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FAQs about Giant Clam Disease, Pests & Predators
5 Related Articles:
Example Chapter from
NMA Reef Invertebrates book, on Giant Clams, Tridacnids,
A Brief
Guide to the Selection and Placement of Tridacnid Clams by Barry Neigut,
Bivalves,
Mollusks,
Lighting Marine Invertebrates,
Related FAQs: Tridacnid
Disease 1, Tridacnid
Disease 2, Tridacnid Disease 3,
Tridacnid Health 4, T&
Pest Snails
(Pyramidellids...), Tridacnid Identification,
Tridacnid Selection, Tridacnid
Compatibility, Tridacnid Systems, Tridacnid
Lighting, Tridacnid Placement, Tridacnid
Feeding, Tridacnid Reproduction, Tridacnids
1, Tridacnids 2, Tridacnids
3, Tridacnids 4, Tridacnid Clam Business, Bivalves,
Bivalves 2,
Lighting
Marine Invertebrates,
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Aiptasia inside Tridacna Crocea clam
shell (cannot scrape it!) 6/13/08
Hello crew,
<Betsy>
I just purchased a ~5 inch crocea clam from another person who was
breaking down a tank. During acclimation I noticed an aiptasia, but it
is not 'on' the shell of the clam, it is between the layers of the shell
right under the mantle, I declare it to be unscrape-able. I tried to use
one point of a tweezers (which barely fit into the hole) to "squish" the
aiptasia (which withdrew completely into the crack, you can see in the
bottom center of the photo). I was a little timid though, very afraid of
hurting the clam. From what I have read about Aiptasia, I imagine that I
did not successfully kill it. I read on your site FAQs that Aiptasia can
annoy the mantle of the clam (and boy, is it ever close to the mantle!).
I also read that injecting anything that close to the clam might not be
such a great idea.
<Actually, I'd either ignore this pest... or look into a really neat new
product by Red Sea... I saw this in action a few weeks ago at the
Interzoo industry show in Germany... an injectable that appears to be
"tasty" and non-toxic... that one can squirt into such pests... they eat
it... and dissolve>
So, any ideas on how to rid myself of this pest without injuring the
clam?
Also since I'm writing, I plan to let the clam attach to a piece of
ceramic tile so I can place it on the sand bed. (I understand that
crocea's prefer to be on a hard substrate). Is a tile a good idea?
<Mmm, yes>
The clam was living on the sand in the other person's tank, from what I
understand. My lighting is very good ( 6 overdriven T5 bulbs on Icecap
660 ballasts - producing a PAR of about 350 on my sand bed). I would
like to keep it on the sand bed rather than in my rocks so that I get
the best viewing angle on it's mantle.
<A very good point>
Thanks very much,
Betsy
<Welcome. Bob Fenner> |
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Injured Tridacna derasa…A
Case Of Home Invasion – 04/05/08
Hello all,
<<Greetings>>
I have a bit of a problem here and could use some advice.
<<Okay…let’s see what I can do>>
To start with, I have a 20g reef tank, maintain general good water quality -
weekly water changes, Ca-Alk supplement in morning before lights on, pH 8.3-8.5,
9-12dKH, Ca 380-420,
<<Having both Alkalinity and Calcium at the high end of the scale can lead to
trouble…as Anthony explains here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/calcalkmar.htm >>
Nitrate 3-5 (peaked at 5 when I lapsed for month without getting more salt), 18g
sump with 8g DSB, and SeaClone 100 skimmer. Now for my problem....I have a 3" T.
Derasa that I have had for about 2 months that has gotten "hurt"... One of my
small C. tricolor hermits got trapped by the clam somehow (I have seen them
picking at the algae growing on the shell and causing the mantle to retract as
they hang on the edge of the shell) with its 3/4" Cerith shell directly in the
clams intake siphon.
<<Mmm…>>
I was running late for class and couldn't get the clam to release before I left,
and when I came home tonight the crab was out but the clam is pretty torn up.
The excurrent side looks fine and was still expanded, but the intake is heavily
lacerated and very withdrawn.
<<Not good>>
Can the clam recover from this?
<<Possibly…if its internal organs have not been damaged as well>>
Or would I be better off euthanizing this specimen to save the rest of the tank
from a dying clam?
<<I wouldn’t…yet. But do keep a close watch on the clam and remove it at the
first signs of further decline or decay>>
If it can recover, is there anything I can do besides maintaining good water
quality, or just hope.
<<This is pretty much all you can do…although moving the clam to a
hospital/recovery tank would alleviate your fears of polluting the display
should the animal die>>
Is this a common accident to happen with Tridacnids and hermits/snails, or just
a freak occurrence?
<<I seem to recall a similar incident with a snail that entered a clam through
its byssal opening a few weeks back…but all in all, I think such incidents are
rare>>
I know that crabs in general should not be trusted with clams, but I never
thought that a small, grazing hermit could be so destructive in this way.
<<Are very opportunistic…but the species you mention are not generally known to
“attack” healthy clams if kept well fed. The hermit likely just “fell in” during
the activities you described earlier. And the bulk of the damage to the clam was
also likely self-inflicted while trying to eject the “foreign object”>>
Thank you for your time and advice.
BBB
<<Happy to assist...I do hope the animal recovers. EricR>>
Turbo snail
inside clam -03/28/08
First off, just want to let u know that you have helped me immensely
over the last two years, so thank you.
<Thank you, sorry for the delay.>
I have a strange problem. Last night I realized that my clam (picture
clam 1) about 6 inches long was unable to close its shell, however it
was Retracting and responding healthy. Upon turning it over, I found
that there was a turbo snail about the size of a marble trapped in the
joint.
<How odd.>
I tried to dislodge the snail but it was in to deep and went through the
hole in the bottom of the Clam were the muscles that attach to rock are.
These muscles then closed the opening back shut. The snail is now inside
the clam. The clam can still not close but is responding well, however
it is not opening the top vents, when I got home today this is what I
found (picture Clam 2). The shell still does not close so I assume that
the snail is still inside but it appears that the filtration part of the
clam is on the outside through the whole in the bottom.
<Hmm, the picture is a bit blurry. I can't be too sure exactly what
part(s) of the clam that is (that are hanging out). But it does look
uncomfortably like gill. Though, I'm not entirely sure it's not just the
byssus muscle.>
It is still attached. Is there a way to get the snail out or will it
take care of itself? Is the clam doomed? Is there anything I can or
should do?
<This is really odd, but it doesn't look good. I've never heard of this
happening before with a turbo snail. I suppose, maybe if the snail is
still alive it might find its own way out. But unfortunately, I don't
know if too much damage has already been done to the clam or not, for it
to survive. If you can't reach the snail, I can't think of anything else
you could do.>
I have one more question. I have something growing on my finger leather
(picture finger leather). It looks the same as what was on my Fuji
leather last year that died from the base up. Do you have any ideas on
what it is and how to treat it?
<What happened to your Fiji leather last year? The photo is a bit
difficult to make out what's happening. Is it detaching from the base?>
Bryan Stone
<Best,
Sara M.>
Re: Turbo snail inside clam
3/30/08
The mass that is outside of the clam has a large sac with a bunch of tiny
filaments attached to it. The whole thing is still attached. I will try to get a
better picture but it is white. Should I try to go in and get the snail?
<If you can see it and delicately get it out, it might be worth a try. But to be
frank, it just doesn't look good... the clam might be past the point of possible
recovery.>
My Fiji leather had this same discoloration at the bottom and is slowly
spreading upward as this is doing? The tissue seams to get hard.
<It might be trying to move/reposition itself.>
Yes the Fiji eventually detached and appeared to kind of dissolve or rot from
the bottom up. This discoloration seems to have small black lines moving
vertically. As if it is growing. I have a good picture but by the time I reduce
the size down it loses definition. I can sent it again if it helps. Again thank
you for your help! I had them both in this tank but the finger was still rather
small when the Fiji died a year ago.
<Leather corals can sometimes detach themselves from their bases when they're
"unhappy" with where they are for some reason (though they do this very slowly).
It sounds to me like this is what might have happened to your previous leather
(which was apparently unable to reattach itself somewhere more favorable).
Otherwise, I don't know what else could be happening here, sorry.>
Bryan Stone
<De nada (but please start using spell check),
Sara M.> |
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Yikes
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clam problem,
English, no useful info., using WWM 3/26/08
last night before shutting down my light system on my 140 reef all
of the animals and coral were fine open and happy .this morning I awoke
to a horrible sight my baby crocea was dead .it is kind of hard to
explain what it looked lide when I took it out of the tank there was
this mass that had the concisty of gel. I will be including a picture .
I believe that to be whats left of him.
<Bizarre that this should happen so quickly... Your pix are very hard to
make out>
I was wondering if it could of been a snail .I have heard that there's a
snail that attacks clams .
<... your English... and no searching...>
The clame was in the sand also I don't know if that a facto .also ph 8.2
ammonia 0 nitrate0,nitrite 0. in the picture with the clam the watery
looking stuff is like a jelly fish feeling to it .
tecture
<Read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/tridacdisfaqs.htm
and the linked files above. B>Re: clam problem, English, no
useful info, using WWM - 3/28/08
I don't know if this is useful information for you or not (and like you said
the pictures are not the clearest). The second picture (the one of the snail)
looks suspiciously like a LR hitchhiker I removed from my main tank after I
caught him feeding on (what I think is) a tube worm or non mobile snail) of some
kind. I tried to do some research on the predator at the time and found that it
indeed was known to feed on other inverts (especially the non-mobile types).
<<I see>>
I can't remember where I found it now and tried looking for it, but mine looks
kind of like a gray tulip snail.
<<Mmm…best to “evict” then>>
Since this is the first time I've written I'd also like to say thank you for
teaching me that everything (at least most everything) I learned from my mother
about keeping a marine tank is incorrect.
<<…?>>
After reading through your pages for the last 6 months or so I'm amazed that her
overstocked 29g long does as well. I also wish I had found you before I had
setup my tank (a 40g tall) I'd have made very different decision if I had.
<<Ah…>>
Keep up the good work,
Jason
<<We are trying. EricR>> |
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Clam troubles... no
data of use, not reading... 2/21/08
Hi!
<Howzit?>
I have a newly setup 330g main tank and 70g sump setup in December. As a
part of the new tank I migrated from a well established 46 gallon reef
tank. I had a maxima clam and a Crocea clam I have kept for over 2 years
in my 46g tank. However, last week I lost my Crocea clam and my
maxima is fading quickly (clam not opening very wide, sinking mantle,
bleaching of mantle). The new tank water quality is kept very clean,
stable pH, temp, water parameters are great, salinity 1.025, calcium is
a bit low but climbing 350-380.
<Alkalinity, Magnesium?>
I am dosing every other day w/ DT phyto.
<... of not much use in this setting>
After the Crocea perished I dosed the maxima in a separate container
with tank water and heavy dose of DT phyto, despite this the maxima is
still declining quickly. The tank is kept under 1600 watts of (4 x 400w
HQI halides). The clam is kept on a flat rock laying in the sand
substrate.
<... may well need to be elevated...>
Given the new tank would you suspect:
The maxima clam size is about 4".
1.) The tank is to new and does not contain enough natural phyto and
other items in water column needed for health of this clam.
<...>
2.) A water quality or chemistry problem.
<Possibly>
3.) A light problem
<Likely>
Thanks for all of your help as always!
Bryan
<Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/tridcacdisf5.htm
and the linked files above... You need to know a bunch more... and
provide more data... For now, read. Bob Fenner>
Re: clam troubles... lack of
nutrient... 2/21/08
Thanks, I did some reading on that URL.
<Okay>
The maxima perished. Alk is 11 dKH, calc is about 390. ammonia: 0
nitrites: 0: nitrates: barely detectable. I had always thought under
halides keeping a clam on the substrate was doable,
<Mmmm>
I have seen several healthy looking clams in other tanks like this. The
tank is 30" tall and the halides are about 7" off the top of the
aquarium. I obviously want to figure out what went wrong before buying
anything else.
<This depth... the light would have to be directly above...>
Given the slow decline I didn't speculate it was a pest.
<Agreed>
The only thing recently I have changed in the tank was the addition of
PhosBan media per your teams recommendation.
<...! Clams (actually all life... e.g. ADP, ATP...) absolutely require
"some" soluble phosphate... This sudden removal may well have been a
factor>
Within 2 weeks, both clams are gone. Coincidence?
<Not likely>
I have not tested phosphate prior to this, and I had no reason to
believe I had a phosphate problem, I simply added it as a precaution for
long term health.
<... I would not have done this... there are other, easier means of
phosphate limitation, control... Posted on WWM>
Is your bet still on light?
<Partly... but am hedging/spreading my bets more and more. How about
you?>
Best
Bryan
<Bob Fenner> |
Questions about crocea clam and
an open brain coral -02/06/08
Good afternoon,
I hope this email reaches you all well. I can't tell you much I (we)
appreciate what you do for us! Anyway, I have two questions I have
searched for on WWM archives (there's A LOT) and can find no clear
answer for. In fact, I'm a little confused. First, I have a question
about a red open brain I got last week. Picture attached. In the week I
have had it, I have seen no movement, no tentacles, no feeders, no
nothing! It has also lost a little color since I got him home. Last
night, I saw slime tentacles with little bubbles on the "slime" which
were extended about 4 inches above him. Is this normal for a while as it
gets used to the tank?
<Usually, yes, it can take some time for feeders/sweepers/etc. to come
out.>
The only other invert near him right now is a small rose bubble tip 8
inches away and up in a rock crevice. Also, on many WWM archives, these
should be placed directly onto the sand bed , which mine is. But, I saw
some other WWM archives that said to place it into a rock structure,
since it gets irritated if sand is blown in it
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/trachyidfaqs.htm
Which is it? Sand or rock?
<On the sand is preferable. However, if it keeps getting covered in
sand, you might want to prop it up on a rock.>
Second question, I also have a Tridacna crocea clam I bought at the same
time. When I placed him into the tank, I also placed him into the sand
with a piece of tile 1/4 inch under him in the sand (did my research!)
so he could put his foot onto something, and although he looks very
healthy and opens / closes as he should, he keeps "knocking" himself
over onto his side. I don't want to keep adjusting him and causing more
stress than he probably already has. I know he should eventually be
moved onto a rock, I just wanted to keep him where he is so I don't
"light shock" him before I move him up. Any suggestions?
<The tile might be too flat or not the right size/shape for it to
"balance" itself on. Try a rock or some other hard surface that it can
sit balanced on.>
Is he OK on his side?
<Not in the long term.>
The sand grains you see in the picture get blown out when he "exhales"
(which is what is knocking him over). I hope these don't seem like silly
questions.)
Tank specs:
55 gal (w/10 gal partitioned sump holding Chaeto algae)
4 inches of Aragonite live sand
40 - 50 lbs live rock
3 Ocellaris Clowns (introduced together last year)
1 Clarki Clown (plays nice with the O's) in a Sebae Anemone
1 Bubble tip Anemone
6 nice stalks of Xenia (doing very well I might add)
1 Sailfin Tang
1 Six Line Wrasse
various Zoos (small colonies)
Nassarius Snails and various small hermits, lots of amphipods, copepods,
and a few bristle worms the wrasse has yet to find.
PH = 8.4 (evening)
Ammo, Nitrates, Nitrites, Phosphates = 0 (hard to believe on the last
two, but that's what my test kit says)
Calcium 460 - 480
Alkalinity = 11 - 12
Magnesium 1300 - 1400
Thank you,
Shayne McKean
<De nada,
Sara M.> |
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Can Cyano kill clams? Oh yes
10/2/07
I have a 55 gal saltwater aquarium. I'm having a bit of a problem with
Cyano. I've repositioned my powerheads so that there is water circulation in all
directions.
<Helps>
It seems to have gotten much better except on the substrate around my Crocea
clams. I purchased a few queen conch,
<Get too big...>
some snails and a sand sifting cucumber
<What species? Some of these aren't "reef safe">
to keep my substrate stirred up. I even stir it up myself and try to siphon out
the Cyano.
<I would do this VERY carefully>
My question is this. I came home from work to find the mantle of my clams rather
withered and retracted. Upon closer inspection I noticed I could see right
through them to the substrate. Could the Cyano bacteria on the sand have caused
this or is it more likely my cleaner shrimp or emerald crab (even though I've
never caught them in the same area as the clams)
<Could be the Mithraculus for sure... but also the BGA is a negative influence.
Have you read on WWM re various means of countering Cyano profusion? I would.
Bob Fenner>
Clams making
a fashion statement? Bleached Tridacnids 9/23/07
Hey Gang :)
<Lisa>
Here I am again with a question. (big surprise huh?)
<Oh yes!>
I have 3 crocea clams in my tank. They've been there for about a year.
They all had pretty good color until about a month or so ago. Now two of
them are completely faded, the biggest has gone from purple to brown.
They otherwise seem very healthy. The light has not changed since we
upgraded in January to a 520 watt system which provides about 5.7watts
per gallon to our 90 gallon Oceanic bowfront.
I had the water tested Wednesday at the LFS just to double check my own
results, and the quality is excellent (Ph 8.3, nitrates 0 nitrites 0,
ammonia 0, phosphate 0). They didn't test calcium, alkalinity was
13. SG is 1.026.
<This all looks okay... except that the clams do actually need some
nitrate, phosphate... and some folks speculate even ammonia>
So knowing lighting hasn't changed, water quality is excellent
(everything else is thriving), what can I do to help my clams regain
their color?
<More nutrient I believe... What do you feed these tridacnids?>
Thanks again so much, I'm lost without y'all.
Lisa
<You have read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/tridacfdgfaqs.htm
and the linked files above? Bob Fenner> |
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