Little Help with Clams

[dwilliams87]

Hey guys, I need a little help. I have 2 clams in my tank and yesterday I noticed they aren't doing well. Their shells are wide open, not closing even when i touch them. I believe that's what is called gaping. Everything else in my tank is doing great including all SPS. I'll give you my water parameters at the end of my post. I did have a problem with some SPS bleaching last week so I turned down my newly placed LED's. The only thing that changed was I swapped over from Reef Crystals to Salinity by Aqua-Vitro. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Ammonia - 0
Nitrites - 0
Nitrates - 2.5
Salinty - 1.026
Ph - 8.3
Phosphates- 0
Alkalinity - 11.2
Calcium - 460
Magnessium - 1250

 

[dwilliams87]

1 is a crocea, 1 is a maxima, if that helps at all.

 

[pelagic]

They need strong light, if they stop responding they are usually far gone. :(

 

[pickupman66]

+1. ususally when purchasing a clam, you check it for light sensitivity. if it does not react to your hand shadow, it is a gonner. I have a large Maxima and it jumps every time the fish swim close to it let alone me touch it. if they are not jumpy, then I would say they are gone. remove them quickly so they dont polute the tank.

here is a good Advanced aquarist article.

Feature Article: A Look at "Mysterious Clam Deaths" — Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog

 

[Dowtish]

Clam Recipes

 

[dwilliams87]

Chris, that's so wrong man! What's funny is my wife just said Saturday she wanted to try to make some homemade clam chowder.

 

[Dowtish]

:xd:

 

[pickupman66]

Chris.. you now officially owe me a new keyboard and monitor....

 

[Dowtish]

what did you do? spit your drink all over the computer? lol:bounce:

 

[skinz78]

What fish and inverts do you have in the tank?

 

[gmoney243]

How long have u had the clams? How olds ur tank?

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[Reefer5060]

I bed it has something to do with ur new LEDs not getting down to the clam. Ya your Sps was bleaching but maybe your not getting the clam with enough light it needs

 

[pickupman66]

I am getting good light at the bottom of my tank with the leds

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[dwilliams87]

I have 1 cleaner shrimp, 1 peppermint, 2 turbos, 20 hermits, yasha, red scooter blenny, sixline, and clown

 

[dwilliams87]

Had 1 clam for 3 months, the other I got at the swap. Tanks been set up for 6 months.

 

[gmoney243]

Are you feeding phyto? How big are they? Could be they starved if you don't feed the tank much and have a big skimmer

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[dwilliams87]

I feed phyto daily.

 

[gmoney243]

Hmm have u damaged the foot somehow or maybe droped a rock on them? Could also just be when u bleached ur sps could have shocked the clams with to much light?

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[dwilliams87]

I pulled one of the clams out he looked really bad. When I pulled him his foot looked frayed. The little one is holding on for dear life and is showing a little sign of improvement as he is closing some now.

 

[skinz78]

Clams don't need fed, it's a myth.

I have had Peppermint shrimp pester clams to death in the past. I would suspect the shrimp.