crocea fell in sand

[Guam Girl]

My new crocea got knocked off his perch overnight and landed upside down in the sand (stupid turbos). When I picked him up, a copepod ran out of the shell. I set him up again and saw no movement, shell partially open...shows little response to movement, only when put my finger almost inside did he move. So I guess he is still alive but it looks like his mantle (?) is retracted from the shell. Anything I can do? I was hoping he would have attached to the rock right away.

Any help is appreciated...new to clams, not sure what is normal.

[cheeks69]

What I normally do is place a small flat rock under the clam let it attach and then place it on the rockwork. The fact that it's not reponding well to touch isn't a good sign. What type of lighting do you have, how many watts and what are the dimensions of the tank ? What are your parameters cal/alk/Mag ? How long has your tank been setup ?

BTW here's some good reading on tridacnid clams:

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/cav1i3.../Clam_care.htm

[Guam Girl]

ok, i am a newbie so here goes the info:
24g nano cube deluxe
2x36
actinic
stock equipment
protein skimmer
clam is located in middle of tank at the top about 4 inches from top
reguarly add coral vite but never check parameters of cal or mag
alk is 8.0
25% water change every week whether needs or not
tank is 6months old

Clam is new as of yesterday and seemed to acclimate well...was out and responding to feeding and any movement. Would being upside down all night cause him to die? How long does it take to attach...don't want him to fall again. I tried to wedge a rock in between but worried the turbos will knock him over again. He is set in a groove because I read he will wedge himself in using the grooves on the shell.

[cheeks69]

The clam will lay down it's byssal filaments so during this process if placed high in the tank they'll usually knock themselves over. I usually place the clam in the substrate with a flat rock under it until it attaches itself, this also gives it time to aclimate to your tank.

Also before adding a clam you have to make sure the tank is mature and has a nice layer of corraline algae which indicates that your parameters are consistently stable particularly cal/alk.

BTW your on the low side AFA as light is concerned so I would place the clam towards the top of the tank but only when it's fully aclimated and showing full mantle expansion.

[SueT]

I totally agree with Robert. Crocea clams are one of the most lighting needy if not the most. Do you mean you're only running actinic lighting?? If so that will not be sufficient for this species of clam... If the mantle has fallen into the shell then that is a very bad sign.

[Guam Girl]

Thanks, Robert. You have been very helpful! I have a ton of corraline algae...it is growing all over the live rock, back of tank and on the sides of the glass where I can't clean. I will be sure though to run out and pick up cal/alk kit. I checked out the website you linked and got the parameters required for clams...lots of good info. I will move him to the bottom of the tank and see what happens. What is AFA?

Couldn't find much information on clams making a face plant. Keep your fingers crossed.

[Guam Girl]

how do you tell when they are dead? I just moved him to the bottom and got absolutely no response even when poking with my finger. He is gapping open. Should I leave him in the tank just in case or take him out? I don't want to polute the water.

[Guam Girl]

Are clams normally this sensitive? I find it odd that he is dying so quickly, within 24 hrs of arriving. Everything else in the tank is fine so it must have been the nose dive.

[cheeks69]

IMHO this clam wasn't healthy, was he gaping badly when you bought him ? If he's healthy it'll take at least several weeks before you'll notice it declining in health.

[Guam Girl]

no gaping, he looked perfectly healthy...even seemed to be acclimating well when taken out of the bag into the tank. The mantle extended and was responding quickly to stimulation. Introduced to tank about 12:00 pm yesterday then by morning found him upside down and never recovered. Started gaping about an hour after I righted him. Now, He has closed again...the peppermint shrimp has started picking at him...I guess he at least is alive. He looks pretty bad though...mantle is barely visible inside the shell...foot is retracted too.

I'll keep vigile just in case.

[mps9506]

FWIW I would highly recomend not putting another crocea in there. Not to sound harsh but it is highly unlikely a clam will survive long term under that lighting, even if placed right under it.
One thing I have seen before is fish store employees pulling a clam right off a rock, damaging the byssal organ and thus making it nearly impossible for the clam to survive.
Lots of good info Robert. karma

[Guam Girl]

Sorry to report the clam did not make it...shortly after turning out the lights, the sally lightfoot attacked. Probably natural process of cleaning away dead material.

I will be much more careful if I decide to continue with clams in the future. Obviously get better lighting and take Roberts advice on attaching to a flat rock at the bottom to acclimate first. That way the clam can't commit hary/cary. Too traumatized to get another clam at the moment.

Thanks for your help and concern.

[blue_eyes53813]

Sorry to hear that...It may have been sick to begin with,,, But yea, ya need more light

[Charlie97L]

if you want to get another clam, get a squamosa or deresa... i can't remember which needs less light, but they are lower light clams...

many people feel they're not as "pretty" as crocea or maximas, but they're a lot easier to keep. but even with those, i think you're pushing it, with light needs.

nanocubes are severely underlit. they come able to keep fish and only hardy low light corals with the stock lights. if you're interested in keeping more light-requiring stuff, check out www.nanotuners.com they have some great light upgrades. i wouldn't do a crocea or maxima without a metal halide, personally.

also, if you get a clam in the future, make sure it's at least 3.5"... under that and they need to be fed DT's phyto, daily, which can be a complicated process. their photosynthetic system is still developing at that size.

also, shopping tips. in the lfs, most clams should be on the sand bed. watch them carefully, like MPS said, when they are packing up the clam. if it's on a rock, they should include the rock as well, in your purchase.

additionally, just for future reference, it may not have been knocked down. clams are fully capable of limited movement. it may have not liked where it was, and clap/squirted its way off the ledge and down to the sand bed. i have a crocea (under 250w MH and t5), and he threw himself off the rocks several times (saw it), and now is very happy on the sand bed.

[Woodstock]

Agreed to more lighting....

Sally lightfoot? It warrants very close watching when adding a clam. It could be part of the clams fast passage...