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saltybuck 
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 Topic: CLAM HELP -pics(pinched mantle disease?)
Posted: December 04 2009 at 12:13pm |
So I got this amazing crocea clam that is about 6 to 7 inches. Here is a pic before,  He is happy and settled in the tank. My tank is a 28 gallon with Halides (JBJ). I started to think that maybe I would get more color out of him if I moved him higher in the tank, and that it might be better for him overall. So this next picture is his new position in the tank.  Once I moved him, shortly thereafter, my koralia nano stopped working, so there was not as much flow. On that same day, I noticed that he had retracted his mantle on one side. I began to think that it might be due to the lack of flow ( I know it is probably not, but I am including every detail I can think of so that some of you long time veterans might be able to help), or it might be my water parameters. Here is a pic of the clam once the mantle started to pull back on one side:  So i took a sample of my water to the LFS (i do not have an extensive water testing kit yet, coming from Santa  ) and they said my calcium was about 440 to 480 and my ph was good, No nitrates, no amonia, salinity at about 1.024. So they said my parameters were good. My temp is at 80. They asked what I was feeding, and I actually have only been feeding pods. Well today I got in with a repaired Koralia, I bought phyto from the LFS, fed my tank (I was not feeding Phyto before) but when I got in today (my tank is at my office) I noticed that it seemed worse. See pic below:  WHAT IS HAPPENING!?! I researched and found something about "pinched mantle disease" and started to wonder if I should try a freshwater dip.
I am hoping that I included as much info as possible. Please let me know your thoughts. I would like to save this before it croaks!!
Thank you all again in advance for all your advice (and advice and help in the past!!)
Mike
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Mike
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Adam Blundell
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Posted: December 04 2009 at 12:22pm |
Boy that is tough. If it is pinched mantle then you may be out of luck. I'd probably try an iodine dip (in saltwater) and go that route. Also formalin or some antibacterial type of dip is probably worth trying.
Adam
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BobC63
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Posted: December 04 2009 at 2:27pm |
Lift up the clam and look at the base of the shell. Look for tiny little snails (pyramid snails) that may be infesting the clam. If you find any, FW dip and pray it works.
Other thought is, you have a few mushrooms that appear close to the mantle on the side that is most retracted. Mushrooms actually have a pretty potent sting (for a coral) and could possibly be irritating the clam.
Thirdly, perhaps a fish is nipping the mantle, and the clam is just trying to protect itself?
If it turns out to be none of the above, then I would return the clam back to the sandbed and wait at least 48 hrs to see if it opens up fully again.
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- My Current Tank: 65g Starfire (sitting empty for 2+ years) -
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saltybuck
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Posted: December 04 2009 at 5:02pm |
So, I decided to do a fresh water dip. I did not have iodine, and I read from a few people that FW dips will do the trick.
So i heated up my RO water to be the same temperature, and let him soak for 10 mins. Then put him back. I checked underneath and he did not have any small snails, but did have a large snail shell that looked like it was burrowed into him, so i removed it. I then put him back, and noticed when i did, a few seconds after, my awesome bi-color blenny started to nip at him  . I am guessing that this might be another bad mix of tank mates?
OH and I did move the clam away from the mushrooms, because I think that they were touching the mantle.
here are pics of the clam during the dip and after: 
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Mike
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Luckedout
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Posted: December 04 2009 at 7:03pm |
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Hope he makes it!
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-Ben
90g Mixed reef
www.body-balancechiropractic.com
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Mike Savage
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Posted: December 04 2009 at 8:54pm |
I would say the problem is the Blenny.
Mike
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Mike Savage
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Posted: December 04 2009 at 9:00pm |
Sorry for the photo quality. This was taken years ago with an old point and shoot camera.
Pyramid snails hiding under an Astrea snail
Mike
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saltybuck
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Posted: December 04 2009 at 11:39pm |
Oh, (I know I sound stupid) but i had no idea what pyramid snails were!
Blenny is gone, he is in my friends tank until i get my bigger tank set up.
Thanks!
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Mike
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Mike Savage
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Posted: December 05 2009 at 12:11am |
I don't think many people know what they are or how small they are.
Mike
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saltybuck
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Posted: December 07 2009 at 10:46am |
Well, it happened. My clam is dead and my water is all cloudy. I am doing water changes every 2 hours. My water smells like $#(%!!!!. I am so bumbed but just hope it does not kill everything else in my tank.
ANY SUGGESTIONS?????
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Mike
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downhill_biker
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Posted: December 07 2009 at 10:51am |
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If you have carbon put some fresh carbon in there, and keep up with the water changes. That is all you can do. Make sure you are getting plenty of air into the water via skimmer, and maybe even air pumps, to help with a possible bacterial bloom.
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Make sure you post your best pictures every month in our POTM forum.
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Luckedout
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Posted: December 07 2009 at 10:52am |
That's a bummer. 
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-Ben
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chk4tix
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Posted: December 07 2009 at 11:09am |
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that sucks, by any chance was the clam attached to the rock that you removed it from? if so that might have done him in. I learned that the hard way with my first clam.
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Original Crappy Reef Club Member #2
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downhill_biker
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Posted: December 07 2009 at 11:49am |
 chk4tix wrote:
that sucks, by any chance was the clam attached to the rock that you removed it from? if so that might have done him in. I learned that the hard way with my first clam.
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I think you may have experienced other factors, stressing the clam, and that may have contributed, but it wasn't the cause of your clam's death. I have successfully cut about 20 clams off of rocks. You just have to use a razor blade and cut the byssal threads as close to the rock as possible. If you damage the gland, then maybe it is a different story.
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Make sure you post your best pictures every month in our POTM forum.
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chk4tix
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Posted: December 07 2009 at 11:51am |
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Original Crappy Reef Club Member #2
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saltybuck
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Posted: December 07 2009 at 1:46pm |
You all bring up some good points. Her while I am trying to pamper this Da** clam, and getting it all situated, when i moved it from the rock, I did pull it not thinking that it had enough time to attach. After pulling on it a bit (and probably harder than I would like to admit) I got my razor, and cut the threads. It is possible that I damaged it that way though.
I got fresh carbon in there, I did an immediate 5 gallon change, and then an hour and a half later did another 10 gallon change. (I did not have enough salt at the time to do a 90% change).
Water is still a bit cloudy. I have my skimmer on, and so now I just wait.
Should I do more water changes today?
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Mike
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Luckedout
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Posted: December 07 2009 at 4:16pm |
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Sounds like that was what did it. Makes you wish you'd just left it alone, huh? I kill more stuff just fiddling with my tank when really it would be fine not touching it.
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-Ben
90g Mixed reef
www.body-balancechiropractic.com
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saltybuck
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Posted: December 08 2009 at 11:18am |
Well, I thought I would follow up...
I ended up changing 50% of the water, and then 12 hours later, I did another 50% water change. It looks as though I did not loose anything luckily. I never really get a chance to contribute information on this site, as I have only been in the hobby for a year and am still mainly learning from others. However, I did learn some lessons that I did not know previously about clams that I am sure everyone already knows, but I would hope that this does not happen to anyone else:
1. If the clam is doing good, don't move it around and stress it out.
2. Watch out for anything that might be touching the mantle (like mushrooms)
3. Bi-color Blenny's and clams are not the best mix. Mine seemed to keep nipping at the clam.
4. Watch for "pinched mantle disease". I did a fresh water dip which did not seem to hurt it in case it was pinched mantle disease.
5. If you are going to move a clam, make sure it is not attached. If it is, make sure to cut the threads with a razor.
6. If the clam is closed and separating from the clam walls, get it the %$#@ out of there. If it does die, try to get a plastic bag in the tank, and GENTLY scoop everything up in the bag. If you just try to pick it up and get it out, the tissue and remains will disintegrate all over the tank.
7. If you suspect the clam may not make it, keep an eye on it. Don't leave it in your office tank for a day without checking on it. The smell of a dead clam will haunt me for years.
Thank you all for your help and advice!!
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Mike
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downhill_biker
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Posted: December 08 2009 at 11:45am |
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Well sorry you lost it, but glad you didn't lose anything more. You did the right thing with water changes. I had like 4 big clams die in my move to Utah, and I know what you mean, the stench is horrible. One of the worst ever!
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Make sure you post your best pictures every month in our POTM forum.
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saltybuck
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Posted: December 08 2009 at 1:10pm |
I swear the smell keeps haunting me, I keep thinking that I smell a dead clam. 
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Mike
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