Pinched mantle?

ninjabeaver · Apr 26, 2015

My clam is not looking good...not opening as wide as normal.

Not really sure what pinched mantle looks like.

I have had it for over a year now.

cloak · Apr 26, 2015

Check these out. <a href="http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-09/jf/index.php">http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-09/jf/index.php</a> <a href="http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-02/nftt/index.php">http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-02/nftt/index.php</a> HTH.

cloak · Apr 26, 2015

Woops... Not sure why those links appear like that above. Let me try again.

Troubles with Tridacnids: a Look at Two Common Problems by James W. Fatherree, M.Sc. - Reefkeeping.com

Distressed Clam? Take a Good, Hard Look by Chris Stewart - Reefkeeping.com

HTH.

ninjabeaver · Apr 26, 2015

Thanks for the links!

ninjabeaver · Apr 26, 2015

Could the mushroom attached the shell be irritating it?

ninjabeaver · Apr 28, 2015

Ok did carbon change yesterday
...today I pulled clam for freshwater dip and did an in depth inspection of scutes...no signs of parasitic snails or egg sacs.

Here is a pic about half an hour after dip

Sangheili · Apr 29, 2015

Unfortunately my experience is once the clam shows signs it is done for. I have tried many combinations of carbon and FW dips. All clams ive had that got PM have died shortly after (probably 10+ in the last 2yrs).

Thinking maybe it was me, I asked Acro Al about it. His experience is the same. FW dip has never worked for him and all PM clams die. If you don't know about him I suggest a google. Hes aquaculturing (breeding) clams in his garage. From spawning to selling size.

I know FW dips have worked for some, but it seems to be a rare success.

On a side note, I have 3 clams at the moment that have been in the same tank as my PM clams for months and are showing zero signs. All my maximas died of PM but my Noae (Teardrop), Squamosa, and Derasa are all fine. Maybe those species are unaffected by whatever did my Maximas/Croceas in?

hart24601 · Apr 30, 2015

I have never had freshwater dip work for me, but then again I never have been able to really identify a clam 100% with PM. Considering the wide range of maladies the clams can suffer I suspect many people misdiagnose their clams with PM since there is so much about it online and bacterial and viral infections in clams are not very well known or treated and many of these diseases or problems can cause the clams to look "off" similar to PM. Acro Al is the clam man - there are lots of people that keep clams and know a lot about them, but if you go by success (captive breeding and raising of clams) Acro Al is the best and if he hasn't had success with freshwater dips I will never do another one.

Sangheili · May 1, 2015

hart24601 said:
I have never had freshwater dip work for me, but then again I never have been able to really identify a clam 100% with PM. Considering the wide range of maladies the clams can suffer I suspect many people misdiagnose their clams with PM since there is so much about it online and bacterial and viral infections in clams are not very well known or treated and many of these diseases or problems can cause the clams to look "off" similar to PM. Acro Al is the clam man - there are lots of people that keep clams and know a lot about them, but if you go by success (captive breeding and raising of clams) Acro Al is the best and if he hasn't had success with freshwater dips I will never do another one.

Sadly, and ironically (coincidentally?) given my last post, my teardrop clam is looking rather bad today. Looks like what did the others in. Super bummed...

hart24601 · May 1, 2015

Oh dang! That is heartbreaking...

Can you post some pictures? Does it look like "classic" PM? There any mucus coming out of anywhere? And zooxanthellae being expelled?

cougareyes · May 2, 2015

That is a bummer, I am also bummed; I specifically set up a tank for clams. I now have a derasa holding strong and my last maxima on its way out. I lost 4 maximas and a crocea over the last few months. I've tried running maximum carbon and fw dips to no avail, question is once pm shows up your tank can you ever keep clams in it again.

hart24601 · May 2, 2015

cougareyes said:
That is a bummer, I am also bummed; I specifically set up a tank for clams. I now have a derasa holding strong and my last maxima on its way out. I lost 4 maximas and a crocea over the last few months. I've tried running maximum carbon and fw dips to no avail, question is once pm shows up your tank can you ever keep clams in it again.

That is a good question, maybe somebody else can answer how long PM can survive with no clams. I still think other illnesses get called PM as they could have similar symptoms(although that picture sure looks like it), but sadly I don't know, and I don't think anyone knows how long those exist in tanks, or if they can be eradicated.

Sangheili · May 2, 2015

I seem to recall that ZephNYC had some success going clam-fallow for 6 months but I could be mistaken. Thats going to be my plan.

Sangheili · May 2, 2015

hart24601 said:
Oh dang! That is heartbreaking...

Can you post some pictures? Does it look like "classic" PM? There any mucus coming out of anywhere? And zooxanthellae being expelled?

I noticed some mucus around the mantle a week ago and got concerned. Sure enough a day or two ago a small part of the mantle was ruffled and the next day the clam was mostly pulled back in. Today is much worse, pretty much toast.

In the last 5 months I have lost about 8 clams to PM. Going to be quite a while before I buy another (unless it goes in a different system).

cougareyes · May 3, 2015

Thought I'd let you guys know just in case it works, last maxima; I've been running brs rox carbon through a brs mini carbon reactor with a mj1200; changed carbon every 2 days for a week then today after 4 days. I fw dip 3 days ago and again this morning; this is a pic about 4 hours after; this is the best recovery I have had after a dip. On a side note you can see my derasa is fine and was the 1st clam in the tank.

hart24601 · May 18, 2015

Any updates?

cougareyes · May 26, 2015

A day or two after the 2nd dip it recovered completely, still not completely convinced. Now 3 weeks later the symptoms appeared again this morning, preparing to do another dip. My experience with the dips is that it just buys you time, I was hoping with the addition of the carbon it would be different. I'm wondering if I'll ever be rid of it, the derasa still seems to be unaffected; growing and looks great(I've got a horrible camera its very bright gold, green, with a purple lip).

Outdrsyguy1 · May 28, 2015

bummer, sorry for your losses. I lost a bunch to PM 8 months ago, don't really have the heart to try again. maybe in a few months i'll get a test clam

cougareyes · May 28, 2015

Another one bites the dust, I'm done no more maximas or croceas. I may try a squamosa if I can find a blue one or something good looking. The real bummer is I have 2 other tanks and I specifically set this tank up for clams, the lighting and previous stock prevents me from trying in one of the other tanks.