what’s eating my clam?

[Emon]

Hello everyone, yesterday my clam wasn’t opening like it normally does. I figured it got knocked over and was still closed. Today when I got home the clam seemed like it still wasn’t opening fully so, I decided to move it and when I did it started to open Alittle bit more. When I took a closer look , I noticed that it looked like something was eating it from the mantle inwards. I have never seen this happen before, I have had the clam for about six months and this is the first time that this happened. Can anyone please let me know what is happening to the clam and what measures do I have to take to heal it, if it can be healed. I haven’t noticed anything on the clam itself . Any advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[P-Dub]

What inhabitants do you have in your system? Could we get a shot of the entire clam mantle from a couple of different angles to rule out pinched mantle? I ask because I am looking at the boundaries of the affected area and I see color consistent with the remainder of the mantle appearing as tissue recession rather than loss of tissue.

 

[DuckSlayer627]

Did a fish take a bite of it? What is around it? Do you have some type of coral with sweeper tentacles that might be reaching it at night and stinging it?

 

[reef lover]

Anything fall onto it?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Any butterflies, triggers or peppermint shrimp"

 

[Emon]

Sorry for the late reply but had to work last night . I added an algae blenny recently and also two peppermint shrimp . Also when I first saw the clam it was on its side due to a snail pushing it over, so I also thought it hit the rock but didn’t expect the clam to lose tissue because of that. I have tracyphillias in the tank but they never bothered the clam and nothing is close to that clam either than another clam. Do u guys think both clams were fighting? Lastly I will update with pictures from more angles. Once again, this is why I love this forum , ask a question and throughout this community everyone is willing to help or solve the problem. Thanks everyone

 

[Fishnut]

The blenny was the fish that use to take bites out of mine.

 

[Emon]

Don’t even tell me that! . My wife chose that fish to add in the coral tank, she said it reminds her of an old man( meaning myself) . I guess I will have to pay close attention to him and see if he does nip at the clam. If so he’s gonna have to go back to where he came from. I have had that clam for awhile and have grown to love looking at it when it’s fully open soaking in the light.

 

[DSC reef]

That looks like a bite mark on your derasa clam and I would suspect the blenny. Definitely keep an eye on that fish.

 

[vetteguy53081]

+1 on bite mark - Not a sting.

 

[jelazar]

Can you put a strawberry basket over the clam to keep the fish away? If it recovers, that points to fish taking bites, and rules out pyramid snails and pinched mantle disease.

 

[Emon]

I will try to keep it away from the fish. Again when I got home the clam was laying on its side and not fully opened. It looks like the shell doesn’t open evenly and that instead of opening from the middle one side of the shell is sliding away from being equal I will send pics of the clam once I get home

 

[Emon]

I just read that running gfo might trigger pinched mantle , and to counteract that is to run carbon an last resort do a 15 min freshwater dip, let’s see if this work

 

[DSC reef]

Your clam does not have pinched mantle, atleast from the previous pics you've shown. I would not stress that clam out any further. If the nipping stops then the clam will recover.

 

[DuckSlayer627]

Your clam does not have pinched mantle, atleast from the previous pics you've shown. I would not stress that clam out any further. If the nipping stops then the clam will recover.

+1