Is this clam in trouble?

[Awibrandy]

One side of it's mantle is not extending as it normally would. Please see pic. Best I can do, sorry.
I don't know if I should be concerned or not. I noticed it yesterday evening. This morning it is still the same. All the others seem to be fine. I don't think I have anything that could be bothering it.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

It was fully extended before that right?

 

[Deanos]

Something is irritating the mantle. A better picture would help. Could be Pinched Mantle disease.

 

[Awibrandy]

Trying 4 a better pic!
Yes it was fully extended prior to this. I've had it since the frag swap, and it was doing fine. This just happened yesterday. If it is pinched mantle disease, what do I do?

 

[Deanos]

Got Tridacna?

Excerpt: According to www.clamsdirect.com, pinched mantle is suspected to be caused by a protozoan that is currently being identified. The mantle curls upwards and in towards the clam and generally progresses to a more and more upset state until the clam eventually dies. To combat this, Barry Niegut recommends using a fresh water dip in RO water for 25 minutes. Gently shake the clam to get the RO water into all parts of the clam as it will closed up tighter than Scrooge at Christmas with the coal. While this is admittedly incredibly stressful for the clam, it causes the death of the causative organism and is the easiest and most well known curative readily available in your home.

 

[Deanos]

Make sure the temperature of the RO water matches your tank's. Also, if possible, adjust the pH of the RO water as well.

 

[Awibrandy]

Thanks Dean!! You even answered my next question. You are the man..... I will update accordingly.

 

[Aqua Pro Builder]

Trying 4 a better pic!
Yes it was fully extended prior to this. I've had it since the frag swap, and it was doing fine. This just happened yesterday. If it is pinched mantle disease, what do I do?

If it stays this way more a day or two, I am sure it is in trouble.

 

[clamcrazy]

do just what dean said asap....

 

[Awibrandy]

OK, thanks.

 

[Awibrandy]

Guys, I really didn't get around to dipping the clam. I was going to go take care of it when Kathy & I both noticed that it seems to be doing better. I'm not so sure that I sure stress the poor thing. I did feed the dry phyto powder this morning which I hadn't done in a while thinking that the clam would get what it needed from photosynthesis & cyclopeeze. I want to wait and see how it looks in the morning. If it looks the same I promise this will be the first thing I do right after I feed them.
Unless of course I am told differently.

 

[Deanos]

Do it! Pinched mantle is not stress related.

 

[reefman]

pinch mantle is an epidemic,epecially common with croceas. check on clamsdirect n you'll see. start with 20-30 min then work up to longer if needed.

 

[Awibrandy]

Ok!

How often, how many times?

 

[clamcrazy]

first of all there is no need to feed that clam, next i would dip it for 45 to 60 min.

 

[Awibrandy]

Just the one time?

 

[clamcrazy]

how ever many times it takes

 

[Awibrandy]

Ok, clam is sitting in the fresh water dip at 11:25 it will be 45 min. at which time I will remove it from the fresh water and place it back into the tank. In the morning depending on how it looks the decision will be made as to whether to continue with another dip.
Is this correct?
Kathy will be posting her pic of the clam which promise to be way better then mine.

 

[clamcrazy]

first of all make sure to burp the clam when you put it back in your tank. what i mean by that is to when you have him back in your tank tap on his shell with a finger to get any air bubbles out that might be in the clam, an air bubble in a clam could kill it in just a few days. then give it a few days to see how he is looking before another FWD wait about a week before doing another one if you need to.

 

[Awibrandy]

Thank you so much for all your advice. I hope this works, and it makes it through this.

How could this have happened? What did I do wrong? They were all doing fine, up until last night. What can I do so that this does not happen again?

By the way, these crappy tongs I bought from Premium Aquatics released the rock while I was putting it in to the bowl for fwd. Now the clam released itself from the rock. Is this serious?