Crocea Clam question

[brndfrb]

I have a pretty good sized crocea clam and for the past day he has not opened. I have had him a little over 2 months maybe three. All the water peramtirers are Great and normal. Now could something be irritating him or is this normal? ANd help would be great

 

[Biggen]

Now could something be irritating him or is this normal? ANd help would be great

You say great and normal water parameters, but what about nitrate? As with all inverts, nitrate can be a problem if too high. Have you changed the lighting of the tank? What about water flow? Has that changed?

Where do you have your crocea placed in the tank? They are rock boring so they need to be placed on a rock. If left in the sand, it is possible that a bristle worm or other "critter" in the sand is irritating its byssal muscles. Move it to a rock if not already on one.

Another possibility is that he could be infected with pyramid snails. A nasty little pest to say the least. You need to look the clam over, especially on his underside if possible near his byssal to see if you see any of them or their eggs. The snails are extremely tiny. About the size of a rice grain. If found, manual removal is about the only course of action to rid them. They are some wrasse that eat them, however.

I am sorry I cant offer much help. I am fairly new to clams myself as I have only had my T. Maxima for about a month now. I have been trying to learn as much as I can in this short time but there is a lot to take in.

 

[mansiz]

I'm sure that NO3 should not be a problem for clams, clams are different from other inverts, they need NO3. I would look into light instead, clams need strong lighting. Also clacium, strontium and iodine is essential. Do you have butterfly fishes? I'm sure butterfly will cause them dare not open up.

 

[brndfrb]

No no butterly fish here. I have a 250 metal halide and the clam has been under that since i got it. I mean the day i go the clam it was fully extended when i put him in the tank. And his mantle not even kidding hangs over his bodya a good 3 to 3 1/2 inches when fully extended. HE is on a rock. Calcium is at 440. Now he is open a little but no mantle going past his shell. Not sure what to do. Do you really think snails is the cause. wouldn't they have bothered him by now, And how did they get in my tank?

 

[Biggen]

I'm sure that NO3 should not be a problem for clams, clams are different from other inverts, they need NO3

This is where I show my green for clams. I had no idea about this. Very interesting...

Do you really think snails is the cause. wouldn't they have bothered him by now, And how did they get in my tank?

I have no idea if it is snails. I would check him over to make sure just in case. Again, I am kinda grasping at straws here as I don't really know much about the creatures...

 

[brndfrb]

I look over the clam and didn't see anything. Were is ReefRunner when you need him. Well i hope maybe he is just mad about something and not something seriuousy wrong with him. I don't know what to do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

 

[Biggen]

Have you tried looking over the wetwebmedia site for info on clams? There is a ton of useful information in there that may be of help.

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marind5_5.htm

Go to the Mollusk catagory and you will see all kinds of links for Tridacnids.

 

[mansiz]

I don't think snails would be a predator of the clams, and you have the clams of almost 3 month times, I don't think the snail would disturb it the whole of 3 months, for my tank, the snails are always on different spot everyday, should have said every hour, they just keep moving. But what I'm afraid is that the snail is trying to eat the algae in the clams that is providing nutrients for the clams. Try reading this article. HTH

http://www.reefs.org/library/talklog/d_potts_081797.html

 

[Biggen]

I don't think snails would be a predator of the clams

Actually this is incorrect. Pyramid snails will kill clams. If there are no clams in the system they will find other sources of food (i.e. astreas, turbos, etc...).

Look in the article you linked to about 2/3 down the page.

 

[mansiz]

Oh ya biggen is correct, clams are prey of snails!!! 8O Wow, how scary. Try look out for your snails too, brndfrb. But its quite a headach, snails are accessible to almost all part of the tank. i think its better to remove the snails. Maybe consider changing to other types of tank cleaner.

 

[brndfrb]

I am at a lost. I have inspected every square millimeter of the clam. I see nothing out of the ordinary. What the hell is wrong with him. I have never seen him like this. AHHHHH Any help would be wonderful. Well i guess i will just have to hope and pray that there is nothing really wrong with him. Just mad. Reefrunner if you see this please respond.

 

[reefrunner69]

Were is ReefRunner when you need him. Well i hope maybe he is just mad about something and not something seriuousy wrong with him

Actually neither, just very busy

I'm sure that NO3 should not be a problem for clams, clams are different from other inverts, they need NO3.

This is not true, many believe this, but clams have no use for NO3, many think they do cause when you put a bunch of clams in a system they will drop the NO3 levels consideribly, but it is an effect, not the cause. Clams will filter and utilize ammonia, thereby removing the first step in the nitrification process, and less ammonia mineralized means few nitrates, but the clams didn't eat the nitrates

If the clam is open, but not extending it's mantle, there is something seriously wrong with it, I really wish I could tell you what it is, but I can't. A pic would help, I won't get back to this until this afternoon, in the meantime, if I were you, I might go to www.clamsdirect.com and go to their forums and ask. Barry is VERY knowledgable about clams and I'm sure can provide some information. post a pic and we'll see what we can do this afternoon. Have you moved the clam recently?

 

[brndfrb]

no i have not moved the clam recently. The clam is open about a hlf inch and no mantle out. If that helps i will try to get a pic now.

 

[brndfrb]

here are some pictures of the clam

 

[brndfrb]

um well hold on

 

[brndfrb]

try it now

 

[cj10488]

Well by the looks of the picture it looks like the clam isnt Dying.. How much light do you have.. I would try and move him up a bit onto the Rocks.. Its a possibility there isnt enough light on the sand bed... Croceas are one of the most light demanding clams out there... Also whats your Salinity.. Daniel Knop states that clams thrive best in 33-35ppt... Also what kind of flow is around near the clam.. Since it is a Crocea they can take a bit more flow however too much will eventually kill the clam.. FWIW when a clam dies it will start pulling in his mantle showing more of the insides of his shell... I would check for Pyrim snails near the top half of the shell...

HTH<
James

 

[brndfrb]

I have a 250w coral vue 12k bulb. On a 65 gallon tank. Don't you think that he would have already done this since he has been in there for 3 months? I mean he has always been under halides. I hae read everything and i can't figure it out. HELP

 

[cj10488]

1 250w on a 65 gal tank.. Thats a good amount of light however if its a standard 4' tank I would try and move him directly under the bulb... He looks to me as though he is not getting enough light... Has anything else changed in the area?? Or did you change salt mixes.. I would also maybe try and pull him out and place him in a small thing of water and turn the water green with some DTs and leave him in there until the water is clear again.. Something is bothering that clam.. It has to be something small because if a Crocea was going to die it will die quick.. Overnight or as short as a few hours.. IMO it doesnt look like he is getting enough light..

James

 

[brndfrb]

It is a 3 foot tank not a 4 foot tank. So put him in a bucket with tank water and turn the water green with dt's and keep him in ther untill it is clear?