Clam help, question

[Kristy]

Need help with our one and only clam we have ever had. I think it might be dead and need to know if/when I need to pull it out of the tank.

It has fallen of the rock twice now, when I picked it up last night its foot was pulled up. I blew the sand off it and it did seem to close up some.

Now when I got home from work, it was again fallen and does not respond at all. It is gaping open, does not attempt to close at all and appears kind of shriveled up inside the shell. It is still attached inside, so I am not sure.

Anyone with experience, dead? Pull it out tonight? Once I pull it out, what do I do with it to get the dead clam out and keep the shell for the tank.

Thoughts and guidance please
-Thanks- Mike (& Kristy)

[Mrs. z28pwr]

I had the same problem a few weeks ago. I had a clam in my tank that was not responding or closing when I would lift it. But it did not look dead so I left it alone and decided not to pull it out. The next day before I left to work at 5:30am I looked in my tank and the clam looked the same. During the day I looked up some information about clams on the internet. In one of the articles I read it said to pull the clam out and smell it. Another article said that the muscle of the clam is the first to go just before it dies. So the clam will no longer be able to close. I left work early that day 12pm when I got home my tank was so cloudy I could not see anything. All my corals were closed and a few fish floating and the rest of my fish were dieing. I pulled out the clam and it smelled SO BAD. I quickly transferred everything to another tank (took several hours). I lost a few fish and corals. But if I would have left work at my regular time everything would have died. I WISH I WOULD HAVE PULLED IT OUT!!!! Hope this helps

[JimD]

Yep, if it stinks, its most likely a gonner. Best to get it out asap. Just make positively sure theres no healthy mantle extention and its not reacting to light.. As far as saving the shell., just put it outside for a while then put it in some bleach till it turns white.. Once you smell a dead clam, you'll never forget it.

[gjuarez]

I wonder why your tank was so cloudy z28. Maybe the clam really fouled that water and killed something else that clouded up the tank. Did you have any anemones?

[Mrs. z28pwr]

No anemones in my tank. The water had a real bad smell to it. I am just glad we had set up a holding tank a few days before. That was such a bad day for me.

I really hope your clam is alive!

[Jarob]

I have had a clam do that to me before and I went through the same thing z28 did, I say remove it asap

[Bill S]

Yup, the old smell test. Just be careful and not get whiplash!

[wesheltonj]

I have had clam die on the tank, the Crabs & Shrimp will take care of cleaning out the shell.

As it looks like to have nothing to lose, you might try pulling it out and giving him a 20 minute fresh RO/DI water dip if you think its pinched mantle.

[Kristy]

Sorry to report he/she/it was a goner. I pulled it out last night, it did not really stink much (not like people are reporting) but it did not move, retract, or react at all. I put it in a glass of water last night and this morning still nothing. Now after work, water is yucky cloudy, so now deceased. Bummer.

Thanks to all who replied with advice... Mike