Clam troubles

[fishytime]

No Kody(sp?) this thread wasnt about you and your perfectly timed PM....

I've read and heard about some stories lately and my recent woes have got me wondering what really happened or is happening, both in others cases and in mine.....

8 clams in three weeks for me......in one case I think it was me, because I bumped it really hard while cleaning the glass the rest is.....well.....the point of the thread....

I have three trains of thought.....

I had noticed that my coral beauty was payin alot of attention to pretty much all of my clams....I never thought much of it because I had a couple fish in V1 that would "peck" and never really do any damage.....then, a couple of the clams started staying retracted all the time....this is when I thought that the angel was causing the damage....about a week later there the first clam died.....a couple days later a second clam started looking like it was gonna go and I started moving all the clams that I could fit into the small tank in....the second clam died and its been one death every couple days since even after being "rescued" from the angel(of Death)....

ok so the fact that the clams kept dieing got me thinking that my tank just simply wasnt ready for clams yet.....it has only been six monthes since the crash..... I felt I was pushing it putting them back in the tank but I felt like I imposed on my clamsitter for far too long as it was....so tonight I think, Ok I'll PM Greg, to see how the clam I sold him was doing....he replies that it just recently started looking not so hot......

so now Im wondering if it is something else, like what Tony described or perhaps something like what E-towners are describing???


Im really just hoping that everyone who has had problems recently will post their experiences

[fishoholic]

Originally Posted by Delphinus

Actually no .. I'll keep talking for 32 seconds more. It's unfortunately not surprising. Clam death has got to be one of the most contagious things, they literally have no backbone (har har har) to stand up to peer pressure of dieing. "Come on, everyone else is doing it .. " / "Ok Ok, get off my back <dies>"

I think what happens is a sick clam releases a lot of clam-specific pathogens after it dies and they find the next host as soon as they can. Or it could be as simple as when one kicks off, it's a bioload spike but thing is you'd think you'd notice other things suffering too - usually serialized-clam-death is rather clam specific.

I don't know much about clams but when I was talking with Doug earlier, I pretty much said exactly what Tony said in the above quote. Not sure if that's possible or not but it sure seems like it.

[silentcivilian]

**sigh** Ill come clean, I may have possibly influcened this via a private message..

Wont name drop, but picked up a new clam off a fellow reefer.. well established 8" Squamosa.. here is the story (hums fresh prince while typing)

Time for story by picture...

Go to get clam at a gas station in NW, I meet him for pick up, put it into heatbox in car as its -40'c outside, at styrafoam box with heatpacks.. get home, check it, slightly pulled back, put lid on, put in tank floating to acclimate water..



acclimating and slowly adding water to get it used to my parameters... left lid on so I wouldnt shock it..



once lights are out, put it in tank, has no negative reactions (about 1.5hours in bucket).. check 2 hours later, still fine.. go to bed. Wake up.. look at it, still fine maybe even showing signs of returning to full extension.. go to work for 12 hours.. come home to this..



very very retracted into shell..

stuff spewing out the back...



its really pulled back and I can see stuff in its mouth up front that doesnt look happy.. checked parameters.. everything looks to be in check.. nothing else in the tank seems affected.. all the zoas are good, leathers are good with good polyp extension, sps is fine, frogspawn is happy and hammer is happy..
two more macro pictures..



mouth and its ejecting its intake of food which I understand is a shock reaction.. similar to some eating disorders humans suffer..



im new to clams but read alot.. I know its not supposed to go that far passed the mantel or its under lying tissue..

SOOOOO... checked tank, no param problems to be heard of..
Flow good..
Problem noted approx 12 hours after last known goodtime.. aka put in tank after purchase from another member..
Secretly watched fish from distance.. no one nipping or even going near it for that case..
Crabs only stay on the rock unless they fall.. I apparently bought the allergic to sand crabs.. its true, there is a grave yard to one side of tank of preworn shells..
Turned off daylight lamps and left only acitnic lights on incase this just light shock..

anything else you may know there fellow Clam gurus..



What do I do if anything!!