Clam Parasitic Disease: Quahog Parasite Unknown (Q

[damien]

QPX, which stands for Quahog Parasite Unknown, is a protozoan that infects a clam's soft tissue, causing an inflammation that prevents it from closing its shell so it becomes unable to pump water, and the bits of nutrient suspended in the water, through its filtering gills. The most recent discovery of a shellfish disease in Massachusetts was made in 1995. Since its discovery in Massachusetts, QPX has been found in Virginia (1996) and New Jersey (1997). The whole area where the clams were collected could be under the attack by this parasitic disease. The disease is normally observed in the mantle and gills of the clam. QPX is not harmful to humans and does not represent a public health concern but is fatal to hard clams, causing significant mortalities in an infected clam bed. There is no known treatment or cure for QPX in hard clams. After showing first signs of stress (closing/gapping/bleaching) they'd die in few days.

From D.Knops book "Giant Clams, there is a description of signs of bacterial infections of Juvenile and Adult Clams;

Signs:

"Shells not fully opened,mantle partly retracted. Sometimes yellowish adscesses are visible on the syphonal lobe with destruction of tissue".

Cause and course of condition:

"Infections with Vibrio species,widely distributed in the marine environment, are the likely causes. Microscopically,the necrotic tissue shows colonies of gram negative bacteria.They are also found in the lymphatic fluid which is normally sterile"

He also goes further to say: 'Mainly the conditions can be traces to stress factors in the history of the individual clams,e.g. temperatures which are too high or too low, stress during transport or sudden changes in other environmental factors... ". Also, he describes the timing of the death usually occurs in 24 to 48 hours.

[lightningstrike]

is this the so called dreaded clam disease in which i hv lost abt 10 clams (max & croceas)????

now only left with 2 clams......

[Dispar_Anthias]

is this the so called dreaded clam disease in which i hv lost abt 10 clams (max & croceas)????

now only left with 2 clams......

Yup.. i am facing with this dreaded disease now... lost a few clam for no reason already...... Cause most probbably would be temp fluctuation from my borrowed chiller which is already having serious leaking problem.....

[scarab]

Join the club. Definitely staying off clams for the time being.

[damien]

A solution to clam disease?

try at ur own risk!!

any bros with more info pls contribute.

[jedi]

Hmmm... using RO water huh? wonder if plain old tapwater with antichlorine wud surffice. Just lost my most handsome crocea yesterday too. total 3 in the past 2 weeks.

[Hondace]

I'm the next causalty.........my 2 & only clams died too over the weekend. don't know wat happen. 1 had been with me 6mths since I started.

anything to do with the temp, my chiller is working overtime & the temp is about 1degree higher than usual at 26.

[damien]

yes, a freshwater dip for about 30min will do.

Pls read the threads below.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.p...pinching+mantle

http://www.reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=22102

Hmmm... using RO water huh? wonder if plain old tapwater with antichlorine wud surffice. Just lost my most handsome crocea yesterday too. total 3 in the past 2 weeks.  

[tineng]

I'm the next causalty.........my 2 & only clams died too over the weekend. don't know wat happen. 1 had been with me 6mths since I started.

anything to do with the temp, my chiller is working overtime & the temp is about 1degree higher than usual at 26.

what do they look like when they are dead?

are they suffering from the fate as my clams? see this posting

[jedi]

tried a 20min freshwater dip with double dose of anticlorine on another of my gaping croceas yesterday. worked wonders! took a glance at it tis afternoon and now the fella is extending his mantle fully. those bros affected should try out this method.

[Hondace]

what do they look like when they are dead?

are they suffering from the fate as my clams? see this posting

Didn't see any holes right to the sand but they r sure gasping.