Help! Trying to diagnose Clam!

[SaltLife77]

This just happened today....I think I am looking at a case of PMD...... thoughts?

Appreciate it!

 

[gbroadbridge]

This just happened today....I think I am looking at a case of PMD...... thoughts?

Appreciate it!

Clams can be fussy about Nitrates. What are your tank params?

Also check under the clam, near its foot for pyramid snails

 

[SaltLife77]

Clams can be fussy about Nitrates. What are your tank params?

Also check under the clam, near its foot for pyramid snails

Nitrates at 7.5.

 

[SaltLife77]

But I am also fighting dinos.........

 

[DeniseAndy]

How large in the clam and where was it from? How long have you had it? Did you add any new ones to the system? Are your parameters in check? What fish do you have? Inverts?

 

[SaltLife77]

How large in the clam and where was it from? How long have you had it? Did you add any new ones to the system? Are your parameters in check? What fish do you have? Inverts?

It's about 4" front to back, Maxima clam. I have had it for about 3 years. Got him from a pet store called "the salty critter" Only the one. The fish that was in there, recently died, there was only one fish. Other inverts: sea cucumber, brittle starfish (now also dying, banner day at my house), nassarius snails, trochus and blue legs)

My parameters are as follows:

NO3: 7.5
pH: 8.2
KH: 8.8
Ca: 393
Mg: 1000
SG: 1.025

 

[vetteguy53081]

Very distressed but still healthy looking.
What is your phosphate?
What test kits are you using ?
Mag is low (range 1300-1350)
Temp should be 78-79
Moderate flow.
Good lighting

What measures are you taking to battle dino ?

 

[SaltLife77]

Very distressed but still healthy looking.
What is your phosphate?
What test kits are you using ?
Mag is low (range 1300-1350)
Temp should be 78-79
Moderate flow.
Good lighting

What measures are you taking to battle dino ?

My phosphate is at 0.08. I am using Hanna Checkers for Ca and KH - and Red Sea test kits for all params. Temp is at 79.9. Flow is moderate, hasn't changed.

Dino's treatment as follows:

For the past three weeks I have been doing the following:

1) Running a UV Sterilizer 24/7 (blowing off the rocks probably 10 times a day and night)

2) Overfeeding tank (I feed Rod's red daily, phyto once a week and nori once every couple of weeks

3) changing carbon weekly, plus running extra

4) NO water changes in the last 4 weeks.

5) GFO turned off completely

6) Blacked out tank for 3 days (but have only done that once, because of the clam).

7) Manual removal with a filter sock (siphoning water through sock and then pouring strained water back into tank).

8) Running skimmer as dry as possible, I cannot bring myself to turn it all the way off.

9) Still running my biopellet reactor for now.

 

[DeniseAndy]

Try to slowly bring up Ca and Mg. Clams need these and it is possible not getting enough now that it is larger. Seems it is draining them anyway from the lower numbers. Especially without doing the water changes to replenish. Unless you dose, in which case, change it up to higher amounts.
It does not look too bad, just irritated. Keep and eye on it over the next week and see if it stays pinched or if it opens then contracts. Could be flow, could be deaths in tank are sending a message.
Also, at night an hour or so after lights out, lift up and check for pyramid snails. These buggers got my maxima after having it for 4 years. I think they were brought in on another clam or cuc. Not sure. It was a battle.

It is a pretty clam. I hope it recovers.

 

[hart24601]

Sometimes my clams will retract in spots for a few days just like that so I wouldn’t jump immediately to something being wrong with it. And even if there is honestly the unsatisfying answer is generally it’s best off to leave it alone despite how hard it it to do - I know that feeling well!

of course look for pyramid snails, if see those then need to take active steps. Otherwise the chemistry looks fine (except mg- it really that low?) if it’s stable. Keep feeding the tank as they do need those nutrients.

If it’s going downhill messing with it or drastic changes ime will kill it (unless a nipper which you said no fish so not that or pyramid snails). Sometimes my clams will look or retract for several days but come out of it unless I fuss with them or there is a larger issue.

 

[vetteguy53081]

The overfeeding is likely causing the elevated phosphates ( you want .04-.06).
The blackout may have been a contributor as they required lighting for Zooxanthellae which is their building blocks.
My clam has done what yours is doing more than once and went back to normal.
With Dino, you want to skim and empty the cup daily.

 

[SaltLife77]

Try to slowly bring up Ca and Mg. Clams need these and it is possible not getting enough now that it is larger. Seems it is draining them anyway from the lower numbers. Especially without doing the water changes to replenish. Unless you dose, in which case, change it up to higher amounts.
It does not look too bad, just irritated. Keep and eye on it over the next week and see if it stays pinched or if it opens then contracts. Could be flow, could be deaths in tank are sending a message.
Also, at night an hour or so after lights out, lift up and check for pyramid snails. These buggers got my maxima after having it for 4 years. I think they were brought in on another clam or cuc. Not sure. It was a battle.

It is a pretty clam. I hope it recovers.

Thank you so much, I am feeling so overwhelmed with the dinos, and am so concerned about Charlie (the clam lol, my husband and I name our critters).

I really appreciate the advice and will apply it.

 

[SaltLife77]

Try to slowly bring up Ca and Mg. Clams need these and it is possible not getting enough now that it is larger. Seems it is draining them anyway from the lower numbers. Especially without doing the water changes to replenish. Unless you dose, in which case, change it up to higher amounts.
It does not look too bad, just irritated. Keep and eye on it over the next week and see if it stays pinched or if it opens then contracts. Could be flow, could be deaths in tank are sending a message.
Also, at night an hour or so after lights out, lift up and check for pyramid snails. These buggers got my maxima after having it for 4 years. I think they were brought in on another clam or cuc. Not sure. It was a battle.

It is a pretty clam. I hope it recovers.

Thank you so much, I am feeling so overwhelmed with the dinos, and am so concerned about Charlie (the clam lol, my husband and I name our critters).

I really appreciate the advice and will apply it.

The overfeeding is likely causing the elevated phosphates ( you want .04-.06).
The blackout may have been a contributor as they required lighting for Zooxanthellae which is their building blocks.
My clam has done what yours is doing more than once and went back to normal.
With Dino, you want to skim and empty the cup daily.

Thank very much for that, it gives me some hope!! No fresh water dips yet I guess. Thank you for the advice also, much appreciated!

 

[SaltLife77]

Sometimes my clams will retract in spots for a few days just like that so I wouldn’t jump immediately to something being wrong with it. And even if there is honestly the unsatisfying answer is generally it’s best off to leave it alone despite how hard it it to do - I know that feeling well!

of course look for pyramid snails, if see those then need to take active steps. Otherwise the chemistry looks fine (except mg- it really that low?) if it’s stable. Keep feeding the tank as they do need those nutrients.

If it’s going downhill messing with it or drastic changes ime will kill it (unless a nipper which you said no fish so not that or pyramid snails). Sometimes my clams will look or retract for several days but come out of it unless I fuss with them or there is a larger issue.

I know right! "Observe!".....but man oh man do I want to intervene. My Mg was at 1100 last week, but no water changes because of the dinos and am straining the water through a filter sock, and putting it back in. I am wondering if I need a tiny water change to get the chem stable for the Mg. Maybe a dumb thought, not sure.

 

[cdw79]

This feels like a really dumb question but what exactly is everyone pointing to as the sign that something is wrong? I'm sure it's just my inexperience with tridacnae (looking to get one soon so I've been reading in the clam section) but what's the off-putting sign here? Figured I should know for future reference. Thanks all

 

[SaltLife77]

This feels like a really dumb question but what exactly is everyone pointing to as the sign that something is wrong? I'm sure it's just my inexperience with tridacnae (looking to get one soon so I've been reading in the clam section) but what's the off-putting sign here? Figured I should know for future reference. Thanks all

As an asker of questions, I assure you, there is no dumb question. So, the thing that caused me alarm, is if you look at the photo I posted at the base, one part of the mantle is tucked in. That isn't normal for that clam.

 

[SaltLife77]

Update:

I checked for pyramid snails and found none, which is good. However, I have the clam sitting in a dish type, frag disk, which he has been attached to, and he was not attached when I checked for the pyramid snails. However, he did react like normal when I touched him and snapped shut. So I gently placed him back. Wondering if the detachment is normal? I haven't seen him detached in a really long time.

 

[gbroadbridge]

This feels like a really dumb question but what exactly is everyone pointing to as the sign that something is wrong? I'm sure it's just my inexperience with tridacnae (looking to get one soon so I've been reading in the clam section) but what's the off-putting sign here? Figured I should know for future reference. Thanks all

At the bottom right of the clam its mantle is pinched, which is often a sign that something is irritating it.

 

[gbroadbridge]

I know right! "Observe!".....but man oh man do I want to intervene. My Mg was at 1100 last week, but no water changes because of the dinos and am straining the water through a filter sock, and putting it back in. I am wondering if I need a tiny water change to get the chem stable for the Mg. Maybe a dumb thought, not sure.

Hi, even when treating dinos you can adust Alk, Ca, and Mag as long as the supplement does not contain any trace elements or carbon sources.

So plain old baking soda for Alk, Calcium chloride for Ca, and Magnesium Chloride for Mag are all okay.

 

[SaltLife77]

Update!

Charlie the Clam is looking less pinched today!!!! And the brittle starfish that has dropped two legs.....ATE!!! And an eerie side note.... the two dropped legs appeared to eat as well. Two very small but I think significant events.