Help! A bit of a conundrum with my Carnation and its base

[Pattyj]

I recently purchased a pink carnation and didn't realize, neither did the shop keepers, that my carnation was growing off the top of some species of clam or some shellfish similar. I thought it would be fine since it originally grew on it in the wild but now I think the clam is dying. It has been slightly open about half an inch for a day or two now and I can see the muscle(flesh) of the clam turn and orangey brown color from a bright white. As well it appears to be sheading it's meat. Couldn't help but notice a few of my electric blue hermit crabs paying particular attention to it. They can't get in the clam but can seem to stretch just close enough with their leg to occasionally grab a shred of meat. So my question is, if anyone has any ideas, are the hermits trying to do what they should be doing by disposing of dead waste (if actually dead)? And should I be worried about removing the top half of the shell in which all the carnation branches growing so that I can get rid of the bottom half of dead meat and prevent an ammonia spike which may kill the carnation or poison my other live stock?
My water conditions are as they need to be according to the demanding carnations parameters and I am directly feeding it plankton by pipettes.

I will attach a few photos to help explain the problem

Cheers.

 

[Pattyj]

Ha fatty hermit has some serious issues and can't let it go that it's just out of his reach. Well if it ends up looking like the orange rots gonna take over I have no other choice than to wait till the carnations deflated, take it out and split it as delicately as I can and place the top half back in. Anyone have any idea if this will damage the stems or just be to much hassle for the price of a little meat slowly sheading off and being eaten if I leave it as is.

 

[corinne118s]

Not an expert by any means but I think if a clam is alive they will clamp shut REaLLY tight. He either dead or dying. I would let the hermit crabs finish him off and clean out the shell. Watch for ammonia spikes if the clam dies otherwise let nature take it's course. It's probably unnecessary to break it in half at this point

 

[Pattyj]

wicked mate thanks for input, at least I can chill now I feel a little more comfortable in doing just that with some pedantically frequent NH3 testing.

 

[corinne118s]

Yea I'd even buy a blue leg or something that could fit inside to go to town. Unless you want to try to save the thing then idk what you would do.. Does look pretty it's a shame he's not doing well

 

[corinne118s]

Btw that's a beautiful carnation!!!

 

[Pattyj]

cheers

I know they really are beautiful arn't they. Just hope I can keep up the vigilance it requires, cause every i've read seem pretty sure that they die off in captivity if not in a 1 species specific tank. HA love a challenge.

 

[Pattyj]

I have a chance to save it?

wait sorry i completely jump right past what you said and right to your complement. I could save it and even though its not closing anymore? wouldn't mind trying to. something like a sugar dose or drip in my hospital tank?

 

[corinne118s]

No I'm saying I have no idea. But i think you are right about them not surviving in captivity. Just a shame about that. At this point it's probably too late but atleast you have it's nice shell

 

[mr_X]

That carnation coral needs a constant supply of phytoplankton. I would be more worried about that spoiling my water when it dies, than the clam.
Sugar isn't going to help anything.

 

[Jason M]

Why don't u cut the carnation off of it. It's a soft coral right. They also don't need light as they need a constant supply of food like Mr x said. They don't use light and in the wild I read they usually grow upside down under a rock overhang or something. I would slice that bad boy and save the clam

 

[mr_X]

If crabs are eating it, the clam is dead already.