New Clam is Closed

shornik · Apr 12, 2015

I picked up a Derasa yesterday at RAP in Orlando. I drip acclimated and it was opened during acclimation. I placed in my tank and it remained open but by that time the tank lights were only on for a little bit longer and not very bright. This morning the clam was on its side and closed, I placed it back right side up and so far it hasn't opened up. The lights are on as bright as they normally get.

Is this just an acclimation thing for the clam since I just placed in the tank or should I be worried?

Dalmatia · Apr 12, 2015

what live stock do you have in your tank?

shornik · Apr 13, 2015

Dalmatia said:
what live stock do you have in your tank?

The clam didn't make it, this morning about all that was left were hermits inside the shell having a feast. I'm replying in hopes of figuring out what I might have done wrong so as not to repeat the mistake again. To answer the question I have hermits, various snails, 2 Anthers (Bartletts), 1 leopard wrasse, 1 canary wrasse, 2 Ocellaris clowns, 1 starry blenny, 1 orchid dottyback, 1 cleaner shrimp and 3 peppermint shrimp. I drip acclimated for about 2 hours with a very slow drip, perhaps I didn't drip long enough or maybe didn't drip in enough volume. The clam was open while I was dripping and when I put it in the tank, the next morning it was on its side and closed up with its mantle seeming to have receded from the edges of the shell.

Bassett22 · Apr 13, 2015

Did it touch air at all? If so did you burp it?
It may have been an acclimation issue, or it could have been damaged before you ever even bought it. Was there a rock or anything that the foot was attached to?

shornik · Apr 13, 2015

Bassett22 said:
Did it touch air at all? If so did you burp it?
It may have been an acclimation issue, or it could have been damaged before you ever even bought it. Was there a rock or anything that the foot was attached to?

When I put it in the tank after acclimating, it was in the air for a few seconds, but I did not burp it - I don't know what that means or how to do it. It had rubble attached to the foot, not much but definitely there. I'm pretty sure it was healthy when I bought it.

troels899 · Apr 13, 2015

Burping it is rolling it underwater to get the air out of your clam

shornik · Apr 13, 2015

troels899 said:
Burping it is rolling it underwater to get the air out of your clam

I definitely did not do that.

troels899 · Apr 13, 2015

The person that sold it to you should have told you I know the guy i bought mine off of At rap was telling everyone buying one

Nano40 · Apr 13, 2015

There was a seller on the right side of room A that had a Durasa and a Maxima the Max was in bad shape and the Durasa was going back and forth between the 2 tanks. Hope you didn't get it from there. I got one from Oceans Direct.

shornik · Apr 13, 2015

I'm not sure which one that was but it wasn't where I bought the clam from. I'd rather not say from which vendor because I'm about 99.9% sure it was my lack of understanding / acclimation that was the problem. I appreciate everyone's feedback so I don't make the same mistake again.

eg8r210 · Apr 13, 2015

Too lose the clam overnight would make me think there was something already wrong with the clam, OR, you have a predator in your tank and the clam was a tasty treat.

Nano40 · Apr 13, 2015

2 hour drip 1-2 drips a second filling half the volume of the original water then drain off half a repeat. I made mine close underwater before I transferred it no burp needed. I would get a rock or clam base the next time you get one and put it in the same bed that should help keep it stable also. Sorry for the loss though.

hart24601 · Apr 13, 2015

FWIW I think it was not healthy before you got it. I normally only do a temp acclimation with clams if the salinity isn't too far off - which it has never been when I bought clams. So about 10-15 min before going in the clam QT tank. I also have never been all that concerned with burping. The clams I have moved generally are closed pretty tight and don't release air when I rotate them underwater, but they do burp themselves. While I have lost clams due to various reasons, fish, bacteria and such I have never lost one overnight from acclimation or taking it out of the tank.