shell has separated

[CritterHeaven]

My derasa clam seems to be in trouble. I have had it about 8 months and it has grown from 2-3 inches to about 5-6 inches. It has always opened up fairly fully (especially under PCs since it needed the light). It also did ok once I put the MH light on my 55G although I struggled a bit with it on the sand since the diamond goby kept burying it.

Anyway, I have put it on the rockwork down low in my 150G tank. THe tank has 3 250W MH bulbs on 6 hours a day. There are also 4 96W PCs on about 9 hours a day (1.5 hours on either side of the MH).

I noticed last night that its symmetrical wavy openings on its shell were not lining up. So effectively it could not close tight like it should. I picked it up under water and could see that the two parts of the "bi valve" shell are no longer attached to each other at the back. But I sort of aligned them again and put it back on its rock shelf. Now it is opening and closing ok again (at least for now).

There were no critters on it that I could see and the tissue appeared to be intact. But I am seriously concerned this is the beginning of the end for it. Is there anything I can do to help it "re attach"?

I have not checked my calcium levels in this tank in the last week or so since i have been away but before that they were around 420. And DKh was around 9. I will check everything after lights on this morning.

Anyone seen this happen before and is there anything I can do for it?

[REEFIN'ROB]

I've never seen that happen. It may have to do with being placed in the rock work. I'm assuming that your tank is 24 inches tall. A derasa would be fine on the bottom of that tank with 250 watt halides. At this point I don't know if the clam has any hope of survival or not. It doesn't sound good, but you never know. Keep updating. The only thing I can imagine is that it somehow cut some connective tissue while trying to move in the rocks. Unless you were rough with it when you moved it from one tank to another.

[ANGRY JOHN]

i dont know how you feel about it but mabe glueing a small piece of rubber in the same area of the hinge would help. i would not make it tight or it might bind up and cause problems but it might give the clam a better chance! I have herd of somthing like this but have never seen or done it, just an idea. Hope this helped

[CritterHeaven]

Unfortunately the clam died about a month after I wrote my post. It seemed to be doing ok but then one day was not opening all the way and the next morning it was dead. I probably should have done something to stick it together.

Definitely not rough handling on my part but I do recall it falling off the ledge once and the goby burying it. It may have gotten damaged at that point.

I am very disappointed, it was a lovely clam.