New Derasa

[saltyhog]

Been a while since I kept a clam and decided to start with a Deresa from LA. Got him Friday. He's responsive but looks a little too open to me. He also is pretty pale. Only color is the blue rim.

Does he look ok @DSC reef ?

 

[DSC reef]

Can you get him to retract to see if there is new white shell growth, I'm not seeing any? That would be a red flag for me. There has been a large decline on healthy clams from LA and I fear they are in bad shape by the time you get the clam.

 

[saltyhog]

Best I can do. Will borrow my wife's camera tomorrow.

 

[DSC reef]

No need my friend, that clam has been in bad shape for some time. I'm always optimistic so give it plenty of light and stable parameters. Hoping it turns around for you, keep me posted.

 

[saltyhog]

No need my friend, that clam has been in bad shape for some time. I'm always optimistic so give it plenty of light and stable parameters. Hoping it turns around for you, keep me posted.

Was afraid of that when I saw him. Water parameters are very stable, I've got him on the sandbed but in the most intense lighting directly under the Hydra 52HD on that section of the tank. I'll update as things change. :(

 

[DSC reef]

That's all you can do at this point. At least the clam is getting the best care it can get now. Keep an eye out for mantle gaping into the shell.

 

[saltyhog]

That's all you can do at this point. At least the clam is getting the best care it can get now. Keep an eye out for mantle gaping into the shell.

I do run a little higher nutrients than some do (paranoia from my dinos). NO3....2.5, PO4 0.06-0.08. Is that problematic? When I had my Maxima years ago I was low nutrient with NO3 zero and PO4 0.02

 

[DSC reef]

Not at all, I always preferred nutrients in the tank when keeping clams.

 

[Katrina71]

Tank stalking. Hope you don't mind. I kinda fell in love with a clam the other night. Learning...

 

[reef lover]

Still reacting is always a good sign.
Hows he looking this morning?

 

[dwest]

I do run a little higher nutrients than some do (paranoia from my dinos). NO3....2.5, PO4 0.06-0.08. Is that problematic? When I had my Maxima years ago I was low nutrient with NO3 zero and PO4 0.02

My 2 derasa clams have been with me for many years including surviving a huge die out because of dinos. I keep my nutrients similar to yours so you are good to go. Good luck.

 

[saltyhog]

Still reacting is always a good sign.
Hows he looking this morning?

Well a little over a week later he looks pretty good. Still seems a little too open but the color has improved and his mouth doesn't gape at all. Too soon I think to say for sure but I feel a little better about him.

 

[DSC reef]

Keep an eye out for some new growth, hoping it comes around for you.

 

[saltyhog]

Keep an eye out for some new growth, hoping it comes around for you.

My alkalinity/calcium demand jumped a bunch in the last two days. I've been checking both daily due to the clam and 3 new SPS colonies added recently. Hopefully it's due to the clam starting to recover/grow. Finger's crossed.

 

[hart24601]

Fingers crossed! I have spent way too much time looking at clam shells for a little band of white...

 

[saltyhog]

Two weeks in. Not much difference other than color is noticeably better. I can't see any new growth for sure. Alk/Ca demand has more than doubled but I think that's from the large acro colonies I added 2 weeks before the clam. Picture from today.

 

[DSC reef]

It's still extending so that's good. Hopefully you'll see new white growth soon.

 

[reef lover]

He looks good!

 

[saltyhog]

OK, I tapped on his shell tonight while feeding to make him retract. When the mantle is pulled completely inside the shell the top of the shell is snow white! Man I hope that means he's recovering and growing!

 

[DSC reef]

OK, I tapped on his shell tonight while feeding to make him retract. When the mantle is pulled completely inside the shell the top of the shell is snow white! Man I hope that means he's recovering and growing!

That's great news. Snap a pic if you can. So happy to hear