Clam Question

[a4twenty]

Originally Posted by christyf5

Can you get a photo? And by hole in the foot do you mean that you can see through the incurrent siphon through the bottom of the clam?

good question, do you actually mean a hole in the the foot, byssal thread or shell and a pic will help greatly.

[Marlin65]

Its a hole in his foot. I got these two but neither would attach to rocks. One came out of someone else's tank and was not attached when I got him. I thought that when they get older they don't attach anymore.
The four that are in good shape are all attached. These two with the holes were on a flat rock but never attached.
Yes those are the snails I have so that could be my problem.
I do feed some phyto and some other clam food. Don't think thats the problem though the others are great.
It could be a worm of some sort thats why I moved them to another tank.
I can post a picture later, but it is basically a hole in the foot about the size of a nickel.

[Marlin65]

PS I have a Yellow in my main with the 3 small clams and a fat 6 line in the tank they are in now so am hoping they will eat the bad snails.

[a4twenty]

Originally Posted by Marlin65

Its a hole in his foot...........I can post a picture later, but it is basically a hole in the foot about the size of a nickel.

a picture would be best, the foot of most clams is not large enough to have a hole that big.

Originally Posted by Marlin65

Yes those are the snails I have so that could be my problem.

if you do have pyramid snails, they are going to be a problem if they are not already the problem.

Originally Posted by Marlin65

PS I have a Yellow in my main with the 3 small clams and a fat 6 line in the tank they are in now so am hoping they will eat the bad snails.

these wrasses are diurnal and pyramid snails are nocturnal, so they may get a few but will not solve your problem. there is only one way to get rid of these pest and that is to manually remove the snails and their egg sacs from the clams. you need to do this an hour or so after lights out as the snails live down under the clam or in its scutes during the day and come out at night to feast under the mantle of clam. you will have to do this every day or two at the beginning and can gradually reduce the frequency as you begin to see progress.

HTH

[Marlin65]

All three have a foot of about loonie size.
I will post some pictures later.
I have been trying to rid them by doing as prescribed, but they are hard to eradicate completely.
I cleaned them and moved them to another tank so hopefully that will take care of them.
looks like these are what my problem is.

[Marlin65]

Is it possible for the snails to be inside the clam through the foot?
Thanks every one for your help in this.

[a4twenty]

Originally Posted by Marlin65

I have been trying to rid them by doing as prescribed, but they are hard to eradicate completely.
I cleaned them and moved them to another tank so hopefully that will take care of them.
looks like these are what my problem is.

make sure you look for tiny egg sacs too and just keep at it, good luck

[Marlin65]

Will do thanks all.

[Marlin65]

Do you have nassarius snails? If your clams aren't firmly attached to a piece of rock a hungry snail can eat a foot in a single night. Since they are burrowing snails they don't even have to come up out of the sand bed for a feast. This will happen if your snails aren't well fed. Little bits and pieces aren't enough. Give them a hunk of shrimp or fish once a week to keep them satisfied and away from your clams.

Found this on reef central wondering if this could be my problem I have lots of these in the tank they came from and have not been feeding them much lately.