Maxima clam mantle torn, is it normal?

kamakazian · Mar 18, 2020

Bought this beauty about two and a half weeks ago at Reefstock. I noticed a small tear in it's mantle a few days ago. It's since gotten bigger. is it possible that needs more light? I don't think anyone would nip at it, unless clowns are known to do that.

Tahoe61 · Mar 18, 2020

What type of lighting?
I can not make out the area of said tear.
Are you familiar with PMD?
Are you seeing the siphons?

DeniseAndy · Mar 18, 2020

Did you check it thoroughly for pyramid snails. I am now a nutcase since they got my maxima of 5 years. Can you circle the tear?

esther · Mar 22, 2020

Any update?

kamakazian · Mar 31, 2020

Using radions in a 90gal (hang over the back mount). I'm not familiar with PMD, no. What is that?

kamakazian · Mar 31, 2020

DeniseAndy said:
Did you check it thoroughly for pyramid snails. I am now a nutcase since they got my maxima of 5 years. Can you circle the tear?

Aren't they hard to spot with the naked eye? I don't see anything, are there any other signs to look out for that would indicate pyramid snails?

kamakazian · Mar 31, 2020

Here's a better shot with circled tear. It's gotten worse since initial post

kamakazian · Mar 31, 2020

kamakazian said:
Here's a better shot with circled tear. It's gotten worse since initial post

What is their preferred salinity? I discovered a few days ago that my refractometer had been off by about -.005 it should be at 1.024 now (increased over a span of 3 days).

eggplantparrot · Mar 31, 2020

that looks like the intake siphon.

Clams have 2 siphons, 1 small pointy one, which is closer to the camera in your picture, and a big open one that can look like a tear, which they take water in from.

Do you see 3 holes on the mantle?

DeniseAndy · Mar 31, 2020

Are you circling the mouth of the clam? The for lack of better terms you should be able to see the "lungs" in there?

jsvand5 · Mar 31, 2020

Yea, that’s just the normal anatomy of clams.

kamakazian · Apr 1, 2020

Oh man, I feel so ignorant haha I guess it's just the mouth thanks everyone! First time clam owner here, if you couldn't tell.

kamakazian · Apr 27, 2020

Something is definitely wrong. The intake valve is really wide open and the mantle is receded. Yesterday I noticed this fluffy white thing behind it... Any ideas as to what it might be?? And what I might be able to do to help the clam pull through?

DeniseAndy · Apr 27, 2020

I see no white on the shell, so no growth as of yet. Not sure on the white stuff, but you do have some aiptasia there. Can sting and irritate clams. Can we get a pic of the clam today?

kamakazian · Apr 27, 2020

Let me know what you think

vetteguy53081 · Apr 27, 2020

Unfortunately clam is receding and it may look worse by tomorrow. If not, try a little phyto and offer it a little more bright light. Mantle is already a bad sign, and looking at tissue lowering into the shell - I fear the worse.

Macdaddynick1 · Apr 27, 2020

That clam is nearly dead. You can try to dip in fresh water with adjusted ph to match your tank, but that could also be a final nail in a coffin. You really have nothing to lose though. It’s not fun losing clams sorry bud.

DeniseAndy · Apr 27, 2020

Sorry, not much you can do at this point. It will perish. Sorry for your loss. Clams can be really tricky.

kamakazian · Apr 28, 2020

Yeah, definitely a goner. Should i let it melt in the tank or pull it out? I'm wondering if there's any way to figure out the cause of death, too. It really didn't seem to do well from the week after I put it in my tank. I know they don't do well with water fluctuations, but are there any other common reasons for death? I'm gonna check it for pyramid snails, though I still don't see any. Thanks for your support everyone

DeniseAndy · Apr 28, 2020

Finding actual cause of death will be hard if it is not obvious (pyramid snails). Could have been collection, shipment, stress, water changes, fish, invert, disease, on and on.
Good luck with everything else.