What happened to my clam?!?!

[haleyf1024]

The clam was in my tank for less than a week. Yesterday, he was open and looked healthier than ever. This morning, he was dead. No changes in params, all are normal. The water conditions are pristine due to a fish fallow. Prior to this, no hermits, snails, etc even looked at him and they still aren't near the clam. The ONLY thing I could even think of is an unknown hitchhiker ate him or the pods living in his shell were eating away at him, but I highly doubt that. He didn't have pinched mantle or pyramid snails, as I said yesterday night he was open and beautifully colored. The clam is about 2.5 inches and under 10k T5s.

 

[Sangheili]

Welcome to Tridacna clams. This unfortunately happens rather frequently. Sometimes clams essentially die weeks before they show any signs and then overnight they finally let go.

 

[hart24601]

In my clam adventures if a clam dies under 14 days it wasn't healthy to start or suffered shipping issues or predation in the new tank. Longer than that, around 30 days, I suspect water conditions or lack of light. But they generally look great until they die. The only way imo to tell if they are ok is if you see new growth. New from when you got it that is.

 

[deerhunter06]

pyramid snails come at night id check then

 

[haleyf1024]

I did check for snails at night. The shell had new growth, all of his edges were white and growing. I never saw anything except for pods on him so I am at a loss for what could of happened ):

 

[deerhunter06]

dang sorry for your loss.

 

[hart24601]

I did check for snails at night. The shell had new growth, all of his edges were white and growing. I never saw anything except for pods on him so I am at a loss for what could of happened ):

You saw it had put on new shell from when you got him? Not just white new growth from before you got him?

 

[haleyf1024]

Yep. He originally had a few chips in the shell on the edges and they had began to fill back in and match up with the rest of the shell

 

[Hudzon]

you said the clam was in the tank less than a week, you would not see growth in that time.

 

[hart24601]

Wow, that's crazy fast for under a week considering a day or two for shipping recovery. Generally I can't notice any "new to me" growth that I can really see for a few weeks minimum. If something was harassing him he wouldn't have been growing, so something killed him really fast. Aside from a large crab or fish I don't know anything that would kill a healthy growing clam overnight.

 

[haleyf1024]

He was at the LFS for about 2-3 weeks before I brought him home so he had already recovered and started growing shell there. He just kept growing it in my tank. Granted the chips were tiny, but noticeable nonetheless.

 

[haleyf1024]

Thats why I'm completely stuck. Not even my emerald crab wanted anything to do with the clam. The water is pristine (phospate, nitrite, nitrate, AND ammonia are at 0.) and no fish is there to harass it.

 

[kacrocorals581]

can at least set the shell outside for a couple weeks and have you a really cool change dish really not trying to be funny what I did with one I had die yrs back hate to just toss stuff like that was a living being just a day ago

 

[NanaReefer]

I feel you loss. Woke up just now to mine being dead also. Just 2wks in my tank

 

[billrob71]

I would ask you this, how did you acclimate it to your tank? What else is in your tank fish wise? A week is not long enough for a clam to starve from not enough light but that is another question, you say its under T5s but what size tank and how many T5s? How long has your tank been set up?

Do you have any pics of the clam prior? What size tank and what light was it under.

In my 20+ years of keeping reef tanks and clams they are by far the most temperamental live stock to put in your tank, if your tank is stable and been running for awhile id would look twards something picking on it. Also you said the LFS had it in there tank for 2-3 weeks was it on loose rubble?

If it was anchored to the bottom and it was removed incorrectly damaging the biscus gland can and will cause certain death?


Ive had many over the years and dealt with just about every issue including a very large polyclad worm issue that Ive over come, SORRY for the loss but dont give up on them.

 

[haleyf1024]

Tank is 110 gallons, system set up since October. All params were 100% stable. 2 white T5s and 1 blue, one actinic. There are 0 fish in the system right now. The clam was on eggcrate in the store and the foot was attached to a small rock, which it still was at the time of death. No damage there. At the LFS it was on the bottom rack under a mix of MH and LEDs.

 

[haleyf1024]

its not a very good pic. It looks like the mantle was drawn in here but in reality he was very open and stretched over the top of the shell, and what you see in the pic is just a ridge below it.

 

[NanaReefer]

Second time today I read this being more common with Tridacna clams. No more for me. From now on it's Squamosa or Derasa.

 

[haleyf1024]

Second time today I read this being more common with Tridacna clams. No more for me. From now on it's Squamosa or Dersa.

My next will probably be a derasa. I can't justify another $100 clam that may or may not live ):

 

[hybridazn]

Tank is 110 gallons, system set up since October. All params were 100% stable. 2 white T5s and 1 blue, one actinic. There are 0 fish in the system right now. The clam was on eggcrate in the store and the foot was attached to a small rock, which it still was at the time of death. No damage there. At the LFS it was on the bottom rack under a mix of MH and LEDs.

If your tank is a standard 110 it's pretty tall correct? I'm going to guess that it didn't get enough light due to tank depth and you only having a 4 bulb t5 fixture.