I really screwed up (clam meets superglue)

[ScottT1980]

Just got a new clam (maxima, approx 2-3") that had a few aptasia on it. I got out some superglue to put on top of the aptasia in order to kill them (this has been succesful in the past). Well, it turned out that I was using normal superglue, not the gel. Thanks to gravity, some of the super glue slid into the crack of the clam. IT appears that one half to a third of it was even glued together....

I was furious at myself, and while I managed to scrap away the glue on the outer edges of the shell (so that the clam could open if needed), the clam is still not opening. I can see some glue that has hardened in the interior, probably irritating the snot out of the clam and keeping it from opening...

Any ideas? I am sure this is a new one, as I have never heard of anyone superglueing their clam together <sigh> I am worried the clam is going to suffocate...

Thanks
Scott T.

 

[NaH2O]

Scott - that is a new one for me. For sure keep us posted on the clam's condition. Here's a bump for ya.....

 

[ScottT1980]

Well, woke up this morning to my cleaner shrimp picking at the clam. The super glue was irritating the mantle, but probably of greater conserquence, had covered the byssus. It was pretty much a no win situation...

And here I thought that the aptasia would be harmful to the clam...

Take er easy
Scott T.

 

[NaH2O]

Oh man - sorry Scott! I was thinking about this last night. I wondered if the clam's mantle would slime enough to get the superglue off (if only on the mantle area).

 

[mojoreef]

Oh man Scott, thats a tough one. Is the glue righ on the tissue or is it on the shell??


Mike

 

[Barry N.]

That doesn't sound good my friend.

 

[ScottT1980]

Oh man Scott, thats a tough one. Is the glue righ on the tissue or is it on the shell??

Yeah, I was pretty mad at myself (quite an understatement). The glue never really stuck to the tissue (other than the foot), but was caked in a large area of the clam, resting on the mantle. The clam just would not reopen, acting as if the glue was irritating it. Because it was closed up, I just douldn't get the glue out without further damaging the clam. Ultimately, the clam never made it...

I buy packs and packs of the superglue gel, and never would have thought normal superglue would get mixed in. Dumb, dumb, dumb...

Take er easy
Scott T.

 

[wrightme43]

That is a bummer Scott. Sorry that it happened to you. It takes a lot of guts to admitt when you make a mistake and let others know so they dont do the same thing. I commened you for that. Steve

 

[mojoreef]

Thats tough luck Scott, I had a simular event happen to my big tang. I was about to glue a coral back on when the blob of glue came off my finger, well the tang just nailed it and it stuck his mouth closed. How he got himself out of that one I have no idea but he did.


Mike