Squamosa not thriving

[Cherie cook]

Have some questions about my newish squamosa. I’ve had him for about a month now and he seems to open less and less as time goes on. Also I’ve not seen any new growth on the shell…the extra growth on the right has always been there-that side is just longer for some reason. The pic is typical amount of opening at this point. He’s on my sand bed and I just checked the par and got about 170. I’ve turned him over a few times to see if there were any pyramid snails or anything else bugging him…nothing. I have a melanarus wrasse in the tank so hopefully that’s taking care of those things.

Other fish are: white tail bristletooth tang, coral beauty, possum wrasse, two tiny clowns, two jawfish and a court jester goby. I’ve not seen any of these bothering him. I also have assorted hermits, skunk cleaner shrimp and some emerald crabs(new).

Params are: pH 7.8-8.0 (I struggle with this), ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 9.1, phos 0.04, alk 7.8- 8.5, calcium 453, mag1440, salinity 1.026, temp 77- 78. Lighting is t5/ kessil hybrid. The tank is 90 gallons with a 20 gallon sump.

So I guess my question is…what can I do to maximize his chances of survival…does he need more light, is this mantle pinching, something else? I do have another clam, a maxima, which is growing and doing well…he lives up on the rockwork.

 

[Cherie cook]

Have some questions about my newish squamosa. I’ve had him for about a month now and he seems to open less and less as time goes on. Also I’ve not seen any new growth on the shell…the extra growth on the right has always been there-that side is just longer for some reason. The pic is typical amount of opening at this point. He’s on my sand bed and I just checked the par and got about 170. I’ve turned him over a few times to see if there were any pyramid snails or anything else bugging him…nothing. I have a melanarus wrasse in the tank so hopefully that’s taking care of those things.

Other fish are: white tail bristletooth tang, coral beauty, possum wrasse, two tiny clowns, two jawfish and a court jester goby. I’ve not seen any of these bothering him. I also have assorted hermits, skunk cleaner shrimp and some emerald crabs(new).

Params are: pH 7.8-8.0 (I struggle with this), ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 9.1, phos 0.04, alk 7.8- 8.5, calcium 453, mag1440, salinity 1.026, temp 77- 78. Lighting is t5/ kessil hybrid. The tank is 90 gallons with a 20 gallon sump.

So I guess my question is…what can I do to maximize his chances of survival…does he need more light, is this mantle pinching, something else? I do have another clam, a maxima, which is growing and doing well…he lives up on the rockwork.

Now that I see the pic I’m noticing that when I checked the bottom earlier I set him down pretty close to the hammer…moving him now.

 

[Cherie cook]

Anyone, lol?

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

The only thing that sticks out at me is that you have your clam down by a hammer, so that must be a low light area for a clam. Clams need much stronger light than a hammer, 400+ PAR is best. Good luck.

EDIT: I just saw your second post lol, hope it helps.

 

[Cherie cook]

The only thing that sticks out at me is that you have your clam down by a hammer, so that must be a low light area for a clam. Clams need much stronger light than a hammer, 400+ PAR is best. Good luck.

EDIT: I just saw your second post lol, hope it helps.

Thanks for replying! The only way I could give him more light is to move him up on the rockwork..but I thought squamosas liked the sandbed. Would it matter?

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I'm sorry i have no experience with squamosa, I'm not familiar with the proper placement. But as a tridacnid clam, it needs as much light as maxima

 

[bsagea]

Squamosas and deresas require less light than a maxima. That being said though, depending on the depth of your tank and if he's receiving direct or diffused light, could make a difference. My blue squamosa sits on a shell filled with sand on a very low rock under a 250w halide, (4) t5's and ReefBrite strips at night for pop. I can't put him on the sand directly because my Earmuff doesn't like any clams on his sandbed lol! My tank though is only 18" deep. I feared my lighting would be too much for him, but he's beautiful and doesn't seem to mind it. It could be that the hammer is stinging it but you should see damage to the mantle if that's the case. A clam will recover from a LPS sting. I've had that happen and eventually it was fine...bsa

 

[Cherie cook]

Squamosas and deresas require less light than a maxima. That being said though, depending on the depth of your tank and if he's receiving direct or diffused light, could make a difference. My blue squamosa sits on a shell filled with sand on a very low rock under a 250w halide, (4) t5's and ReefBrite strips at night for pop. I can't put him on the sand directly because my Earmuff doesn't like any clams on his sandbed lol! My tank though is only 18" deep. I feared my lighting would be too much for him, but he's beautiful and doesn't seem to mind it. It could be that the hammer is stinging it but you should see damage to the mantle if that's the case. A clam will recover from a LPS sting. I've had that happen and eventually it was fine...bsa

This tank is 24 inches deep with a 2 inch sand bed. The clam does not normally live so near the hammer coral as per my follow up post. I’m wondering if indeed too little light is the problem. Waiting for more opinions.

Squamosas and deresas require less light than a maxima. That being said though, depending on the depth of your tank and if he's receiving direct or diffused light, could make a difference. My blue squamosa sits on a shell filled with sand on a very low rock under a 250w halide, (4) t5's and ReefBrite strips at night for pop. I can't put him on the sand directly because my Earmuff doesn't like any clams on his sandbed lol! My tank though is only 18" deep. I feared my lighting would be too much for him, but he's beautiful and doesn't seem to mind it. It could be that the hammer is stinging it but you should see damage to the mantle if that's the case. A clam will recover from a LPS sting. I've had that happen and eventually it was fine...bsa

 

[DrZoidburg]

This what I first thought, too low of light, and maybe the parameter swings. I have seen this before it could already be too late whatever it is. One day you might pick it up and it will be soup. Does it respond to tapping the tank, movement, or touching it?

 

[Cherie cook]

This what I first thought, too low of light, and maybe the parameter swings. I have seen this before it could already be too late whatever it is. One day you might pick it up and it will be soup. Does it respond to tapping the tank, movement, or touching it?

Oh yes..it does respond fairly well. Should I try to move it higher…onto the rockwork?

 

[DrZoidburg]

Oh yes..it does respond fairly well. Should I try to move it higher…onto the rockwork?

That means its still alive.! Try shooting for over 200 and feeding. With random flow. If you cant find any critters irritating it, check at night too. That is what stands out to me lighting, and parameter swings.

 

[Cherie cook]

Will do…thank you! ;Joyful

 

[DrZoidburg]

Good luck hope it helps.