Pinched Mantle

[Barry N.]

Nikki,

Kind of hard to tell from the picture. It could be the heart, adductor muscle, kidney,digestive organ or the gonads and or ligaments. I know it's not the gills as I can see them in the picture.

 

[chris&barb]

it looks like an ulceration of some sort

 

[NaH2O]

Heh - Barry the gills are the one thing I can identify lol . I'm not sure what the heck it is, but it doesn't look very good.

I completed the iodine dip, and am in the process of downloading the pics off the camera. I'll post what I did in a sec....

 

[NaH2O]

chris&barb - I think it looks like something ulcerated, too, but I really don't know what normal internal clam anatomy looks like.

Here is my 20g quarantine tank. I keep about 5 bioballs in my sump to use, but decided against it. I figured if I'm trying to eliminate as many input sources from the main tank, then I should leave those out of the picture. I will conduct water changes instead. The 2 powerheads pictured suck the water through the container filled with clean bioballs, then back out. I think the tank serves its purpose:

This shot is of the clams in the iodine dip. I used the strength that Maxx posted, which was 6 drops per 16 ounces. The duration of the dip was 10 minutes. During this time, I used a turkey baster and blasted the best I could in the shell, and any portion of the mantle I could see. The larger clam did take a leap off of its rock.

Here is a shot of immediately following the iodine dip. I placed the clams in a bucket with phytoplankton. It didn't take long before they opened back up. The second shot is right before I placed them in QT (the phyto bath was about 20 minutes).

Once in the quarantine tank, the clams opened up. I'll see how they look tomorrow. As I was walking up the stairs I heard the bigger clam jump off his rock again.

I really hope this does the trick. I can't imagine doing it again, but I also can't imagine losing either of these guys.

 

[M.Maddox]

I hope they "self correct"!

 

[chris&barb]

i looked at the pics again and from what i can see,where the "ulceration" is should be the byssal opening,could be wrong but i dont think there are any orgins there,was that there befor the dip? is it still there after the dip?

 

[NaH2O]

Chris&Barb - I'm not sure if it was there before or not. The clam was never gaping so much, and I didn't really pay attention to the inside.

I checked on the clams this morning, and turned the normal output lighting on. They were slimed up pretty well, but open. The little one still looks like its mantle is curled, but I can't say for sure just yet. I'll get a picture in a little bit to post. I am making water right now, so I can do a small water change tonight.

 

[NaH2O]

The frustration continues....

Well, it looks like the smaller clam still is showing signs of pinching. Now, the question is, what do I do from here? Do another iodine dip, only increase the length by 5 minutes, or do I increase the strength of the dip? I'm thinking increasing the duration. Also, how long do I wait before I attempt another dip? I also think I should dip both clams. I'm at a loss as to where to go next. Barry, did the lab give you an approximate time before they will have results?

Here is a picture of them in the Quarantine tank, which was filled with water not coming from my tank.....I had made water specifically for this tank.

And in this picture you can see where the mantle is curling.

 

[Barry N.]

Barry, did the lab give you an approximate time before they will have results?

No they did not.

I would wait for a few days to do any more dips and in the mean time, I would FEED!! I really am surprised that they are still here since they have been through so many dips and now dipped in iodine. They must be hardy.

 

[Illusion]

Nikki... Since you are pretty much taking Risks with the Clams as well why not slowly move them over to a Hyposalinity situation... I wouldnt promise the safety of the clams but Heck they have been thru Iodine and such... Like I said the only things that happened in my tank was the tank getting really low in Sg for a week and the drop in Temp... My clams seemed to do fine and I didnt loose a single one.. But again that was just my experience..

James

 

[M.Maddox]

I would let them recuperate for a few days first, though. Like barry said - lots of food, and maybe dose some selcon.

 

[Illusion]

I would let them recuperate for a few days first, though. Like barry said - lots of food, and maybe dose some selcon.

Ohh yes definetly... I shjould have made clear of that as well lol

James

 

[NaH2O]

I really am surprised that they are still here since they have been through so many dips and now dipped in iodine.

I'll ditto that. I wasn't sure what kind of outcome I'd have......but they aren't 100% yet......and that's if they get over the pinched mantle.

I fed a bunch of phyto today, and my water is ready (minus heating it up) for a small water change. I'll dose some more phyto a little while before I do the change. I have been noticing some brown stringy stuff coming out of the clams....zooxanthellae?

why not slowly move them over to a Hyposalinity situation.

I thought about that. My concern is, I don't have strong lighting for the quarantine tank, and I don't know if they would be able to handle the lack of light long enough to lower the salinity, sustain it for a week, then bring it back up to normal salinity. All thoughts are welcomed on this.

lots of food, and maybe dose some selcon.

Thanks! I will do that, too. I really hope these guys pull through OK leaving the pinched mantle behind. We'll see. The post Maxx put up quoting the individual who did the iodine dip, said I may need to do it more than once.

Thanks everyone for sticking with this thread. I can use all the advice with clams as I can get.

 

[Barry N.]

I have been noticing some brown stringy stuff coming out of the clams....zooxanthellae?

Could be excess zoo or it could be that you have scared the poop out of her.

 

[Maxx]

If you dip again, i'd suggest doing it for longer as opposed to stronger dose.
I've enver done this before, but that seems to be the lesser of the two evils IMO.

Good Luck Nikki.

Nick

 

[cheeks69]

Gee Nikki it looks almost as bad as mine did before it perished

 

[NaH2O]

Wow, Robert. Sorry to hear about your clam. Was yours a slow progress, and did you try any types of dips?

The smaller clam's mantle is still curled up, and both clams look "lighter" in coloration. I'm sure that is because they are in such poor lighting. They will go back in the main tank tomorrow, and my plan is to make a cover with a couple of sheets of window screen in the area I place them. I fed them once today - quite a bit, and will dose again later before I do another small water change.

 

[Scooterman]

Wish I could offer help but instead I'll offer support & hope to see things perking up for your clams Nikki!

 

[cheeks69]

Was yours a slow progress, and did you try any types of dips?

Well I didn't know what it was ! I posted for some help at clamsdirect forum. At first I thought it was the CV Halide bulb I had because it started showing the PM when I placed it higher up in the tank and since I had had some issues with other corals in the tank I suspected the lighting but when Nick mentioned something about you having some problems with your clams I realized I had the same problem. I lost the first clam and the second I have done a FW dip and it looked better for several days but the PM returned and with the constant harassing of my Potter's angel it has been severely stressed and doesn't it look good

 

[NaH2O]

Well - I made a small section of eggcrate and covered it with 2 sheets of window screen (ease them into the tank lighting). I fed the clams this morning and am going to put them in the tank in a little while. I'll post pics hopefully later this evening. The smaller clam is looking like poop.