Clam suddenly not extending

[MartinM]

I’m really concerned because suddenly one of the large blue maximas (about 20cm) I’ve had for almost three years suddenly isn’t extending very much. It just started happening yesterday morning and I’m not sure why. I’ve done a thorough job of inspecting all around and underneath )plucked it up and examined it’s byssal area with a flashlight) and i don’t see any obvious parasites or irritants. @OrionN ?

It’s been under 550 par for about 8 months (up from 450 oak for a few years) and has been getting thicker but not growing as fast as some of my others. There are 1 small derasa, 3 crocea and 2 other maximas in the same system don’t just fine. No recent additions have been made and no stressful events that I know of.

It’s absolutely covered with macro, sponges, and two small stylophora colonies have grown out on its shell, but nothing that prevents mantle extension, and extension was fine as of the day before yesterday. What is the super unusual behavior so I’m really concerned. Anyone have suggestions? Should I go for the freshwater dip or wait a little longer?

 

[littlefoxx]

I’m really concerned because suddenly one of the large blue maximas (about 20cm) I’ve had for almost three years suddenly isn’t extending very much. It just started happening yesterday morning and I’m not sure why. I’ve done a thorough job of inspecting all around and underneath )plucked it up and examined it’s byssal area with a flashlight) and i don’t see any obvious parasites or irritants. @OrionN ?

It’s been under 550 par for about 8 months (up from 450 oak for a few years) and has been getting thicker but not growing as fast as some of my others. There are 1 small derasa, 3 crocea and 2 other maximas in the same system don’t just fine. No recent additions have been made and no stressful events that I know of.

It’s absolutely covered with macro, sponges, and two small stylophora colonies have grown out on its shell, but nothing the reinterpreted with mantle extension, and extension was fine as of the day before yesterday. What is the super unusual behavior so I’m really concerned. Anyone have suggestions? Should I go for the freshwater dip or wait a little longer?

Any new fish or fish picking at him?

 

[MartinM]

Any new fish or fish picking at him?

No fish in the system at all.

Whatever it is 7 clams, three of them decent size maximas (15-22cm). I’ve noticed a large Maximus in the system to grow a lot slower than the larger Maximas in my system that has significantly higher water volume (100 vs 200L). Are use the exact same lights on both system, and roughly the same par. The small clams grow at the same rate, but the big clams definitely don’t. Wonder if I should move him?

Forgot to mention this system gets direct NSL for 2-3 hours per day. Adds an additional 500-1000 PAR during that period.

 

[littlefoxx]

No fish in the system at all.

Whatever it is 7 clams, three of them decent size maximas (15-22cm). I’ve noticed a large Maximus in the system to grow a lot slower than the larger Maximas in my system that has significantly higher water volume (100 vs 200L). Are use the exact same lights on both system, and roughly the same par. The small clams grow at the same rate, but the big clams definitely don’t. Wonder if I should move him?

Not sure I just got my first clam a month ago, my sea hare has a bad habit of bumping him and he closes up whenever he senses something moving around him. Was wondering if maybe that was why yours was doing that

 

[JGT]

Looks like a lot of grape caulerpa around him. Could that be irritating him or even growing into the shell?

 

[Nate Chalk]

Woah your other clam is completely covered in zoas?

That's crazy

 

[MartinM]

Looks like a lot of grape caulerpa around him. Could that be irritating him or even growing into the shell?

Definitely is growing around him but usually there’s a lot more than that and I make sure it stays out of the way if the mantle. But yes I’m considering cleaning him off completely

 

[MartinM]

Woah your other clam is completely covered in zoas?

That's crazy

Yeah they’ve grown to the very tip of the shell. The zoas go nuts in this system. There is no bare rock work that isn’t covered in zoas unless it’s newly added for them to grow on.

 

[Miami Reef]

@MartinM

I‘m just here to say how much I love your aquarium. I adore the life on your rockwork.

Every time I see pictures of your tank my heart swoons!

 

[MartinM]

@MartinM

I‘m just here to say how much I love your aquarium. I adore the life on your rockwork.

Every time I see pictures of your tank my heart swoons!

Well that’s very kind of you I really don’t do anything special, I think it’s the combo of 1) very live rock (ocean to tank in 24 hours) 2) feeding a variety of particulate size foods (1-200 microns or so) and 3) no fish!

 

[MartinM]

Well I put an extra 90 watts of white light, bumping the par to 750 average across the clam. It’s extended another 2cm or so. Not fully, but a little better than earlier. I’m also wondering if nutrients are too low, I’ll test soon.

 

[OrionN]

I don’t know for sure but I think there can be nutrient competition when we overstock with clams. It isn’t the normal macro nutrients but the minor ones. I would guess that if you do water analysis you may find the problem. Larger volume water changes may help.
We can pretty much rule out light, circulation, temperature or pests as cause.

 

[MartinM]

I don’t know for sure but I think there can be nutrient competition when we overstock with clams. It isn’t the normal macro nutrients but the minor ones. I would guess that if you do water analysis you may find the problem. Larger volume water changes may help.
We can pretty much rule out light, circulation, temperature or pests as cause.

Makes sense, this system also receives less % water changes than my large one. I'll do some tests and a water change. I also added more carbon. Judging by the slower growth, I'm also wondering if phosphates are too high, I will check tomorrow.

 

[Miami Reef]

Makes sense, this system also receives less % water changes than my large one. I'll do some tests and a water change. I also added more carbon. Judging by the slower growth, I'm also wondering if phosphates are too high, I will check tomorrow.

Let us know the results.

 

[minus9]

I've had clams "pull in" for a day or two, then go back to normal without any changes. I wouldn't overreact here and just observe for a couple days. Your intervention may do more harm than good by changing a bunch of things without knowing what helped or potentially harmed the clam. I say give it a couple days and observe.

 

[MartinM]

I don’t know for sure but I think there can be nutrient competition when we overstock with clams. It isn’t the normal macro nutrients but the minor ones. I would guess that if you do water analysis you may find the problem. Larger volume water changes may help.
We can pretty much rule out light, circulation, temperature or pests as cause.

NO3: 0
PO4: 1.0
Ca: 430
Mg: 1300
Alk: 8.2

I always tend to have this issue, low NO3 and higher PO4. I'm assuming the clams like the nitrates a lot more than the phosphates, or the macro does or it’s because I use deep sand beds in all my systems, or a combo thereof. I'll add some phosguard to pull it down, I find the clams grow a lot faster below .6. Not sure what to do about NO3, maybe feed more...I used to feed a lot more but I've slacked off lately since the dosing system keeps clogging.

 

[xjiang7]

I will cut off the stylophora/pocillopora

 

[MartinM]

I will cut off the stylophora/pocillopora

Think it could affect the shell?

Clam is opening more now but still not fully open. I'm slowly adding phosguard to slowly bring the phosphate down, since it's too high in general. Everything else I'm leaving alone.

 

[rc4kinu]

I’ve recently discovered that the mystery deaths of my clams were bristle worms. Just like you and others, I checked for them and pyram snails but initially didn’t see any. Then I checked at night they were there in huge numbers at the foot of the clam. Clam was completely healthy before then. I took my Reef Delete UV light (no affiliation just purchased one about two years ago. Would use it once in awhile but that night I nuked them like Joan Crawford to her rose garden for 3 hours! I would see tons of them reeling back to their hiding places in the rock. Probably can’t kill them all but will keep them in check. During day no sign of them but at night they come out. The consensus out there is that they only go after clams that are on declining or dying but if you have a lot and either through heavy maintenance or lack of food one will attack a healthy one and basically ring the dinner bell to the others once it takes a bite. This happens every night and short time later when it’s too late for the clam it will start showing signs that it is not happy and do the slow death march. So check tonight and if you have any means to bring that bristle worm population down, so so immediately. Perhaps it is too late for that clam or it can save it and the others still healthy.

 

[xjiang7]

Think it could affect the shell?

Clam is opening more now but still not fully open. I'm slowly adding phosguard to slowly bring the phosphate down, since it's too high in general. Everything else I'm leaving alone.

They can send out sweepers that sting the clam mantle