white deterioration on a clam's mantle?

[Russ265]

this is my first attempt at a maxima clam and figured if i just gave him some light he would be relatively ok.

he retracts still when fish swim over him (noted in this photo) but he has been beat up a bit. usually the yellow tang will grab some algae off it's shell and flip him, or when i first introduced him my melanurus wrasse taste tested him.

question is. i have noticed when he retracts that there seems to be some calcium fiberous material where his hard outter shell should be near the mantle edge. almost like a small acid bath or a predator clawing to get at him.

maybe it is a disease? idk.

anyway has anyone witnessed this before?

 

[Russ265]

after a closer inspection (when my tangs knocked in to the clam) it looks like a white "growth".

like if it was white cotton candy growing on it's shell.

 

[Tahoe61]

It is sponge? I can not really make anything out in the image, bifocals and all. Clams do not like to be molested by fish at all, nope nada.

Does the clam still expend it's mantle completely?

 

[Russ265]

It is sponge? I can not really make anything out in the image, bifocals and all. Clams do not like to be molested by fish at all, nope nada.

Does the clam still expend it's mantel completely?

yes. to the point of covering this growth up. he also reacts to fish swimming around him quite quickly.

it just looks like a calcium carbonate growth on top if his shell...albeit with a spiderweb filament. really hard to explain.

it doesnt appear to be a sponge. it is calcerous looking

 

[Tahoe61]

I see Vermetids on the shell. Next time you're messing with the clam just snap those off.

 

[Russ265]

I see Vermetids on the shell. Next time you're messing with the clam just snap those off.

im clam stupid broskie.

can u point those out?
ill be pulling this guy out and giving more of a description as i muck with him tomorrow.

he is active and relatively healthy so far. but the growth is making me ask the questions here

 

[Tahoe61]

See the little brownish tubes up towards the mantle, they are the hard tubes of Vermetid Snails, they snap off very easily. As for the growth right near the mantle you're going to have to touch it, it might be sponge, just an odd ball one. I can think of nothing that would cause a growth like that, but I can not make out the image.

 

[hybridazn]

im clam stupid broskie.

can u point those out?
ill be pulling this guy out and giving more of a description as i muck with him tomorrow.

he is active and relatively healthy so far. but the growth is making me ask the questions here

The vermetid snails are the little tubes growing from the sides of the snail. They shouldnt really be there.

 

[Russ265]

The vermetid snails are the little tubes growing from the sides of the snail. They shouldnt really be there.

yeah ok. i guess im in for it tomorrow. so what is the plan of attack here?

clip the spikes off, tap water bath for 10 minutes, then touch the white growth?

 

[Tahoe61]

Why a bath? If you are not seeing PMD? Just remove, use nail clippers snap off Vermetids, touch white growth, get image if possible. Return to tank, burp and place where it can not fall ever.

 

[Russ265]

Why a bath? If you are not seeing PMD? Just remove, use nail clippers snap off Vermetids, touch white growth, get image if possible. Return to tank, burp and place where it can not fall ever.

i tap water bath everything. why i asked.

most acclimate fish. mine get the tap. lol. idk. just seems to work. now im gonna pull him. i just hate putting my hands in the tank or touching livestock.

 

[Russ265]

The vermetid snails are the little tubes growing from the sides of the snail. They shouldnt really be there.

ok it is spongy. def soft and mushy. toothbrush action?

 

[Russ265]

pic under reg light

 

[Tahoe61]

Yup tooth brush.

Now that was easy.

 

[Russ265]

Yup tooth brush.

Now that was easy.

what about the snails. wouldnt a tap water dip rid them?

edit:



physical removal of the sponge is done.

what else here? the spikes? pop em off?

 

[Tahoe61]

Yup snap them off. A FW bath is not going to do anything to them.

 

[Russ265]

Yup snap them off. A FW bath is not going to do anything to them.

tweezers? needle nose pliers?

also. can i dip him in anything? hydrogen peroxide?

i hate manual removal without some sort of contamination preventative

 

[Russ265]

update. used tweezers and clipped the spikes. left the growth on the shell on. hoping they dont come back.

thanks everyone for your experience

 

[Tahoe61]

No do not dip the clam in anything else. I have heard of dipping in Bayer but I would not, and I never have.

If they come back, and they do occasionally super glue them but do not get any super glue on the mantle.

 

[Russ265]

No do not dip the clam in anything else. I have heard of dipping in Bayer but I would not, and I never have.

If they come back, and they do occasionally super glue them but do not get any super glue on the mantle.

k sounds like sound advice. thanks a million tahoe and hybridazn. your advice has been invaluable