Pinched mantle?

[ds69]

In the past few days I noticed something different with my crocea clam. The mantle will be pinched in one spot when the lights are off but when they are on it appears normal. It only looks pinched when the lights are off. Is this normal?? I have never seen one do this before. Is it something I should worry about? or is it fine since he looks completely fine once the lights are on. Any input would be helpful.

Thanks
Kevin

 

[Frankie]

Doesn't sound like PM. can you post some pictures? I have clams that close up tight at night.

 

[mps9506]

A picture would be helpful to see what you are reffering to. Like Frankie my clams close up with only a tiny portion of the mantle showing.

A clam with pinched mantle will look like someone scrunched up the edges of the mantle like tissue paper or something as opposed to the edges of the mantle looking nice and rounded like normal.
This article has some decent photos near the bottom to show you:
Troubles with Tridacnids: a Look at Two Common Problems by James W. Fatherree, M.Sc. - Reefkeeping.com

 

[lcstorc]

Thanks for the link.

 

[ds69]

Well im afraid he is worse now Once the lights were on he was fine and would come out completely normal. Now he isn't so happy even with the lights on. Should I do a freshwater dip or wait another day to see. I know I have those small starfish in my tank but not sure if that has anything to do with this. Its still very responsive to shadows and such but just looks pinched. He is fairly new.....about 2 months but took him 3 weeks to finally attach. He is halfway up the rock work and under a 250 watt mh pendant.


Here he is on a normal day.... lol http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/5442/fish031rm6.jpg

And today http://img76.imageshack.us/img76/2858/fish046il8.jpg
http://img76.imageshack.us/img76/749/fish047mm8.jpg

Thanks
Kevin

 

[mps9506]

I haven't had to deal with PM personally, so hopefully someone else chimes in, but, I would do the dip per the article. Seems like they don't make it with PM anyways so the dip can't do any more harm. Just be really careful detaching him from the rock.

 

[Frankie]

Looks ok to me. Clams have good and bad days. Let it go for a few days. In the mean time can you do new tests and post them here? PH, ALK, Calcium, Nitrates, Phosphates if you have it and Magnesium. Salinity and tell us what test kits your using and how your measuring the salinity. How old is this tank?
Thanks Kevin

 

[ds69]

well I didn't have a chance to do the water tests yet because I had packages to ship out all yesterday but today he looks good. So I guess he was just having a bad day lol. I didn't know they could have bad days.....the tank has been running for 10 months after i re did it after a crash. Thanks again for the help everyone


http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/3872/clamokcm4.jpg

Kevin

 

[ds69]

My nitrates are a little high so Im going to do a water change right now. But I am noticing that he pinches....then an hour later hes fine. He is doing it off and on. I noticed a few small starfish on the side of his shell almost by his foot. I pulled them off but he still pinches off and on. I am wondering if the starfish are bugging him. I will continue to pull them off of him and chuck them. He hasn't gotten worse though so I guess I will just keep monitoring him.


Kevin

 

[Frankie]

It looks fine. can you use paint in your programs and show me what you are looking at?

 

[ds69]

The picture you posted is the one after being pinched. When he looks fine and happy. It seems that he looks pinched off an on throughout the day.

 

[Frankie]

Well when fish and other creatures disturb a clam it will pull in at that part of the clam. My T.Gigas does it when i clean the glass and get near the flesh with the scraper. It could be something like this or even a direct flow of water from a power head can cause it to retract a bit. Try to get a picture next time it happens and observe whats happening in the aquarium at the time it occurs.

 

[Frankie]

Hows the clam? Was i right?

 

[cheeks69]

http://img76.imageshack.us/img76/2858/fish046il8.jpg

In this photo it does look like a mild case of PM, is this the only Clam in the tank ? What is your fish list ? Does he get direct flow from the left side ? As Frankie mentioned there are many things that could cause the Mantle to fold like that and would only consider a FW dip if the Mantle is continually pinched as the dip will stress the clam.

 

[ds69]

I have a feeling it might be the flow. There a current coming from the left side. It just doesn't make sense that it looks bad then good off and on all day long? It never gets worse than it has ever been. As for whats in the tank here it is......

1 neon dottyback
1 canary blenny
1 black saddleback clown

2 peppermint shrimp
1 skunk cleaner shrimp

15 snails of various types
and 1 abalone lol....impulse buy