Maxima Clam mantle rotting

0rangeFish · Jun 25, 2017

My maxima clam's mantle appears to be rotting in two spots. It's a blue clam and the areas turned white a few days ago and now the flesh is looks like it's rotting. The clam is pulling in the ruffles with the afflicted area. I can't find anything online that looks like what the clam has. Any suggestions?

The clam is in a 46 gallon tank, 2 165W led lights (20% white, 60% blue), 2 feet from the lights, and not in direct flow. The clam is 6 inches, and I've had it for one and a half years. Parameters are ammonia-0, nitrite-0, nitrate-0, phosphate-0.06, calcium-360, alkalinity-4.1, magnesium-1140, salinity-1.025, pH-8.4. I do realize that the cal, alk, and mag are low, they're usually higher. I'm already bring those up currently. I don't run gfo, I run carbon and a skimmer. The clam's foot is damaged and has been ever since I got it.

Tank mates for fish are a ocellaris clown, six line wrasse, watchman goby, and black cap basslet. For the others, one scarlet skunk shrimp, one emerald crab, hermit, snails.

Thanks for any and all help!

saltyfilmfolks · Jun 25, 2017

I don't think that's enough light.
How long is the photo period ?
You can try the same treatment they use for PM. Run a slightly aggressive carbon and change it frequently.

Sorry I honestly haven see This one before.

@Tahoe61 ?

Mr. Bill · Jun 25, 2017

Looks to me like damage from something picking at it. Has your emerald crab been looking a little plump lately? They've been known to become opportunistic.

chipmunkofdoom2 · Jun 25, 2017

Alkalinity is very very low, about half of normal seawater levels. Do you have a second test kit that you can use to confirm the reading? If your pH is actually 8.4 and that reading is accurate, then I think it would be very unlikely that your alkalinity would be that low. I think at least one of those readings is off.

0rangeFish · Jun 25, 2017

I did move the clam up higher about a month ago because I moved the tank, but the clam has gotten that much light for as long as I've had him. I can increase the blues, but if I bump up the whites any more my corals start to burn. I've never seen the emerald crab on or near the clam. He's always on the opposite side of the tank. He does hang out on my stylophora a lot, but I've never seen him eat anything he shouldn't. My frag rack was covered in hair algae and he got up there and cleaned the who thing. I'm always skeptical of them though. I got him because I have a small amount of bubble algae, only eats hair algae, whatever. I have a ton of sps corals sucking up all the alk, cal, and mag, and dose to add it back in. I'm kicking it up a bit to get it back. The pH kit is brand new, but the alk one is a little old. I'll have to get a new one soon anyway since the solutions are almost gone. I will be aggressive with more carbon for a week or so, and if it gets worse in the next few days, I'll kick the emerald into the sump. And as also, check for pests at night.

Tahoe61 · Jun 26, 2017

No corals that have the potential to developing stinging sweeper tentacles near by at night?
Looks like PMD, the mantle is pinched, but with areas of zooxanthellae loss. I have seen this loss of zooxanthellae with the use of LED's but I am not schooled enough in LED's to differentiate too much vs not enough vs right spectrum.
Boy that alk can not be right, do your self a favor and get a Hanna checker well worth is if you're going sps dominate.
I would add new charcoal.

Good luck with the clam, I hope it turns around for you.