Did my clam just die?

[spiderman097]

I was cleaning the tank, and now his mantle is inside is shell and it's slightly open. I just tapped his shell and he doesn't respond. Did he just have a heart attack from the stress of cleaning the tank?

 

[mcphock]

If the mantle has separated from the shell, or looks like it 'fell in', then that's a pretty good sign it's dying (or dead already). That combined with the unresponsiveness leads me to that conclusion.

 

[porpoiseaquatics]

My experience with clams would say that yours has died. They can go in a matter of hours. I don't think the tank cleaning stressed it out. More likely there is another cause. It is on rock or sand bottom? If on sand bottom, I would look to bristle or flat worms being a culprit. Crabs have also been known to nip at a clam if they aren't well fed. Anything that may have clipped it's foot would lead to it's demise as well. I know this sucks! Been there, done it and got 3 or 4 Tshirts for my efforts. It's really a bummer when you've had the clam for a few years and watched it grow.

 

[crewdawg1981]

Also keep in mind that while some clams dont mind being in the sand, several do. Many of the younger clams actually need to be placed on a rock where they will cement themselves. The older, much larger clams generally do not need this.

In the sand it may get stressed and leave it vulnerable to other things in your tank... bristleworms being one of them.

 

[rbredding]

can you give a clam too much light? (dont know much about them, but imagine you could)

 

[Jaycen B.]

Rbredding;652530 wrote: can you give a clam too much light? (dont know much about them, but imagine you could)

No.

Spider.
Got any pics. of said clam?

 

[spiderman097]

My tank started turning brown, so i took it out....I hope that was the right thing to do. If not I'm a clam murderer

 

[crewdawg1981]

Wha?! Your tank started turning brown? Do you mean you were getting an algae outbreak? Have you checked your params to see what is so off?

 

[spiderman097]

I just called pure reef, and after doing some research apparently i have some phosphates in my tank. I have my lights off right now, and i'm supposed to raise my ph to 8.5

 

[wannaplayatlanta]

I have nine clams from two inches up to 12 inches. They are all different. My big one is so sensitive to fish swimming over him and the others are not as bad. I have had two exactly alike in size and type right beside each other and lost only one before.

Edit: Good. Luck, how were ur calcium levels

 

[crewdawg1981]

spiderman097;652606 wrote: I just called pure reef, and after doing some research apparently i have some phosphates in my tank. I have my lights off right now, and i'm supposed to raise my ph to 8.5

If you haven't tested then you have no idea?! Right?!

What is your pH now?
Trates?
Ca
Alk

Phosphates would manifest in more algae, but if you haven't tested and have only asked other (who haven't seen your tank or seen test results) then you may end up doing more harm than good. Blindly trying tonraise your pH could get you in trouble.