Pinched Mantle

[Tone]

For the past 3 weeks, my 3 squamosa clams have been closed and the exposed mantles have displayed the "pinched mantle" syndrome. I thought that there might be some imbalance in the water or the nipping by the big blue tang was the cause of the pinched mantles. That is until I chanced across this thread.

I read the advice to undertake a FW bath and could not find any counter argument so I bathed each of the 3 clams for 20 minutes in fresh RO/DI water warmed up to around tank temperature. I was amazed at the life that was jettisoned by the freshwater - lots of 'pods and some little worms.

Well 3 hours has gone by since I replaced the clams into the display -- each of the 3 is fully opened again and the mantles are no longer pinched up.

It is probably premature to claim any form of 'victory' as the clams appear quite dull - they don't have the usual rich lustre. I live in anticipation of recovery.

Tone :eek2:

 

[Minh Nguyen]

Barry and other,
The most common problem I run into when advice people about treatment of PMD is mis-diagnosis. Most clam keeper just assume that any mantel irretation is PMD. This is not true. Unless the diagnosis is accurate, we will not get good result. Picture is not adequate but in combination with tank condition, how it progress and what other clams health is like in the tank all help.
Accurate ID os the disease, any disease, is need befor accurate treatment can be recommended.

 

[Tone]

Point taken, Minh. I've been 'reefing for more than 13 years and have kept clams for most of that period of time.

I can assure you that my water conditions and lighting are quite acceptable for an sps tank.

To be sure, i'd not heard of PMD before and my clams have rarely, if ever, displayed any untoward physical condition. But then, there does not appear to be any reviewed and published information in respect of PMD

To get back to the afflicted clams, there is no doubt that from your descriptions the mantles are pinched up in a manner that does not indicate some other "irritation". Nonetheless, the initial response of each of the 3 clams to the 20 minute freshwater bathing was very encouraging. Since then they appear to have mild relapse but the mantles do look much healthier except that the clams are only opening 30 - 40%. I have been keeping up with 20% water changes and constant carbon filtering in case there is any protozoan in the water that either UV or ozone treatment has not cleaned out.

The clams respond very swiftly to the 'shadow test' and given the improvement in the mantles and opening / closing, I am of the opinion that the freshwater bathing effective in this case.

Tone

 

[Sherman]

Back on Page 26, I introduced my clam's situation. Since we're at a notable anniversary, I thought I'd post again.

Nothing has changed in the T. Crocea. It has now been one year. The clam has been treated with heavy carbon, fresh water dips, Interceptor, Flatworm Exit, all in different levels and orders of exposure. The clam has not shown any growth at all in one year, the shell edges are covered in coralline, even down the inside. The mantle has been completely withdrawn since last November. I've since added three other clams to the tank, all T. Maximas. One of them seems to have possible contracted the same problem, though it hasn't progressed as far. It is also sucked in indefinitely, and I haven't seen mantle extension on that clam since it had been in my tank about 2 weeks, which was last April (7 months). That maxima is about 3" and has also stopped growing. I picked up another identically sized maxima at the same time, from the same source, and it has grown significantly and is completely normal. The final clam is a 6" teardrop, and it's also never shown anything but joy and great growth.

I've considered the distinct possibility that the original Crocea and the one Maxima don't have PM, but perhaps something else. I've also run out of ideas for treatment. I just wanted to share that it's been one entire year already, and the clam is still alive.

 

[chris&barb]

WOW Sherman

can you post some pics of the clams?

 

[Barry N.]

As you can see this thread is VERY long so there is a lot of concern regarding this PM so get off your pocket books and send that Donation for PM research. The Maine Lab that is working ClamsDirect is NOT charging for their time, just the hard cost items. All they want in return is to be able to write and publish in scientific journals.

We will also write a paper and hopefully have it published in one of the Fish Magazines. Either way, all finding will be available for people to read.

Back to the donations. Like I said there was a LOT of people post on this thread, don't make me track you down.

 

[Maxx]

Barry,
Who/where can we send donations to? What methods of payment work best?

Nick

 

[chris&barb]

info on where to send donation is in the second post

http://www.clamsdirect.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1982

 

[Maxx]

For the lazy.....

Below is part of a letter that I received today regarding the on going research that I have started approx 18 months ago. ClamsDirect has paid a few labs in the past for additional help but can not continue this on my own. The lab now that we are working with has agreed to donate their time but the hard expenses must be paid. If anyone wishes to donate to help us continue this work, you can pay pal to [email protected] and indicate, Donation of Pinched Mantle Research . We of course will keep good records of payment and money spent. Our goal is to raise 2500.00. Anyone who wishes there name be posted as contributing, we will be glad to do that. Also any company that contributes will have their business name and amount posted as well.


Thanks for your continued support.

Barry
ClamsDirect.com

At this point in time, I'm checking in with you to see how much further, cost wise, you'd like us to pursue this infection/disease. Again, I wish we didn't have to charge anything as this is a truly interesting case but we do need to cover our own costs as well. DNA testing for an exact ID will likely cost between $100.00 to $200.00 depending on the number of 'primer sets' that have to be used before identification. I can assure you that we will work to keep things as frugal as good science allows.

The bigger question is if you would like us to work on therapy options for this parasitic infection. It's possible that we could look for a small soft money grant to do this but know that it then becomes the public's domain. Just quickly roughing the costs out, I believe the overall project would cost around $2500.00 based on maintenance of animals, materials used, therapy trials, and confirmation diagnostics. We would be willing to contribute our time at no cost. Are there any other ornamentalist dealers, such as yourself, that might like to join in with this project?

Nick

 

[Barry N.]

Barry and other,
The most common problem I run into when advice people about treatment of PMD is mis-diagnosis. Most clam keeper just assume that any mantel irretation is PMD. This is not true. Unless the diagnosis is accurate, we will not get good result. Picture is not adequate but in combination with tank condition, how it progress and what other clams health is like in the tank all help.
Accurate ID os the disease, any disease, is need befor accurate treatment can be recommended.

Now we have found some people that will help us with that but like any research, it takes money. So where are the people that I see on all the forums that have for years been complaning about this disease/parasite??

Ok, now I will get off my soap box.

 

[Sherman]

WOW Sherman

can you post some pics of the clams?

Weird, I never saw this post. The claim finally perished, last November. Shortly after that post, ironically.

The other clam with the same symptoms is on 10 months of the same status. Hasn't extended mantle since last April, and also hasn't grown. It also has coralline now growing on the inside of the mantle. Is that what you wanted to see a picture of, by chance?

 

[chris&barb]

Weird, I never saw this post. The claim finally perished, last November. Shortly after that post, ironically.

The other clam with the same symptoms is on 10 months of the same status. Hasn't extended mantle since last April, and also hasn't grown. It also has coralline now growing on the inside of the mantle. Is that what you wanted to see a picture of, by chance?

i asked for a pic because they truly do speak a thousand words. if you can post one i would like to see it

 

[chris&barb]

Disease Research – help needed

As many of you already know, there’s a condition that’s killing Tridacnid clams over the past few years – “Pinched Mantle.” Three years ago Barry N. took it upon himself to try to find the cause – and treatment for – this condition. During that time, he has shipped over 50 clams at his own expense ($1,350) to several labs paying them an additional $592 for the work done to date.
Currently Barry has a group of doctors from the University of Maine who are working on identifying the cause and treatment for this condition. They volunteer their time but the hard costs – lab equipment & testing – must be paid. If any of you can help cover these costs please do. (Research link: http://www.clamsdirect.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1982 )

So far 29 people and 5 groups/businesses have donated to this cause and Barry is nearly ¾ of the way to his goal. After researching on Reef Central “Pinched Mantle” there were 254 threads, so people know about this and are concerned – yet only 29 people have stepped up to the plate and offered their support. All Barry needs is $740.63 to reach the goal of $2,500 needed to complete this study to develop a treatment – please help. [Note: This is just under $3 per thread] (Donations to-date: http://www.clamsdirect.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2020 )

 

[Sherman]

I had a success story... two of them, in fact.

I purchased two 3" maximas last April (14 months ago), one blue, one gold. The gold one started pinching within two weeks, sucked in very tight, not growing at all, and even had coralline growing on the inside of the shell. More on that clam in a bit.

The second clam, the blue one, had been doing great, and growing, until a few weeks ago. Then it started showing some slight pinch, which concerned me, because I'm still curious about a contagious factor to the pinch. Within a week or two, it jumped from its rock, and landed in the sandbed. I decided to keep it there and let it sit for a while. Low and behold, the pinch cleared and the clam has looked normal for several weeks.

About a week ago, the gold maxima also decided to jump from the spot it's been in for the last 14 months. It also ended up in the sand. I righted it, and let it sit there, as well. Now... I'm seeing more mantle extension than I've seen since I got it. It's far from normal, but actually extending beyond the shell and wrapping around the edges ever so slightly!

The only tie I can see between all my clams that have pinched is the type of rock they were on. I have several types of rock in my tank, but all three of these clams (read a few pages back for the first clam and only casualty I've had so far) were on flat, shelving Haiti rock. This rock reminds me of shoulder blades or pelvic bones, in case you've never seen it. So... is there something in that rock that the clams didn't like? I don't know.

But all clams are looking good right now....

 

[Sherman]

Just checking for updates. Has any research provided any further answers, yet? Barry, have you received enough help to make anything happen?