What can I do to save an ailing clam.

[dtruitt]

Sorry for the poor photo quality. He is in the sump now, and I'm not going to handle him without a good reason.

Clam was doing okay on a rock about 2/3 of the way down the tank. His mantle was looking a little pale, and he was too close to chalice and goniopora corals for comfort. I moved him to a rock a few inches lower down. Last night, he tipped himself over and I let him be, figuring that he would do whatever he needs to adjust to his new spot. He nudged his way towards a favites coral that's a pretty aggressive feeder, and now this afternoon I found him like this.

I suspect he may have been burned by the favites. He was out of water for a couple seconds when I moved him, but I burped him and figured all should be well.

Nass and bumblebee snails were picking at him on the rock. I could see him responding to the snails, but his shell is stiff in a mostly closed position and he doesn't seem to respond when I gently touch his shell.

I feed roids 3 times a week. Water quality is adequate, and my other clam is doing very well.

Current plan is to pop him in the skimmer compartment of the sump where its reasonably dark and cuc won't hassle him. Is there anything else I can or should do to bring him back?

 

[DSEKULA]

Looks like a maxima, they need lots of light id place twords the top of the tank. If snails were picking its probably too late and hes letting off the death smell already.

 

[PicassoClown04]

I would move him up and cover with a plastic cup with lots of small holes stabbed through for flow. Should protect him from the cuc while he hopefully recovers. Mine is up as high as possible in my tank, right up there with my sps

 

[dtruitt]

I would move him up and cover with a plastic cup with lots of small holes stabbed through for flow. Should protect him from the cuc while he hopefully recovers. Mine is up as high as possible in my tank, right up there with my sps

He's been moved up to a brighter spot in the DT where it will be hard for clean up crew to get underneath him.

 

[DSEKULA]

Good luck!

 

[dtruitt]

 

[dtruitt]

One of his feet is missing. His mantle is peaking back out.

The upshot is that while running fallow, pods, brine shrimp, and probably rotifers are at plague proportions. Hopefully this means he will have enough food to make recovery less implausible.

The downside is that cuc is hungry without fish fueling a little algae growth in the tank / letting scraps of food fall to the bottom. I wouldnt be shocked if crabzilla took a chunk out of the poor clam.

 

[dtruitt]

He is firmly attached to his new spot where he is unfortunately covering a mussel. Much more closed up today, which actually seems like an improvement.

 

[vetteguy53081]

In a case like this, a freshwater dip is your only hope.

At mimimum, you should have followed the following precautions:

- Established tank
- Salinity to not exceed 1.026
- ph not to exceed 8.3
- Alk not to exceed 9
- good lighting and moderate water flow
- Inspect the inner part of shell for any small crabs and especially pyramid snails

Pyramid snails:

 

[dtruitt]

In a case like this, a freshwater dip is your only hope.

At mimimum, you should have followed the following precautions:

- Established tank
- Salinity to not exceed 1.026
- ph not to exceed 8.3
- Alk not to exceed 9
- good lighting and moderate water flow
- Inspect the inner part of shell for any small crabs and especially pyramid snails

Pyramid snails:

Following precautions were observed, except for alk, which sits at 10 with no apparent detrimental effects on the larger clam.

Should I attempt to remove the clam for a fw dip if he is attached to the rockwork?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Following precautions were observed, except for alk, which sits at 10 with no apparent detrimental effects on the larger clam.

Should I attempt to remove the clam for a fw dip if he is attached to the rockwork?

You dont want to tear clam away especially if foot is not detached. but if you can remove and rock together- why not