Make sure you keep an eye on the Ca and Alk levels. I think the worm is going after the soft byssal tissue and could be damageing in the long run. Is there a way to mave the rock down lower so that the worm doesn't have easy access to the foot? It might also help if there was a flat type rock that you could place the clam onto so it can attach and nothing can get to it. That would be a better solution.

Just keep an eye on the clam and it's progress. I would dose small amounts at a time as to not cause a spike in tank levels. I am glad to see the clam opening up more for you.

 

[sgiurin]

The worm was (or is ?) inside a hole on the rock, near the clam, not inside the clam.

At night, it mantain an extremity inside the hole on the rock, and exit whit the other extremity, and insert the head into the clam.
I saw clearly that he entered the clam from the bottom !

After the treatment with KW, I didn't saw the worm this night.

This night the tissue of the clam was more expanded than the 3 last day. But now, with lights on, it is semi-closed ....

On a side of the clam, there is a very very little tube, and is visible another organism, with two very very very little antennas ...

Today I'll attack with KW also it ...

I hope there's nothing inside the clam ... in this last 3 days I'm dosing more calcium and Alk, as George suggested.

Thanks to all.

 

[sgiurin]

Q:What is your tank size and total dimensions?
A: 145 x 60 x 60 h cm, about 450 liter

Q:How many animals are in this tank?
A:Fishes: 1 Zebrasoma flavescens, 1 Acanthurus leucosternon, 2 Amphiprion ocellaris, 1 Salarias sp, 1 Ecsenius bicolor, 1 Nemateleotris sp, 1 Synchiropus splendidus.
"Corals": Sinularia, Sarcophyton, Zoanthus, Acropora, Pachyclavularia, Stichodactyla, ...
Turbo, Trochus, Astrea, 2 Lysmata amboinensis.
You can see something about the tank at http://sgiurin.freeweb.supereva.it

Q:Additionally, were is this clam placed, high/low in the tank?
A. The clam is positioned at about 20 cm from the surface.

Q:Is this clam in substate, on a rock?
A: On a rock.

Q:What is the current like, heavy/moderate?
A: Moderate

Qo you have other clams in this tank?
A:Yes. One clam bigger than this. Is attached to a large valve of a clam, on the bottom of the tank.

Q:What is the level of your Nitrate?
A:Non misurable with Salifert Profi test kit.

Q:What is the age of your 150w HQI lamps?
A:45 days

Thanks