Clam closed for a couple of days
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Smitty
Reef pro
Something is definitely irritating it...check to make sure your fish/inverts aren't nipping at it, or there aren't any tiny snails on it or on the bottom of it.
sen5241b
Reef enthusiast
A good old magnifying glass can reveal things you can't see with your naked eye. Also, check all water parms!
Northstar24
The Tang Herder
I would definitely investigate, if the clam is closed up its not getting fed
FishyReef
Broke Reefer!
Can you post a pic of the critters that are crawling on it? Also, what kind of lighting do you have for it and how long have you had it?
Thanks for the replies. Actually, I read something about tiny critters called amphipods and copepods which most of the times they say are harmless, I did rinse the clam in freshwater and I actually saw all the little critters fall off the clam. Anyways, I put him back on the rock, and it seemed to open up just a little. I'll check again tonite see how he's doing, hopefully, he'll look better. Thanks again
Smitty
Reef pro
Good luck with him...especially after a freshwater dip.
I just looked at the clam again and I see the little bugs are back crawling all over him. He's still closed, I tried the freshwater dip but obviously it didn't work, bugs are back. I'm posting a pic, there is actually two bugs that are visible toward the center of the picture. Any ideas how to get rid of them? The water parameters look pretty good, Mg 1300, Alk 9.1, calcium is a little high (over 500), pH between 8.2 and 8.4 Somebody asked what kind of lighting I have, deepblue solar extreme T5 - Any suggestions will be appreciated.
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little_fish
Moderator
The bugs are pods, and im pretty sure they are eating the dying flesh on the clam. So your clam was doomed before you started seeing those guys. But pods will crawl all over corals and stuff and not bother them. I think there is another reason why your clam is dying. It could have had its foot damaged in transit, which would cause a slow death.
I googled the lights you have and all the stuff that came up wouldnt be capable of keeping corals, let alone a clam.
Also doing a freshwater dip on any invert is really poor choice, it almost always ends up killing them if they arent already doing well.
I googled the lights you have and all the stuff that came up wouldnt be capable of keeping corals, let alone a clam.
Also doing a freshwater dip on any invert is really poor choice, it almost always ends up killing them if they arent already doing well.
Bifferwine
I am a girl
Clams need very high lighting. For a 90 gallon tank, at least 6 T5 bulbs. How many bulbs does your T5 fixture have? And Hannah is right about the freshwater dip -- I'm sure doing a freshwater dip would kill a clam. Probably not the best way to deal with pests on a clam. Some corals do okay with freshwater dips (zoas, for example), but most do not. Clams are not corals, though. And I've never heard of freshwater dipping to be an acceptable treatment for a clam.
sen5241b
Reef enthusiast
I would say the fresh water dip did not help. Did you really acclimate the clam very, very slowly?
Northstar24
The Tang Herder
Also, the clam's foot is very, very sensitive, and if it is damaged as part of the handling process they almost never recover.
My LFS keeps clams in little plastic bowls filled with rubble, and when you purchase the clam, you get the whole bowl and all the rubble with it. This ensures that the clams foot has not been damaged
Also, when buying a clam, you can get a sense of its health by putting your hand between it and the lights it is under. A healthy clam will retract its mantle when the shadow of your hand goes over it. An unhealthy clam will not respond to this stimulus
My LFS keeps clams in little plastic bowls filled with rubble, and when you purchase the clam, you get the whole bowl and all the rubble with it. This ensures that the clams foot has not been damaged
Also, when buying a clam, you can get a sense of its health by putting your hand between it and the lights it is under. A healthy clam will retract its mantle when the shadow of your hand goes over it. An unhealthy clam will not respond to this stimulus
yote
In Memoriam
A fresh water dip wont hurt a clam that's closed up because their not taking in any water and are generally closed water tight.But it's not going to help them either for the same reason.
Various parasitic snails can be imported with your clam. They are carnivorous boring snails and that description should be enough for you to want them out of your tank and as far away from your clams as possible.
Look for small rice grain-sized, cream colored spots near the base or hidden within the flutes (the grooves and indentations in the shell) of the shell, or, at night, along the upper edge of the shell. If the clam is attached to a rock, check by lifting the clam a short distance off the rock and look underneath. You are looking for small (0.08-0.2 inch / 2-5 mm long) snails. Remove all of these snails.
Various parasitic snails can be imported with your clam. They are carnivorous boring snails and that description should be enough for you to want them out of your tank and as far away from your clams as possible.
Look for small rice grain-sized, cream colored spots near the base or hidden within the flutes (the grooves and indentations in the shell) of the shell, or, at night, along the upper edge of the shell. If the clam is attached to a rock, check by lifting the clam a short distance off the rock and look underneath. You are looking for small (0.08-0.2 inch / 2-5 mm long) snails. Remove all of these snails.
