Pinched mantle on new clam, should I be worried about my established ones?

Yuki Rihwa · Dec 13, 2017

From my own experiences with my clams, I keep my schedule to rank up my intensity and I don't go back down if one clam seem not happy with new intensity while all other are fine and happy, the one clam that not happy will be fine few days later and back to normal and be sure keep the light time consistent, I didn't change my light duration last few months and my clams are now adapt to the schedule, they will start open up as soon the light is on and start close up when the light at lowest intensity before off. Also, most peoples said don't feed your tank but I do broadcast feed phytoplankton in my system, all clams will benefit the extra food in water especially and it's always better than none.

Donovan Joannes · Dec 13, 2017

Extra foods for clam is always a bonus. In the wild they eats all the time.

Shigshwa · Dec 20, 2017

Little update on the clams in my tank: It seems like the root cause of my issues was a Squamosa that I introduced into the tank. It had some kind of infection that ate away at the mantle, and it wasn't pinched mantle either. I'm not sure if the Maxima was spreading any disease. This disease spread to all of my other clams. I've since lost a smaller Derasa, the affected Squamosa, and the Maxima in the first post. I had a Crocea and larger Maxima that were starting to lose mantle flesh, so I decided to go for broke and QT them, treating them with a cocktail of antibiotics and Metronidazole. After 5 days in QT, they recovered from being in a retracted and lethargic state, but the holes were still visible.

My larger Derasa was stressed out and retracted, but I decided not to treat it, since it was not showing signs of holes in the mantle, and I did not know what the medications would do, so I did not want to risk losing my longest lived clam to it. Oddly, the Hippopus did not seem to be affected After 2 weeks back into the display, I can say that I may have beaten the disease! The holes are starting to patch up, and the Maxima even has new shell growth!

Hard to see here, but there is new flesh growing where that hole is atop the mouth.

There is a small scute forming towards the right side of the Maxima.

Yuki Rihwa · Dec 20, 2017

Nice to see a positive recovering of your clam.
If my 2 Squamosa arrive safely then I'm done adding new clams to my tank, until they are grow bigger I'll choose a few that best looking for my main focus display in bigger tank.

needbiggertanks · Dec 21, 2017

This is very interesting. I've yet to come across this situation anywhere else. It is nice to have something else to look out for. Haha. Did you list the meds you use for tge treatment? It may help others in the future...