onux20 January 7, 2012 January 7, 2012 (edited) Clam has not been opening as normal over the last few days. Still opens but not nearly as much. I saw a pretty good sized bristle worm retreat under it early this week. So I took the clam out for an inspection. I found about 4 worms on/around the byssal gland. I was able to remove two, but couldn Edited January 7, 2012 by onux20
Mando77 January 7, 2012 January 7, 2012 I think the worms is a good sign thats its on its way out. I would put in a seperate tank and try and save it, but it may be to late.
onux20 January 7, 2012 Author January 7, 2012 I got it off the sand bed in to a tupperware container. Trying to get any more worms to drop off. Okay, now the cleaner shrimp is actively picking at the clam. Should I pitch it now?
Jan January 7, 2012 January 7, 2012 (edited) Yes, unfortunately it sounds like it's dying. If you can find the source you may be able to help it. Check the base to make sure there aren't any piramidal snails eating away at it. They look like tiny grains of white rice. They will live under the natle and around the bysal gland. They come out at night and suck the life out of the clam slowly. As a last effort I'd do a fresh water dip. FW dips help clams with mantel issues, p. snails and other things. You must match the temp and Ph to the environment it is coming from. Clams can withstand FW dip for upto 1 hour. This will also drive the worms out. After the FW dip you might want to consider putting it in another tank with strong light. They need strong light and phytoplantkon. Were you feeding it? Edited January 7, 2012 by Jan
sen5241b January 7, 2012 January 7, 2012 Get a magnifying glass and look closer. Its really amazing what you can learn with a powerful but good magnifying glass.
zygote2k January 7, 2012 January 7, 2012 chop it up and feed it to the fish. better than letting it rot away to nothing.
davelin315 January 7, 2012 January 7, 2012 If the bristle worms are inside of it then that means that it's already dying. They most likely won't attack a healthy specimen. Post a picture of it from the top and the bottom to help diagnose, although it's probably too late already with it getting abused like that. As far as feeding, if it seems emaciated, keep it under good light and give it some ammonia.
onux20 January 7, 2012 Author January 7, 2012 Thanks to everyone for the advice. Not giving up just yet. I dont think I could bring myself to chop it up and feed as food. Bristle worms 5 and 6 removed from the clam today. You can see one more in there! Former glory
Jan January 7, 2012 January 7, 2012 Ammonia? Interesting. Do you have a reference for that? I'd like to read how ammonia can help a sick clam. I have only one book on clams and the author does not mention ammonia for anything. If the bristle worms are inside of it then that means that it's already dying. They most likely won't attack a healthy specimen. Post a picture of it from the top and the bottom to help diagnose, although it's probably too late already with it getting abused like that. As far as feeding, if it seems emaciated, keep it under good light and give it some ammonia.
Jan January 7, 2012 January 7, 2012 Ron, In this picture you can see what appears to look like a cluster of eggs next to the rock. I don't see the snails themselves but they could be inside the clam. They lay their eggs at the base, outside of the clam around the B.gland opening. The eggs are usually protected by a gelatinous film. Whenever you buy clams you should inspect them well, using a magnifying glass, looking for egg clusters and P. snails. The recommendation for getting rid of the snails and their eggs is a lot of work; scrub with a brush, pick between the mantle, freshwater dips, QT for 30 days, etc. I had to do this for a clam. It's a lot of work. Like I said above I'd give it one more try with the dip then back into the same water in a seperate QT tank. I posted something similar to this maybe two years ago. Very extensive. You'll see what the snails look like and what this person has to say. http://www.reef2reef.com/forums/clams/57886-pyramid-snail-removal-tips.html Thanks to everyone for the advice. Not giving up just yet. I dont think I could bring myself to chop it up and feed as food.
davelin315 January 8, 2012 January 8, 2012 Ammonia = food source. Adult clams rely more on zooxanthellae and nutrients than they do filtering their food out of the water column in our closed systems. If your tank is lacking in nutrients, then it could feasibly starve to death.
Jan January 8, 2012 January 8, 2012 (edited) Giant Clams by Daniel Knop pg.146 "the aquarist is well advised to check the nitrogen and phosphate contents of the water in regular intervals. It should be clear that an extremely low nitrogen or phosphate concentration must not be regarded as a positive sign in the clam aquarium. Seemingly unexplicable death or sudden bleaching should direct ones attention to the possibility of low nitrogen levels." Are you still using the biopellets? what are they for? Clams do best when the water is a little dirty and they have a lot of light. If you don't have pests then consider that it may be starving to death. Great book BTW. I highly recommend to anyone keeping clams. I think BRK sells them. Edited January 8, 2012 by Jan
onux20 January 8, 2012 Author January 8, 2012 (edited) Yes still running the biopellets. Hmmmm I may have starved him out? BPs are designed to break down nitrogen before it gets to the nitrate stage. Also they are suppossed to process phosphates too. Edited January 8, 2012 by onux20
Jan January 8, 2012 January 8, 2012 Have you checked your phosphates and nitrates lately? If they are zero and they weren't that way before then it may have starved.Good thing is your biopellets are doing their job. Yes still running the biopellets. Hmmmm I may have starved him out?
onux20 January 8, 2012 Author January 8, 2012 Have you checked your phosphates and nitrates lately? If they are zero and they weren't that way before then it may have starved.Good thing is your biopellets are doing their job. No and true!
Jan January 8, 2012 January 8, 2012 It needs dirty water away from scavengers. they smell that it's dying. Try not to take it out of the tank into the air. They get air bubbles and they can dry out, especially if that it's so weak and isn't closing. That's a late sign when it does not respond to light. If you must take it out, take it out sideways and upside down and put it back the same way. No and true!
davelin315 January 8, 2012 January 8, 2012 A few drops of ammonia... I'm not seeing any eggs there. I do see some colonista snails, but those are harmless. I also think the bristle worm is just in the rock that's attached to the byssal gland. The clam does concern me, though, and the appearance of being listless that the mantle has (in the picture you can see that one of the scutes is completely visible, leading me to believe that the mantle is non-responsive as you mentioned and the clam is about to die).
onux20 January 8, 2012 Author January 8, 2012 Gone! The cleaner shrimp continued to pick at it until the lights went out. After the lights went out the nassarius' moved in. I figured it was gone when I saw them chowing down. Out of morbid curiosity, I opened it up and found 3 more bristle worms. Not happy to lose the clam but am happy the biopellets might be working.
zygote2k January 8, 2012 January 8, 2012 (edited) I doubt that the biopellets have anything to do with clam death. Clams have ability to process food from sunlight and they can feed from the water column. It's a big falsehood that clams need 'dirty water' to survive. They do best in aquaria that has very clean water with stable water chemistry. They also do well when target fed. Read "Giant Clams", by Daniel Knop for more info. Edited January 8, 2012 by zygote2k
mindeeo January 8, 2012 January 8, 2012 Sorry about your clam! (Making note to read "Giant Clams", by Daniel Knop, as if I need more to read...)
Jan January 8, 2012 January 8, 2012 I've got A LOT of books related to this hobby. The other clam book I recommend is "Giant Clams in the Sea and the Aquarium" by James Fatherree. This was my first clam book. This is the book I believe BRK has. Sorry about your clam! (Making note to read "Giant Clams", by Daniel Knop, as if I need more to read...)
Coral Hind January 8, 2012 January 8, 2012 Sorry for the loss. Could just have been old age that killed it.
onux20 January 9, 2012 Author January 9, 2012 Thanks everyone for the convo, advice and condolences. I just got the the clam this summer from Dr. Mac. I doubt it was old age. Between the biopellets and oversized UV I may have been slowly killing him for the last month and a half. Sucks to have lost it but if I am making headway on extra nutrients and therfore the BA, I will pour a little on the concrete for the deceased!
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now