Clams dying (reason unknown)

[nivlac]

Guys, dunno why but my clams seem to be dying one by one.....they could be doing fine one day, and then the next day become fully opened with mantle extracted and looking very shrunken from the top. Upon lifing the clam up and viewing it from the bottom, the whole clam (the meaty part) seems to have 'shrunk' and the smell is not so nice. This has already claimed 4 victims over the past 6 weeks or so.

Even if lighting is not enough, still it should 'bleach' first rather than dying overnight right? Is this some kind of a clam virus?

[Tanzy]

Clams don't bleach before they die. They just turn brown and starve to death. It could be a virus or that you are giving them insufficient light or calcium and alk. Perhaps the water quality is off.

I'll suggest that you stop getting clams for a while until the reason is found and save some money.

[mv3i]

thought the clams need really strong lighting like MH ... otherwise .... no point keeping as they will fade away soon ....

dunno much about the virus thing... maybe some other experience hobbist can tell you

Mine is quite healthy at the moment ....

Oh ... ever thought about your water conditions ? nitrate , calcium level , .....

just my 2 cents worth

[nivlac]

Clams don't bleach before they die. They just turn brown and starve to death. It could be a virus or that you are giving them insufficient light or calcium and alk. Perhaps the water quality is off.

I'll suggest that you stop getting clams for a while until the reason is found and save some money.

Tks zy. Might be my lighting as I'm using a 150W 20k HQI, which I understand is not ideal as the spectrum may be wrong. However, the oldest clam has been around for 6 months already w/o problems and I know of clams surviving ok in similar situations.

Just tested the water- calcium is 500 mg/ l (way above the 420 mg optimal level) and N03 is zero.

[Tanzy]

Nivlac,

Light is definitely on the low side of clams. Changing to a good 10000K will allow you to keep a clam directly under the light but you won't be able to see the clam.

I'll check the alkalinity and pH if I were you.

[robe]

Best light for a clam especially croceas and maximas is 6500K full spectrum light to mimic shallow water.

You might want to check for bristleworms or some other creature that may be preying on your clams. Clams if they are not imbedded in a rock base are easy prey for a lot of pest as the base of croceas and maximas is quite large leaving a vulnerable opening into the clam's innards.

[mv3i]

so is it to say , when buying clams ... better to get one that is attached to a rock base ??

[yazid]

so is it to say , when buying clams ... better to get one that is attached to a rock base ??

That's right. The reason for Clams dying may be due to lighting or it got pick at the bottom by crabs or fish.

Best to get Clams that have rocks base covering the bottom.

Now you know why Clams w/o rock base covering the bottom is cheaper than the one with a rock base.

If you happen to get a Clams w/o rock base, you could DIY the Clam with a rock.

[nivlac]

Best light for a clam especially croceas and maximas is 6500K full spectrum light to mimic shallow water.

You might want to check for bristleworms or some other creature that may be preying on your clams. Clams if they are not imbedded in a rock base are easy prey for a lot of pest as the base of croceas and maximas is quite large leaving a vulnerable opening into the clam's innards.

Robe, my clam that mati had a small rock base attached to it. When it 'died', the rock was also 'released'......

No more clams for me now until I get to the bottom of this mysterious deaths.