Need Clam Help--Please!!!!

[rchull69]

Okay, here are my parameters for my 180 gal tank, Salifert test kits only:

Alk-10.8
PH-8.2
Calc-480
Mag-1270
Nitrate-0
Nitrite-0
Ammonia-0
Phos-0.5
SG-1.024
Temp-77 degrees
2ea. 400w 15k MH's
1ea. 250w 15k MH

I purchased a 2nd 4-5" Maxima Clam about a month ago and I came home today and its no longer. The 1st Maxima survived about 45 days and that was about 4 mos ago. I also have a 2-3" Tridacna and it's doing great and growing, have had it now 6 mos with no problems. I feed tank every other day with meaty foods and Marine Snow, and opposite days seaweed in a clip. I add proper amount of Iodine once a week and use kalk once a week with strontium additive. Would a zero level of nitrates be my problem? I was told they filter nitrates, I have zero. If that's the case, then why is Tridacna still alive? Confused, I want clams, but apparently not going to have them. Help!!!!! Thanks in advance as well.

[Wiskey]

The 0 nitrates is not the issue, plenty of people have no nitrates and fast growing clams, including me right now.

Tridacna is a family of clams, Croseia, Maxima, Gigas, Derassa, and Squmosa all fit into this category. Do you have a picture of your existing clam?

I do have a question for you, where did you place this clam? Maxima and Crosea like to be in the rockwork, they are high light clams, and also rock boring clams, they bore into the LR to protect their foot from predators. If they are placed in the sand they are vulnerable to things like bristle worms.

Also, a rundown of the fish in your tank will be a big help.

Did you check the clam for small snails at night time? There is a species of snail called pyramid (SP?) snails that live and breed in clam scoots and base, then come out at night and suck the clam's fluid from his mantle eventually causing death.

One last thing, before you bought the clam did you check the byassal gland? I ask because Maxima and Crosea are rock boring clams, if they are not removed from the rock carefully and properly when they are harvested it will damage their Byassal gland eventually leading to death most likely from infection. For this reason it can be harder to get a healthy Crosea or Maxima clam.

HTH,
Whiskey

[Geoff]

also check for pyramid snails. these are tiny white snails that look like Ceriths but very small. they feed on the mantles of Tridacna snails. i am putting my money on pyramid snails.

G~

[rchull69]

Okay, I stayed up late and did a little searching for pyramid snails and didnt see anything, and I have never seen any in the past. I did know about the byassal gland and it was fine when I purchased it. In the tank I have following fish:

Vlamingi Tang
Lieutenant Tang
Sailfin Tang
Blue Hippo Tang
2 False Clowns
Coral Beauty
6 Line Wrasse
3 Green Chromis

The 1st pic is of the current clam, the 2nd pic shows the placement of the clam that died, left top of center next to Elegance Coral on a rock and this pic was taken the weekend before last. It looked great for the first 3 weeks also. Again, thanks for the help everyone.

[rchull69]

This is a pic of the clam that died. This pic was also taken weekend before last, had it for 2 weeks at this point.

[Wiskey]

The current clam looks like a squmosa IMHO, your placement is good, they like sand.

The placement is also good on the crosea.

I don't know you seem to have all your ducks in a row, I think at this point the clams you got were probably not harvested correctally and had byassal gland injury because everything else looks in line.

Try getting clams from another source, check very closely for byassal injury, to make sure you get a healthy one. Often clams with this sort of injury do fine for a while but eventually succumb to infection and death.

Whiskey

[rchull69]

Funny you say try another source. The one in the sand was purchased at my friends store and the 2 that died came from same source. Hmmmmm, got me thinking now. The 2 that died were kept in a shallow tank about 6 inches under water line with 14k's about 2 foot above. Could they have just been used to those conditions?

[Wiskey]

Oh, clams need to be acclimated to light just like any other coral, but I doubt it would have caused death, at least not death without bleaching first.

Whiskey

[rchull69]

Okay, so I guess I will try another one then from same source I bought the existing one, my friends store. I got to actually go to the saltwater wholesaler supply in Inglewood this morning with her while she shopped for new stock for her store. Awesome. The place was gigantic and had saltwater fish that I have never seen in a LFS. I guess I'll just have to go back next week and pick one up!!! Tee hee Any excuse to go back again!!!

[rydtime]

can i ask where you got your clams because it sounds kinda like the place i just bought 2 of them. thanks josh

[rchull69]

Don't mean to roll the bus over them, but Vivid Aquariums in Canoga Park. Beautiful store, but it might be the stores tanks the clams are used to. The other 30 or so clams they have are gorgeous.

[Loverotties]

What type of water flow reaches him?

[Wiskey]

If that is the problem the store probably has no idea, and they certanally have no way to control how these things are harvested.

Just be very carefull when you pick up another one to inspect the byassal gland and you should be good.

HTH,
Whiskey

[partobe]

how can you tell if the byassal gland is ok or not?

[rydtime]

when I got mine there was a piece of white muscle(for lack of a better term) in the bag not attatched is that the byassal gland? the clam looked ok from the bottom though.