derasa problems

[melanotaenia1]

my derasa's exhaust hole has become round and about the circumference of a pencil. It (the clam) has stopped opening as much and is not really acting normal. I don't see anyting attacking it. I have had this one for about 3 months, in the sand, but with a flat piece of coral rock underneath that he has attached his muscle(?) to. Over the last couple days I noticed that the exhaust hole which is usually shaped like a cone, was just a flat hole. I don't know what to do at this point, the only inverts I have are some snails and some hermits and the only fish I have are tangs. Any ideas? I don't want to lose the clam, will it grow back it's hole and fix itself or should I remove the clam or treat it separately? Thanks for the help. The rest of the corals are doing well and I feed Phyto every week.

Please help me

 

[Unarce]

Sorry to hear about your Derasa. Could you give some specifics about the other inverts in your tank. Soft or Hard corals? Seems you've ruled out predatory snails. Calcium and Alkalinity are just as important as lighting for clams. Have you maintained those at proper levels?

 

[nanocat]

More importantly, what lighting are you using.

 

[melanotaenia1]

Sorry to hear about your Derasa. Could you give some specifics about the other inverts in your tank. Soft or Hard corals? Seems you've ruled out predatory snails. Calcium and Alkalinity are just as important as lighting for clams. Have you maintained those at proper levels?

I have a couple of brains positioned very far from the clam (I know they expand at night to feed) leather corals, ricordia mushrooms, a hammer coral, a metallic open brain coral, assorted polyps and ricordia rocks, mushroom rocks, and I forgot to mention I do have another clam, maxima, who is positioned on the other side of the tank and has been doing well for months. For lighting I am running daylight PC that are giving about 7-8 watts per gallon of water. This is an established reef and I just recently began to dabble with clams, I read alot about them, but I have heard horror stories about predators. I hope to post a picture tomorrow to give you a better idea, but I think you know what the clam would look like at this point---a little sunken in the shell, not fully opened, and not himself. Calcium is regulated and tested weekly, and I have never had a problem with it. I am upgrading to a refugium, with hopes of combating my cyanobacteria problem.

 

[Unarce]

3 months isn't very long, as it may have already been sick and you're just seeing the signs of it now. It only appears sudden, but it can be a long process. How big is it? Also, you didn't mention what your alkalinity levels are. Carbonate is essential to their growth as well. Were you seeing decent white-shell growth at the top of the shells? Derasa are the least light demanding of the Tridacnidae, so I don't think it's your PC's. I'm sure you have your Maxima close to the surface.

When you start to see bristleworms gathering near the clam, it's probably too late.

 

[Unarce]

Your cyano problem does indicate that you might have some water quality issues, and may have hindered the clams ability to fight off what it's ailing from.