New clams

[Minh Nguyen]

For the disease that I described, I think that it is an external parasite that mainly stay on the outside of the clams (not internal infection) and spend minimal time in the water column. I reach these conclusions because:

1. I cure my clams with 30 min fresh water dip. This will not take care of internal infection.
2. I cure the disease from my tank (no problem for 3+ months) by dipping all the clams at the same time and put them directly back into the tank. The infection may spread from one clam to the other by the water column, but I notice that they often spread by proximity. The organism must not spend much time in the water or must get kill very quickly if it stay in the water column for very long.

My friend (Outerbank) was also able to cure his tank from this disease using fresh water dip. By the time we find out how to treat this problem, out of his many clams, he only have a 6-7 inches Derasa still alive. All his Squamosa, Crocea, and Maxima were killed.
The symptom of this disease I have described before. There must be more than one disease that infected and kill clams in our tank. I just report the problem in Outerbank and my tanks. Hope this will help some one out there.
I love to learn more about this disease but I have reach the extend of what I can learn by observe and treating my tank. Anyway, I don’t have this disease in my tank any longer and hope that I will never again.
Minh Nguyen

 

[AgentSPS]

I just came home to find one of my clams not responding and completey pinched. To give you an idea of how fast this disease acts, I noticed a slight pulling in of the mantle on the intake side late yesterday afternoon. By the same time today the clam is a gonner!

I am dipping the others as I write this!

 

[lt]

I am a lurker here but now need to ask a question.

Background: I lost 3 clams to the maxima disease last July. I had one derasa that survived and finally started to grow 2 months after the last clam had passed on (was symptomatic during the height of the clam deaths) I waited 4 months before adding any new clams.

I added 3 maximas thinking that all would be fine and the disease was gone. I noticed this mantle pinching (within 2 weeks at the latest) starting to happen. I did searches on the boards saw a post on FW dipping so I tried it. I am now at 13 days post-dip, and I dipped them for about 15 min only. I need to know at this point if my obsevations warrant another dip.

Current observations: for most of the day the clam appears perfect. Mantle is always extended fully even by nightfall (whereas before the mantle would close later on in the day, almost like it was getting too much light, and the pinching once evident would not go away), but occasionally I will see the mantle on 2 of the 3 look mildly irritated and then go back to normal within a few minutes. This maybe happens a few times a day.

I have forgotten at this point what a normal clam looks like. Is the mantle never ever irritated throughout the whole day? Should I redip the clams again so soon, and for longer-the recommended 30 min?

 

[Minh Nguyen]

I just came home to find one of my clams not responding and completey pinched. To give you an idea of how fast this disease acts, I noticed a slight pulling in of the mantle on the intake side late yesterday afternoon. By the same time today the clam is a gonner!

I am dipping the others as I write this!

Reefer_Guy,
It is unlikely that what you have is the same problem as what I have in my tank. A strong 2 inches Maxima can live for months with infection that I have. The pinched mantle started localy then spread to comver both mantles.

..
Background: I lost 3 clams to the maxima disease last July. I had one derasa that survived and finally started to grow 2 months after the last clam had passed on (was symptomatic during the height of the clam deaths) I waited 4 months before adding any new clams.

I added 3 maximas thinking that all would be fine and the disease was gone. I noticed this mantle pinching (within 2 weeks at the latest) starting to happen. I did searches on the boards saw a post on FW dipping so I tried it. I am now at 13 days post-dip, and I dipped them for about 15 min only. I need to know at this point if my obsevations warrant another dip.

Current observations: for most of the day the clam appears perfect. Mantle is always extended fully even by nightfall (whereas before the mantle would close later on in the day, almost like it was getting too much light, and the pinching once evident would not go away), but occasionally I will see the mantle on 2 of the 3 look mildly irritated and then go back to normal within a few minutes. This maybe happens a few times a day.

I have forgotten at this point what a normal clam looks like. Is the mantle never ever irritated throughout the whole day? Should I redip the clams again so soon, and for longer-the recommended 30 min?

It,
You clams had symptoms identical as my clams. If you did not dipped all clams including the one that does not show much symptom, you MAY have to re-treat them. I would not FW dip them yet. Wait for a few weeks/month and see how your clams turn out. Occasional contraction of the mantle for a few seconds is normal. If you clams develop symptom again, then I would treat all the clams at the same time. Obviously it is better if you put the clams in a new tank after treatment. If this is not an option, then you can put them back in the same tank. I was able to cure the disease from my tank by dipping the clams and return them to the same tank.
I would not treat them for more than 30 minutes.
Good luck
Minh Nguyen

 

[AgentSPS]

Just came home (1:30 AM) and shined a flashlight on the clams and the clam that has exhibited pinching is covered in copepods. They seem to be crawling all over the mantle. The clam has closed up as much as it can and has released quite a bit of slime. The fully healthy clam at the other end of the tank is perfectly normal with no copepods. WHAT IS GOING ON????? I am totally baffled. Are the copepods the cause of these clams deaths? Are they wearing the clams down and causing stress?

 

[Minh Nguyen]

Just came home (1:30 AM) and shined a flashlight on the clams and the clam that has exhibited pinching is covered in copepods. They seem to be crawling all over the mantle. The clam has closed up as much as it can and has released quite a bit of slime. The fully healthy clam at the other end of the tank is perfectly normal with no copepods. WHAT IS GOING ON????? I am totally baffled. Are the copepods the cause of these clams deaths? Are they wearing the clams down and causing stress?

Reefer_Guy,
We don't have the same problem in our tank. Good luck with your's.
I have a lot of copepods in my tank but they never bother any of my sick tank. I also have cleaner shrimps in my tank. They don't bother the sick clams either until the clam is about to die. I think your disease is alot more virulent than the one in mine. I know that there are disease that kill clams quickly out there. Your's must be one of those.
Minh Nguyen

 

[Anonymous]

Minh,

I just ordered 2 new maximas and 1 small gigas (4") from clamsdirect and noticed that some of the best clams on the page were already sold to Minh. I assume that this was you? Nice clams! The ones I bought are labeled as sold to RandyL.

Anyway, I have a question for you. Do you plan on dipping your new clams? Or you just going to acclimate them and wait and see how they look?

I currently have one gold maxima that is about 4" long that I bought from eastcoastclams.com a couple of month ago and this clam appears to be in fine health.

Thanks

Louey

 

[Minh Nguyen]

I will just put them into my tank. Barry already quarantine them for 1 week. I usually put them in my refugium first until they get use to the tank then move them to the maintank.
I was lucky. I was looking at Clamdirect as Barry put them up so I got first crack at them before he even put the price on the clams
Minh Nguyen

 

[Minh Nguyen]

This is an old post from way back. I was out of the hobby for a while but I am back. Here are two of my clams at this time, plus my anemones.

 

[Anonymous]

I'll say, wow! Thanks for sharing again.

 

[Anonymous]

This is an old post from way back. I was out of the hobby for a while but I am back.

:welcome: (back)

Lovely pictures!

 

[Anonymous]

Welcom back to the hobby, Minh.

Louey

 

[Ben1]

Looks awesome! I love the clams, very nice!

 

[Minh Nguyen]

It is really good to be back. Thanks verybody

 

[Len]

Seriously Minh, really good to see you back.

 

[Anonymous]

Wow, cool thread! 8)

And some very nice clams there! Thanks for sharing.

Nice clams have been very difficult to come by here in Austin. The more colorful, larger ones (over 3") are rarely available on the distributors' lists, and when they are usually cost over $100 wholesale. It's been ages since I've seen any large Maximas for sale.

 

[Anonymous]

It is really good to be back. Thanks verybody

Wow, haven't seen you in a loooooooong time Minh...good to see you back!

 

[Minh Nguyen]

Wow, cool thread! 8)

And some very nice clams there! Thanks for sharing.

Nice clams have been very difficult to come by here in Austin. The more colorful, larger ones (over 3") are rarely available on the distributors' lists, and when they are usually cost over $100 wholesale. It's been ages since I've seen any large Maximas for sale.

Are you in Austin, TX? This is just a stone throw from Corpus. My B&W Maxima was just over 1.5 inches when I got him, now almost 2 inches. Growing like gangbusters.

 

[Anonymous]

Minh, what size is your new tank?

 

[Minh Nguyen]

Minh, what size is your new tank?

.
A 30 g cube with a yellow H. magnifica and clowns. It also have the two clams above and a Mandarin it it. it is about 1 year old. Anemone in there since 10/08

A 58 g with a red H. magnifica, baby yellow tang, 4 clams and about 20 SPS, a Mandarin and one A. percula. looking for another one, and two yellow tail blue damsels (I love their color)

A 24 g Aquapod with a green carpet and a minicarpet (4 inches). No fish in this one. I am looking for a pair of Black saddleback or Balck Clarkii

No picture


A 35 g cube with a two H. malu pink and a green. I have a breeding pair Onyx percula in this one.