Help needed, about to lose my mind. TBH

[Macdaddynick1]

I have a large clam that’s been ticked off for some odd reason and I cannot figure out why.

Mind you this is the only clam that has been acting strange.
I have 4 other large clams in the system with no issues. These have been with me for quite a while.
This is not a pinched mantle disease either because he opens up occasionally but keeps the water holes closed as though there is something in the water that is irritating it. It hasn’t been growing well compared to other clams. I also don’t have any predatory snails or any predatory fish either.

I made sure to clean up the shell from any vermetids, I also added carbon and filter floss did a huge water-change and I might do another one.

The thing that I’m concerned with is that I have large leather corals and about 12 inferno anemones. Although this didn’t cause any issues before. I am now wondering if either of these are causing any chemical warfare, but why would only one of the clams be affected.

Anyways, any help or a point of view I haven’t thought of would be appreciated.

 

[Peace River]

Let's see if we can find some help...

@skinz78 @OrionN

 

[OrionN]

It is really hard to see with the blue light. I cannot see much other than the second picture the Squamousa is open while the first picture it is close.
More detail is needed and better pictures.

Essentially you are telling us that everything is fine but the clam is not fine. The pictures are not helpful so I don’t know what is going on.
How long have you had the clam? How much growing? What other clams? How bid and how they are growing? Is the clam growing? Your chemistry? Your light? Your maintance schedule? Size of the tank?… …

 

[vetteguy53081]

Agree- Need pics under white light intensity which the clam needs anyway as well as test values for: nitrate, phosphate-calcium, alk- salinity and water temp at minimum
Any changes to light and flow recently - please mention

 

[Macdaddynick1]

It is really hard to see with the blue light. I cannot see much other than the second picture the Squamousa is open while the first picture it is close.
More detail is needed and better pictures.

Essentially you are telling us that everything is fine but the clam is not fine. The pictures are not helpful so I don’t know what is going on.
How long have you had the clam? How much growing? What other clams? How bid and how they are growing? Is the clam growing? Your chemistry? Your light? Your maintance schedule? Size of the tank?… …

The clam in question I’ve had about 3 + years. The new gigas I got in May of this year. The issues begin before in case you’re wondering.

It’s not growing substantially, I can see about 1-2 mm of white band, may be less.

What other clams do you have ?

Other clams are 2 gigas , about 3” at this point, 1 x 9” derasa, 1 10” squamousa (in question) 1 x 12” Squamosa.

How fast are they growing? (Not sure on the timeframe I just look at the white band)

Gigas, growing super fast, mantle extension is great, I can see about 1” of the new white band on both.

Derasa, was not growing too fast but now looking good. About 1-2 mm of white band.

Squamosa in question, about 1-2 mm white band.

Big Squamosa about 1/2” white band.

Is the clam Growing?

Not as fast as it used to grow and not as fast as I want it to grow. I don’t know if this clam is supposed to slow down in growth due to its size since I have no idea on the maximum size. I have another Squamosa that substantially larger and growing quiet fast still. However it looks like a slightly different species. It’s brown.

Chemistry.
8.7 alk
450 CA
.2 Po4
14 No3

Light

Gen 5 Pro radions. (Same this clam had forever, same spectrum)

Maintenance.
Large waterchange ever month, dosing Alk and CA. Used Kalk in Ato but thought it might be contributing factor to the clam being fussy since evaporation is more now and the topoff is dosed by Tom’s Aqualifter instead of peristaltic pump. So I was worried that it caused spikes in PH and irrritated this clam.

Tank size,

I swapped out the tank last week, the issues begun much earlier though. Now it’s a 60 gallon tank 20 gallon sump. It was a quick drop in swap, within an hour. Nothing skipped a beat.

 

[Macdaddynick1]

It is really hard to see with the blue light. I cannot see much other than the second picture the Squamousa is open while the first picture it is close.
More detail is needed and better pictures.

Essentially you are telling us that everything is fine but the clam is not fine. The pictures are not helpful so I don’t know what is going on.
How long have you had the clam? How much growing? What other clams? How bid and how they are growing? Is the clam growing? Your chemistry? Your light? Your maintance schedule? Size of the tank?… …

Just heads up this is the night shot, so the clam is closed for the night. I will post a clearer picture tomorrow when it’s light out. Let me know what else you’d like me to photograph.

 

[Macdaddynick1]

Agree- Need pics under white light intensity which the clam needs anyway as well as test values for: nitrate, phosphate-calcium, alk- salinity and water temp at minimum
Any changes to light and flow recently - please mention

Pics posted. Parameters posted. Salinity is 1.026, flow recently changes but the clam was not happy long before any changes to the tank and flow. Light spectrum or intensity hasn’t changed in a very long time. (Years) temperature about 79 -80

 

[OrionN]

I think you have too much clams for such a small tank. I think the clams are competing for nutrients and the smaller canals suffers. Gigas grow really fast and may not be affect too much. But the Squamosa having problem is th the smallest of the three. If I am you, I change large amount of water, at least 25% weekly. Keep adding enough Ca and Alkalinity. Consider removing some of the clams you have.

 

[skinz78]

What kind of fish and invertebrates arein the system?

 

[Macdaddynick1]

I think you have too much clams for such a small tank. I think the clams are competing for nutrients and the smaller canals suffers. Gigas grow really fast and may not be affect too much. But the Squamosa having problem is th the smallest of the three. If I am you, I change large amount of water, at least 25% weekly. Keep adding enough Ca and Alkalinity. Consider removing some of the clams you have.

Hmm, I’ve never considered that. I can get the water changes onto a more regular schedule and supplement with phyto and amino acids. i would definitely like to avoid getting rid of them. The clam is the second biggest in the tank.

 

[Macdaddynick1]

What kind of fish and invertebrates arein the system?

Tang, hawkfish, clown, zebra hermits.

 

[skinz78]

Tang, hawkfish, clown, zebra hermits.

What kind of tang and hawkfish

 

[Macdaddynick1]

What kind of tang and hawkfish

Yellow tang, and striped hawkfish, not sure on the kind. I definitely need to look into dosing ammonia. Not sure why one of the clams would be irritated, but perhaps getting more nutrients would help it out.

 

[skinz78]

I agree with the more nutrients needed, but I think it is getting picked on by something. Can you put a shield over it that allows water flow still?

 

[minus9]

Hey Nick, I can stop by and take a closer look if you want? I don't think it's chemical, but running a little carbon will help. Gigas will grow much faster than the squammies, especially the smaller ones. I had to remove my yellow tang, as it killed two of my maximas, as it found the mantle to be a tasty treat. I also find that once a fish has a liking to clams, all clams are on the menu. Two fish will not provide enough nitrogen for that many clams, so there will be limited nitrogen input.

 

[Macdaddynick1]

I agree with the more nutrients needed, but I think it is getting picked on by something. Can you put a shield over it that allows water flow still?

Ding Ding Ding!!!!!!!

Sooo, I think I figured it out the culprit. This isn’t something I saw or considered before so I will probably make a separate post about it to make it searchable for people having the same issue. Two days ago I picked up the clam flipped it upside down to check for bristle worms, as I removed a couple of them two weeks prior with no substantial changes. I then saw a ton of Amphipods running away from underneath the shell opening. I didn't think much of it, but then as soon as I put my clam into the tank it opened up fully, for a while, and closed up again after 5-6 hours. That night it hit me, that the amphipods are agitating it. I am not sure if they were attacking the mantle or just agitating it. There are some predatory amphipods, and mine are quite large. That night I flipped the clam up side down, took out the bottom from the tank and poured bunch of RODI water on the bottom of the shell, bunch of amphipods fell back into the tank. In the morning I woke up and the clam did not look any better, so I kind of gave up hope, by the middle of the day the clam opened up to my surprise like it would before. The last two days, although clam shuts down occasionally, it opens fully at least. Funny thing is I went to my LFS - Aquarium City and was telling them about my issue, to which one of their employees told me that his client is having the same problem. He lost a clam to amphipods that he had for 4+ years. The Employee who maintains the tank said that his other claims are being attacked too. They also did the same by taking clams out and basting them with aquarium water, after that the clams opened almost immediately. I have been trapping the amphipods next to the clam by using a 3d printed bristle worm trap, and now I need to pick up a wrasse for my tank.

 

[Macdaddynick1]

Hey Nick, I can stop by and take a closer look if you want? I don't think it's chemical, but running a little carbon will help. Gigas will grow much faster than the squammies, especially the smaller ones. I had to remove my yellow tang, as it killed two of my maximas, as it found the mantle to be a tasty treat. I also find that once a fish has a liking to clams, all clams are on the menu. Two fish will not provide enough nitrogen for that many clams, so there will be limited nitrogen input.

Dude I think I figured it out (Hopefully) , but I'll shoot you a text. As to the nutrition, I don't think that was my problem as my no3 and po4 are quite high, I feed the anemones and fish quite substantially. I might be pickup up a blue tang though, just to increase the bio load in that tank.

 

[OrionN]

It is not the macro nutrient but micronutrients that we don’t check for. I am sure if you send you water for in-depth testing you may find it.

 

[Macdaddynick1]

It is not the macro nutrient but micronutrients that we don’t check for. I am sure if you send you water for in-depth testing you may find it.

Got it. I’m going to do an ICP and report back.

 

[MartinM]

I'm having a similar issue with a large blue maxima. But no fish in the system.

I've never heard of a amphipods damaging a clam, and if so, they'd be attacking all of your clams I would think?