Sick Clam?

[ClamFan]

I have noticed my squamosa has begun favoring his mantle a bit. Looking carefully at him I noticed some flourescent green under the affected area. He opens well but the one side in the middle of his mantle appears to be "pinched". Any ideas? Suggestions? Just noticed this this morning so maybe I can do something about it. the only new additions were 2 false perc.s from Texas Tropical that both ate the first day then died the next. Water tests were inconclusive and the water change performed on Saturday was a 4 gal change. I have also looked to see if anything was touching his mantle but all I saw the green color on the affected side of the mantle. Any suggestions?

[DeletedAccount]

I would also post this question on clamsdirect.com discussion site under clam emergency.

[brewercm]

I don't know about the rest, but my teardrop maxima has a neon green patch on the underside of it's mantle also. I notice it when it gets close to the front glass and the mantle is lifted up a bit. Haven't had any problems with it though. By the way he is a more golden/brown color.

[ClamFan]

Just posted under Clams Direct, same name. Thanks MAThueson. I wasnt sure if the green color should be a worry, but all I can see it on is under the curled area of the mantle. Glad to know it may be nothing brewer. Also my maxima is not affected, yet.

[Instar]

After my blue and gold max and teardrop max got used to the tank, they developed some real nice florescent blues and greens of various patterns on the underside of the mantels. Their edges are outlined in a fine line of blue on the blue and gold and a fine line of yellow-green on the teardrop. They are both beautiful and growing new shell pretty fast now. I hope yours does as well.

In regard to the clowns, sorry to hear that. Most clowns suffer sever intestinal interruptions when shipped, even the tank raised ones. Changes in diet and feeding schedules also contribute to this. The best way to recover them is with either frozen or live brine shrimp, nothing else for 2 months. Their best diet is brine. Lots of shell, some protein but won't make their livers fat. Its like eating fibre and gives their intestines a chance to stabilize to the water, rough handling, starvation, and salinity shocks all of the handling puts them through, if they can recover from all this.

[dan]

my teardrops allso have the bright green under thier mantel. i guess that normal

[ClamFan]

How big would these snail be? I assume tiny 1/4" or smaller? Will look.... Looked for anything on the side of his shell and affected area and see nothing. His incuurent siphon is wider than I ever seen, but mantle is not withdrawn from the shell.

Joshua, I will try them. Almost didnt get them from Texas Tropical cause there tanks and store looked so filthy. Wont be goin there again.

[mharris7]

believe it or not, I believe one possible treatment for "pinched mantel" is a freshwater dip. Clams actually tolerate it fairly well as long as you balance temp and ph first. The idea is that something is irritating the clam that is causing it's mantel to pinch (pyramid snails, also bristleworms can irritate clams when they hide underneath the mantel between it and the shell - they seldom directly attack them.) They should mention all this in the clamsdirect forum.....

[ClamFan]

Have just read about that but still need to find a procedure. Any thoughts on how to equalize PH in the freshwater for this treatment? I do have Kent PH Plus but am worried about using it.

[mharris7]

I might get slammed for this but for freshwater dips I use dechlorinated tap water. Austin tapwater has a very high ph and is usually pretty close all on its own. The advantage of tap water is that you can adjust the temp of the water coming directly out of the tap to what is needed. You do need to test your alk and temp to make sure though. I usually add buffer to the freshwater. Something like kent dkh superbuffer or the b/alkalinity component of one of the 2 part additives that are out there should work.

Also, clownfish do very well in freshwater dips also and it knocks a bunch of stuff off of them. I recommend doing a freshwater dip on most fish before adding them to the tank.

[ClamFan]

I will be using RO water I get from Aquatics Warehouse and can adjust temp easily but what about time in the dip?

[ClamFan]

Just did it on mine and he is not gaping anymore but it has not been that long. Took a long time to open and is still curled. Only dipped for 10 minutes. Holding my breath. :read:

[SueT]

ClamFan, I think it might be a good idea to email Barry at the clam forum personally. He is more than eager to help anyone with clam problems. He has a method for FW dipping clams and it's worked on lots of members clams.

I have not had to dip any of my "clamily" so far.

If he or someone at the clamforums have not gotten back to you I'll go over there and stir them up. I actually hadn't seen your post over there myself.

[ClamFan]

Thanks Sue. I posted it under Clam Emergency.

[ClamFan]

Just an update. The clam is still pinched. I have tried everything I can think of and am aproaching desperate. If anyone has any suggestions I would love to hear them.

[mharris7]

how big is the clam? what do you feed it? Clams below a certain size depend more heavily on feeding instead of photosynthesis.

You might try placing it in a small tupperware bowl with tank water and a good dose of live phytoplankton.

Also, talk to Barry as Sue mentioned - he also sells a special clam food there.

[ClamFan]

I am glad to report, that after freshwater dip, and quarintine, my squamosa is back to his old self again. He has attached himself to a rock in tthe qt tank that I set him for lighting reasons and will return to the display Friday if all is still well. Thanks for yalls help, I was starting to get worried.

[StephenA]

Stupid ???, Was the clam and the lawnmower blenny in the same tank? I had to remove my Molly Miller Blenny because he nipped at the clam mantles. It looked like pinch. When I moved the blenny the clam got better.

[ClamFan]

Yes they were but I have watched very close for exactly that and havent seen him even perched near him and I have made sure that he has plenty to eat.

[StephenA]

I never caught mine actually doing it. The pinch marks just match his mouth size. When I moved the blenny he started beating up my son's Fire Clown. So my wife set up a tank just for the blenny (http://www.maast.org/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=4650&high light=).