Clam Calamity!

[Inconservatory]

Hi there,

My friend is having issues with keeping clams. Having gone through a number of crocea, maxima, and derasa, none of the clams seem to do well at all! There are few coral in the tank as it is, only keeping some patches of GSPs and miscelleneous red mushrooms. The tank in question, Neo Nano | Deep Sea Aquatics Custom Aquariums, has been running for a little over a year now, mostly hosting some cleaner gobies and two clowns. There is a small koralia at the base of the return, which shoots water over the clams (sitting in the front of the aquarium).

Within the stand is a sump with about 3 gallons of refugium space. Mechanical filtration consists of two protein skimmers, one small CPR and another small hydor skimmer model.

Lighting: A 150w HQI 14,000k bulb sitting about 1.5' from the water's surface. The water itself is about 8" high.

Clam positioning: All clams have been sitting on the sand bed, usually around the edge of the tank, next to the glass. Since there is a lot of rock work in the center of the tank, we have steered clear of setting the clams in that area. However, I am reading that the crocea and maximas like it best on the rockwork, so we are considering placing some rock underneath them in the sand.

Health: The clams enter the tank and do well for about a week. Then some will start falling over. They will open their shells and stretch their mantles to the point where they cannot be closed. A day or two after this point, they die.


It should be noted that clams have been kept in other reef aquaria with SPS and LPS. These coral do fine, but the clams just don't seem to make it.

Water Chemistry:

PH: 8.0
NO3: 8
KH: 8 DkH
Ca: 400
MG: I need to test this.
SG: 1.026
Cu: 0
PO: 0
NH3: 0
NO2: 0

Tap water is used, dosed with Seachem's Prime. Seachem Salinity is used as the salt medium.


Let me know if you need any more information. Thanks!

 

[mojoreef]

Your chemistry sound fine and the lighting as long as not to old should be ok also. Yes the croceas and maxi's are rock boring clams so in the rocks they go. did you inspect the clams?? as in did yo look for pests or signs of pest?? like small holes drilled in the bottom of the shells? or on the foot/tissue? did y see any tiny white snails hanging around the underside??

try to explain how they died, like what did yo notice first?? was the mantle pinching? was part of it pinched? any tears in the tissue? how was the color??

Mike

 

[NanoReefie]

I would suggest putting them somewhere mid-tank if you want to try getting another clam. When you put them on the substrate close to the glass, they may not be getting enough light. That may be why the clam over extends it's mantle to try to catch more light. Placing them near the glass gives it the least amount of light due to the light dispersion through the water and tank. If you want to see what I mean, try looking through the side of the tank with the room's lights off, light disperses through the tank and the edges of the tank often get the least amount of light whereas right under the bulbs gets the most light. Maxima's and Crocea's are the MOST light demanding clams, Derasa's and Squamosa's are the LEAST light demanding. Clams prefer lighting in the 8K to 10K spectrum.

Water Params look good enough to keep clams providing your tank has been running for a minimum of 1 year.