Crocea clam attached to coral

Discussion in 'Clams' started by schackmel, Jun 16, 2008.

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  1. schackmel

    schackmel Giant Squid

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    I have a fairly good sized crocea clam that I had placed in the sand for the last 8 months. Somehow, it has now attached itself to a dying (dead)piece of Acro by a very small piece of ligament. I have been slowly trying to move the acro away in hopes of it detaching it but throughout day it keeps moving itself closer and as a result it keeps attaching itself more. For 8 months it has been very happy, but now because of many different bad things that has happened to my tank in the last 2 weeks, the water chemistry is unsettled, which is why I think it is trying to move so much. My other clams are not doing so well either, 1 is detaching itself from its rock and the other is not opening up very much at all. (But in a couple weeks I ended up having to buy chiller because I killed most of hard corals (Acros) in a matter of days due to heat, and then I had a small fire last week...now have bad ick problem....so needless to say water chemistry is poor). I am hoping to try to find someplace to at least move my clams until things settle down a little but would like to seperate dead acro first if possible.

    Not sure if actually separating it would just do more harm, or would it be better to just let it be and try to find a new home for it until things settle down? Bad enough to watch everything else in my tank suffer, dont want to loose those also (lost 2 fish and a plate coral, plus remainder of acros bleached out the rest of way since fire...plus hippo tang and other fish looking bad only thing looking good is darn xenia cant kill those things)
     
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  3. Daniel072

    Daniel072 Giant Squid

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    those "ligaments" are called bysal threads. There is a gland on the underside of the clam that secretes these threads. The thread it'self can be cut by a really sharp clean razor and it will not injure the clam. How are your parms right now. ca, alk, mag, ammonia, no2, no3
     
  4. geekdafied

    geekdafied 3reef Sponsor

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    We use ice cubes to move clams off egg crate. They usually let go fairly quickly.
     
  5. schackmel

    schackmel Giant Squid

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    well things are still not settling down as much as I want. Now mind you I am a little color blind when it comes to testing, so I usually go to store to test but I can usually tell big changes
    Ca 560, KH 6
    Ammonia between 0.5 to 1 (there is 1 fish I can not find, so it is probably going to cycle again)
    Nitrate between 20-40
    Nitrite 0.25-0.5
    Ph 7.8 (dont know why that is so low)
    Dont have mg kit (like I said usually have store test...)

    I have an RO/DI unit but I also just got $100 worth of saltwater credit given to me at store, so I am going to add some Prime right now, later on do a waterchange (figure it is time anyway) from store water (they have a seperate supply..not from stock) and am going to take the clams in to the store until things settle down. I was going to take them to my parents tank but their lighting is not enough (that is why I wanted to take the dead coral off..not enough room in their tank...but also I dont think enough light either). I dont want to take it in to store, but.......

    They do look a little better today, however at this rate when I get my new tank I will have NOTHING to add to it, except some live rock :cry:
     
  6. Daniel072

    Daniel072 Giant Squid

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    things look stressful, but not deadly. The only real concern I have, looking at your numbers, is the alk. You need to get that up with some buffer. The wc will help with your nitrates and time will get that ammonia down. I wouldn't freak out yet tho.
     
  7. nemo1991

    nemo1991 Millepora

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    ^^ i agree i am on the same page with that advice.
     
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  9. antonym518

    antonym518 Purple Spiny Lobster

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    I'm sorry that you are having so many problems. Just relax don't give up. You can just cut that clam right off no problem. Need to find that fish if possible and I would do a water change.
     
  10. schackmel

    schackmel Giant Squid

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    thanks for the responses!
    The only thing I dislike is that it will be a week tomorrow since the fire. But I do think things are swinging around to the better!
    I decided not to move the clams...I still trust my care better then at a store, and you all are right the params are not all that bad.
    I did buy some buffer and will add that once I do the water change.
    Tonight for the first time in a week, the big clam is finally fully opened ;D !!!! So I think once I do the change it is going to be alright, as long as locust or the plague does not come and visit my house :} which was starting to look like a big possibility last week.