Maxima Clams help!

[dough]

In the last 3-4 weeks I’ve lost 5 out of my 8 clams. I’ve go another that doesn’t look good. So I’ve been trying to figure out the issues. Tonight I again examined the remaining clams I found these. Are these the dreaded pyramid snails? If so what do I do? Some of my clams have been in the tank for a few years so this is a painful and sad loss.

 

[Ugin]

They look like them, but it's hard to tell without a microscope. Were they attached to the shell either by the foot or right under the mantle?

While the answer is probably that they are pyramid snails, it's best to ask a few other questions:

1. Did you save any of the other clams that died over the last 3-4 weeks? If so, you may be able to see if they had pyramid snails on the shell.
2. Did your dying clams show any negative/abnormal symptoms?
3. Did you make any large change in the last month?
4. What are your parameters?

 

[dough]

The other clam shells where picked clean and I removed them before looking for these. Those in the picture where removed from around the foot of the clam. After the lights went out I went and checked again, and removed 5-6 more off the clam that looks the worst. There was about 12 o r more in clam cradle. I found about two each on the remaining clams, nothing in the cradle but they still look good.

Regarding other symptoms, just a gradual mantel withdrawa
No changes except regular maintenance , no other coral or fish loss.
I’ll be checking parameters tomorrow.

Now I’ll be checking the cleanup crew.

 

[Dburr1014]

I 2nd pyramid snails.
Pic out what you can around the clams. Some wrasse eat them. 6 line, 8 line.
When was the last time you added anything to the tank?

 

[Ugin]

The other clam shells where picked clean and I removed them before looking for these. Those in the picture where removed from around the foot of the clam. After the lights went out I went and checked again, and removed 5-6 more off the clam that looks the worst. There was about 12 o r more in clam cradle. I found about two each on the remaining clams, nothing in the cradle but they still look good.

Regarding other symptoms, just a gradual mantel withdrawa
No changes except regular maintenance , no other coral or fish loss.
I’ll be checking parameters tomorrow.

Now I’ll be checking the cleanup crew.

Pyramid snails are typically nocturnal, and therefore you may only see them some time after your lights go out. I'd check them every day for the foreseeable future to get rid of as many as you can.

As for long term solutions, I know people like to get wrasses that eat them, but keep in mind pyramid snails are nocturnal and most wrasses are diurnal, so by the time the pyramids come out of the substrate most wrasses are asleep. That said, I've heard of folks using sand sifting fish/inverts in conjunction with wrasses to turn over the substrate so that wrasses that DO eat them have a chance to. In any case, I'm by no means an expert in pyramid snails and I'd hope someone else can chime in here.

 

[OrionN]

See the article I wrote. How I deal with these snails
https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/how-i-deal-with-pyram-snails-the-giant-clam-parasitic-snails.766/

 

[minus9]

Did you add any new snails or livestock recently that didn’t get dipped or QT’d? I got pyramids from a snail order and it took me a long time to finally get rid of them. Follow @OrionN instructions. I now QT all CUC.