HELP!! Clam in trouble?

[scavdog]

I returned home from a 9 day vacation to find my Blue Derasa clam, which I have had for over 4 months, seeming not so happy. Generally his mantle is much more expanded. Now it is more retracted and he seems to open and close suddenly and more frequently. Everything else in the tank seems fine. (2 nepthea, xenia, platygra, leather, Gramma loreto, Stichodactyla haddoni, maroon clown). I have done a 30% RO water change. I sure as hell don't want to lose this guy as he is my first clam and he kicks a$$.

Unfortunately I left my tanks in the care of a friend (studied marine biology) but apparently he decided not to check on the tanks for 6 of the 9 days that I was gone. I was lucky that I did not burn out any pumps , as my sump was nearly empty due to the evaporation. I basically came home to a return pump which was pushing mucho air bubbles around my 54 bowfront. I won't even mention how the 250+ system faired. Can you say dry sump!? Very uncool.

Tank params:
ammonia- 0
nitrite- 0
nitrate- 10-15 ppm
PH- 8.4
Alk- 3.0
SG- 1.025
temp- 80

Lighting:
175 watt MH w/ pc supplementation


This is a pic of how he used to look I will post a recent pic in the AM.

Any ideas?

[ October 28, 2001: Message edited by: ScavDog ]

[ October 29, 2001: Message edited by: ScavDog ]</p>

 

[cubera]

Hi, Scav. Check salinity and bump up your alkalinity a bit. You could also try 'burping' your clam

 

[scavdog]

Thanks cubera I actually did try to burp him today. I hope he is just having a bad week.

 

[scavdog]

up

 

[scavdog]

Here is a pic I took this AM. He seems somewhat better ( I think ). Any suggestions??

 

[scavdog]

Someone on reef central said to try to raise the clam up higher so he will get more light. Anyone else? Common, I know there is someone out there with some input!

 

[scavdog]

The pics were just taken.

 

[danmhippo]

Leave the clam alone, it should do better by itself. Maybe do a water change or two just to be on the safe side.

 

[scavdog]

^

 

[Minh Nguyen]

Just leave him there. If he is doing well there before he should just stay there. I am thinking that the salinity and the gas bubble bother him. If this is the case he should not be disturbed.
Check and make sure he is not infested with parasitic snails and nothing around bother him.
Best of luck. How is he today?

 

[scavdog]

Minh,
He seems about the same today. However I noticed a slight response from him when I ran my hand over the tank. I am taking this as progress. His mantle is still retracted a bit. Everything has been stable for almost a week now so hopefully he will snap out of it.

 

[scavdog]

Well I'm pretty sure he is a gonner. He has receded extremely far into his shell. I assume he is dead or near death at this point. Fortunately everything else is thriving.
Thanks for any and all advice.
Man am I pissed! These are the times that make you consider throwing in the towel.

 

[Minh Nguyen]

 

[Anonymous]

Scavdog,
Did you ever figure out what caused the nitrate spike? 10-15ppm must have killed the clam? Or maybe the nitrates were from the clam dying?
What do you think?
Sorry for your loss. Looked like a cool clam.

 

[scavdog]

Moe, from everything I have read the clam should have been fine in the tank despite the nitrate reading. In all honesty he was fine before I left for my trip.

My 54 gallon has always seemed a "nitrate factory", although it has been running longer than my other 3 tanks and has ,by far, the smallest bio-load (see above). I think this is partially due to having a sand-sifting star in 2" sand bed (any thoughts). This IMO rendered the sandbed filter useless (not to mention he ate all my worms). I just traded the star to someone who has can provide a better home than I can.

I am thinking the fact that the clam suffered stress from the "blast of bubbles" it received along with the spike in salinity due to evaporation. Again, I am FAR from an expert and I NEED as much input as I can get.

I am pretty much devestated. I was hoping at some point to get a maxima, but this has put a damper on that idea.

Thanks for the support fellas,

[ November 12, 2001: Message edited by: ScavDog ]</p>

 

[Nameless]

I would consider throwing in your friend's towel!!!!