Bad News Guys! I need help - Page 4

WestPat · 11-05-2003, 09:56 PM

Here is the other. It looks like the tissue has torn back to the gill wall. It looks like some of the gill tissue has eroded. Mr. Barry or Casey I hope you can give me some advice!

Praying and keeping the faith,
David

Casey · 11-06-2003, 05:37 AM

Humm doesnt look that good if its still eroding might be time for a freshwater dip,dont want to stress it out though,Lets wait and see if Barry will chime in.

Barry N. · 11-06-2003, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Lets wait and see if Barry will chime in.

Casey, are you calling me a door bell.

Is the hole all the way through the mantle? If not, then it could heal close after a few months.

WestPat · 11-07-2003, 02:14 AM

If you mean can I see into the clam then the answer is yes. Is there any kind of bacteria or deficiency that could be causing this?
The other clam is the worst with his opening coming from inhalant all the way down to the exhalant siphon. They act like everything is fine though. I just know that I hear a lot of people talking about how their clam is fine for months and then melts down overnight, so I just wonder how long they can survive.

I am filter feeding once a week and feeding the entire tank. Should I be more specific or do it more often than that? Do clams still siphon even when the lights are out and they are pulled in? What is the best time to feed? I have been doing it right before the halides go off.

Here is another variable I was presented with, long story short I get my RODI water from a source where the water runs though a few feet of copper tubing. The hole problem initiated before I started using this source, and I use about 7-10 gallons a week.
Could the water be picking up enough copper to have any adverse affects? Everybody else is actually doing better now that I am using that water!

Thanks for the time guys,
David

Krux · 11-07-2003, 04:07 AM

that exact thing happened to both of my croceas, about a week apart. i truly hope yours pulls through for you bud.

WestPat · 11-07-2003, 07:51 PM

Krux, what happened and how did the ordeal go. Even if it is not a happy ending give me some more info please.....

Thanks,
David

WestPat · 11-08-2003, 09:45 PM

Guys,
In the interest of saving the clams I am going to go with the freshwater dip. Do I use diluted saltwater, or straight RD/DI water? How long should I leave them in there? Should I do both at the same time so that no parasites can come back into the tank? Let me know as I would like to do this in the next day or too.

Thank you all for your time,
David West

Barry N. · 11-08-2003, 09:59 PM

Hope this answers your question and good luck!

http://clamsdirect.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=191

WestPat · 11-10-2003, 11:08 PM

Well I dipped the clams in Fresh Water acclimating them as Mr. Barry instructed. I kept them in the dip for exactly 23 minutes. I know that is 3 minutes extra, but it is because there was little flat, oval shaped pods?/flatworms? coming out of the clams. I tried to keep them in there as long as I felt safe to kill all of the little critters, but it has been over a half hour and some of them are still swimming around in the freshwater. So even with the dip if they are the problem I doubt I got them all. I do know they were coming from inside the clams, because I watched several swim out of them.

They were shaped like an oval placemat. Transparent, with a dark V shape running long ways down the body. The wide part at the "head" and the point of the V at the "tail". The body was flat, and when they swam, it was in a rippling motion. They seemed to glide over the bottom of the bowl, and seemed to have a foot on the ventral(bottom) side directly in the middle. It swam "head" first, and scurried in the same manner.

When I swished the clams before I returned them to the main tank, there were two V shaped orange somethings. Possibly another stage of the same critter?

Anyway, the clam I consider to be in the worst shape is now sitting in the tank with its shell opened 3/4 inch and its tissue retracted(not a pretty sight). The other put out its mantle a little, and seems to look normal for this time of night. The one that looks rough shuttered pretty hard at the 22 minute mark as if to say "Hey stupid, I'm a salt water clam!"

Either way, something had to be done, and I appreciate Mr. Barry's excellent directions for the dip. It yielded results, I just do not know to what extent.

Thanks for the interest in my ongoing saga!

Keeping the Faith,
David West II

Casey · 11-11-2003, 01:07 PM

Well I think you have done a good job and all you can do for now lets see how they do and if they start to get better sounds like you got some bad critters out.Keep us posted.

Barry N. · 11-13-2003, 01:12 PM

David,

Any updates yet..

WestPat · 11-13-2003, 04:07 PM

Guys,
I lost the one that was doing the worst of the two. The other one seem to be doing well though, and the two holes on it seem to be getting smaller, I guess because it is not gaping like it was before the dip. The clam seems to be open a little wide at the byssal opening, but it seems that it has closed a bit since yesterday. I know this seems somewhat morbid, but I am preserving the clam that perished, my dad is a biology teacher, and he could use it in his class.

I wish I knew what those little critters were that came out of them? Any suggestions?

Also, I am in no hurry to add another clam, but when I do, I would like to do business with you, I cannot thank you enough for your time! There have been times when I could not wait to get home to see what you or Casey had to offer.

I hope my other will continue on the road back to health,
Thanks for all the help,
David West

PS, of course the one that perished was the prettiest of the two!
Here is a goods shot of it!

Casey · 11-13-2003, 05:14 PM

David im very sorry I couldnt help you more and am sorry for the loss,I still am not sure what got it some sort of parasite I think,
maybe Barry will have some idea,I know I will never stop trying to keep clams they are my favorite although I am no expert and have lost some to.Good luck with your next clam

WestPat · 12-12-2003, 12:15 AM

Just to update everyone, my other crocea is still alive, but has suffered a relapse of the mysterious hole. It seems to be doing well and is already healing back. Even though it still has a hole it is back to extending its mantle like it did before all this junk started. Also I have gone to DT's a half dose twice a week to try to ensure there is enough nutrients for it all the way around.
Thanks again to all that have been following this saga, and I hope it will turn out to have a happy ending!

Special thanks to Casey(Cool new look!!!) and Mr. Barry!!!
David West II

Casey · 12-12-2003, 05:50 AM

Thanks David good luck with this one keep up the Dts

Freshwater dip yielded something? Now what?

Lost one!