Help with maxima clam!

[Luis]

I just bought a maxima clam and I was very happy, but now I'm seeing that its foot looks wierd (maybe is tore) I don't have any experience with clams; this one is my first clam here is the picture ... the foot looks like a root or a bunch of fibers. is this normal? will it survive?

I hope you can see the pic if not please go to:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Reefaquarium/

the pic is in "photos" in the "clam's foot folder".



[/img]http://photos.groups.yahoo.com/group/reefaquarium/vwp?.dir=/Clam%27s+foot&.src=gr&.dnm=Clam%27s+foot.jpg&.view=t&.done=http%3a//photos.groups.yahoo.com/group/reefaquarium/lst%3f%26.dir=/Clam%2527s%2bfoot%26.src=gr%26.view=t

Thank you for your replies guys.

 

[Luis]

Oops.... I will try to post the pic again :lol:

Yeah!!!

 

[reefland]

Can't tell if it has any damage based on that pic. Looks like the bysal threads which are normal. It will use the threads to attach to a rock.

 

[Len]

Yup, it looks like torn bysal threads to me too. Can't tell if the foot or actuator muscle is damaged, but if it's just the threads, it's nothing to worry about. As reefland stated, lots of bivalves attach themselves to substrate using these threads, which are completely regenerable.

Let us know how the clam fares.

 

[Luis]

Thanks for your help guys.

Now the clam is in my tank and it looks happy but yesterday when I took it to place it in the tank it lost all those fibers and a small white piece(3/4 in), it was not attached to anything I don't know how or why the clam lost it. I will wait to see what happen.

Thanks again.

 

[reefland]

Hmm, hope that wasn't the bysal gland you ripped out.

 

[Luis]

I didn't riped it, the "thing" was floating loose around the clam when I took it to placed the clam in my tank . , I did not give it time to attach to something . Now the mantle looks perfect and it reacts when I approach to it . what happen when a clam lose its gland, I mean, when the clam lose its gland does the mantle look normal or you can see some signs?

 

[reefland]

Larger clams do not use the glad to attach to the substrate, but I have no idea if a clam missing the gland will have issues. Never had it happen to me (assuming it was even the gland).

 

[danmhippo]

Most torn byssal gland will develope bacterial infection, unless the said aquarist knows what to treat it with, clam do not survive long after the gland is ripped. I've heard from other aquarists that I2 dip will help disinfect the torn gland and require several dips to be successful. Never tried that and can't verify the validity of the statement.

You could log on to clamsdirect.com and ask Rob what to do if his clam has torn byssal gland. He may be able to answer your question.

 

[Luis]

I have my sterilizer working 24 hrs a day, i think it will help with the possible infection ( I hope), thank you for your help and I will let you know how it's going.

 

[danmhippo]

FYI, bacteria will attachon the torn tissue, and the UV sterilizer will have no effect on them. UV will only nip the bacteria if they went "airborn".

 

[Luis]

I agree with you about the bacterial infection when it's already in the tissue but if the water have no bacteria at all where does it come from to infect the injured tissue? I just want to be optimist :lol:

 

[Philippe Dor]

The clam has probably released the old byssal plug so that he can start making new byssal threats to attach himself again, this is quite normal with farmed clams and in fact is a good thing because he will get a brand new and clean byssal attachment. If it would be the byssal gland it would be dead within a few days, and so far I know nothing can repair that.
Clam farms should not sell unattached clams in the first place. Phil.

 

[Luis]

Hey Phil!
I think you are allright, because it lost "that thing" just by itself, and now the clam looks great besides I'm seeing new threads beneath the shell ! That's an interesting fact ... I've never imagine that clams can "molt" the gland. Tnx.

 

[Philippe Dor]

Hi Luis, remember is was not the gland, because like you said there are new threads appearing, the gland is what produces these threads and once this is gone so is your clam, but this can only come out by brute force. As for your clam please do not disturb him in this crucial time, it will take several weeks before he has enough threads and can be handled again. Good luck Phil.

 

[Anonymous]

i don't know what's wrong on my end, but i can't view the picture. i got x'd.

 

[Luis]

Hi

Thank you Phil to clarify that byssal plug is not the same as byssal gland I thought it was the same then byssal plug = theatds, am I right?

CoralShrimp... I don't have any idea why you can't see the pic, go to the link in the first message and there is the original pic then you will see it.

 

[Philippe Dor]

Yes the plug is the bunch of threads used by the clam to attach itself and that can sometimes be released by the gland which produces these threads. If the plug remains there, the clam will have difficulty reattaching, farmed clams can release this plug quite easily but adult "wild" clams that have their byssus cut seldom release the plug. Phil

 

[Anonymous]

i tried the link but it takes me to a yahoo groups folder - which doesn't allow me access unless i'm a member. oh well.

 

[reefland]

Yes the plug is the bunch of threads used by the clam to attach itself and that can sometimes be released by the gland which produces these threads. If the plug remains there, the clam will have difficulty reattaching, farmed clams can release this plug quite easily but adult "wild" clams that have their byssus cut seldom release the plug. Phil

Interesting.

Be a good time to plug your upcoming chat on clams to.

http://reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=16638