Hippo missing flesh

[jonesdeini]

I received a Squamosa and Hippopus clam on 3/2 from ORA, and both bags had leaked water and the clams were not fully submerged. I was worried but they both opened up right away when the lights came on. Inspected both clams for pyramid snails and other hitchhikers but found none.

Today, when I was looking at my tank I noticed the hippo is missing a bit of flesh and I have no idea why. The tank is well established(4+ years old) and I test my parameters every 2-3 days and last night they all tested good (nitrate: 10, phosphate: .09, alk: 9.5, cal: 450, mg: 1400). From my experience when clams lose flesh there is almost nothing that can be done to save them. I'd appreciate any advice to try and save it, and I was also wondering what the cause might be.

 

[minus9]

Is it missing or retracted?

 

[Miami Reef]

Did it arrive like that? Any nipping angels?

 

[vetteguy53081]

I received a Squamosa and Hippopus clam on 3/2 from ORA, and both bags had leaked water and the clams were not fully submerged. I was worried but they both opened up right away when the lights came on. Inspected both clams for pyramid snails and other hitchhikers but found none.

Today, when I was looking at my tank I noticed the hippo is missing a bit of flesh and I have no idea why. The tank is well established(4+ years old) and I test my parameters every 2-3 days and last night they all tested good (nitrate: 10, phosphate: .09, alk: 9.5, cal: 450, mg: 1400). From my experience when clams lose flesh there is almost nothing that can be done to save them. I'd appreciate any advice to try and save it, and I was also wondering what the cause might be.

Report it to shipper.
Can it come back- I had one that did and that did not. Will depend on acclimation given and environmental conditions.
Clams can be rewarding and colorful but there are a few precautions:
Temperature not to exceed 80
Ca not to exceed 450
Ph not to exceed 8.3
Alk not to exceed 11
Salinity best at 1.025
Nitrate not to exceed.8
Moderate water flow
Good lighting

They’re a sensitive species. You CAN’T allow ammonia, nitrite, or even nitrates to build up. This means adhering to a strict schedule of 25% water changes every week. Set up dosing to provide the trace elements the clam will need to survive if you can’t. Fluctuations in temperature, oxygen levels, pH, or alkalinity can make your maxima unhappy. Maxima clams also need light and lots of it which fuels the photosynthesis carried out by the zooxanthellae within their mantle. Without proper light, the clam will starve.

 

[jonesdeini]

Is it missing or retracted?

That's a great question. It seems like it's missing but I'm not sure how I'd be able to tell the difference

 

[jonesdeini]

Did it arrive like that? Any nipping angels?

Its flesh covered the whole shell when it first arrived. It's in a part of the system that has no fish, so there is no chance of a fish picking at it.

 

[minus9]

Its flesh covered the whole shell when it first arrived. It's in a part of the system that has no fish, so there is no chance of a fish picking at it.

Any shrimp (CBS or similar)? If the mantle keeps receding, then you’re looking at possible PMD.