Clam Heads! Is my Deresa a goner?

[SauceyReef]

Ive had this tank raised Deresa for close to a year now. It has been growing nicely and opening up each day with no gaping plus decent growth rings.

Last week I had a Rock Flower Anemone creep closer and closer to the mantle and I finally realized one day when the rockflower was basically touching the mantle I had to step in. The mantle was largely closed up where the RFA was touching it with the other half fully out. It probably took me 2-3 days to notice. I remember asking years ago what happens with this interaction, and I was told to definitely remove the two as the RFA could sting, hurt, and potentially kill the clam. I went to remove the clam carefully knowing it's Byssal threads are still attached to something. I moved it around an inch away, and could feel the Byssal threads attached to something under the sand.

After a few days the rockflower again moved closer to the clam, so I went to move the clam again and noticed the Byssal threads have been de-attached / dropped. I took this as an opportunity to move the clam a solid 2-3" away from the rock flowers. It has been a couple days and it is still not looking the best.


Think it will recover? Maybe this is just what it looks like as it is regrowing the byssal threads? - I just took these photos 10 minutes ago. You can tell the mantle is barely out, and the clam looks extra "wide".

 

[OrionN]

Not a goner, but need to see why it is not fully expanded and fix that

 

[SauceyReef]

Not a goner, but need to see why it is not fully expanded and fix that

Thank you for chiming in. What else could be causing the mantle recession and odd shape besides what I described above? Any advice or suggestions is much appreciated.

 

[SauceyReef]

Oh I should include my params are the same that they have been for the past year. Everything else in the tank looks great. I will go double check this evening and list them off.

 

[twentyleagues]

I know derasa clams can have some issues with their hinges. You may mant to check that.

 

[SauceyReef]

I know derasa clams can have some issues with their hinges. You may mant to check that.

Would you mind clarifying what that means, or how would I check that?

 

[twentyleagues]

Would you mind clarifying what that means, or how would I check that?

Make sure the hinge on the bottom of the clam is still a hinge not broken. Its the part that attaches the two halves of the shell around the byssal opening.

 

[SauceyReef]

Make sure the hinge on the bottom of the clam is still a hinge not broken. Its the part that attaches the two halves of the shell around the byssal opening.

What if it was broken? Why would it be broken? If I lift the clam up again and take a photo while checking will you all be able to tell?

Could I be bothering the clam to much doing this?

Sorry for all the questions!

 

[twentyleagues]

What if it was broken? Why would it be broken? If I lift the clam up again and take a photo while checking will you all be able to tell?

Could I be bothering the clam to much doing this?

Sorry for all the questions!

Sometimes they can survive usually not. Possibly from moving it. Maybe?

Possibly.

Its ok we all need help sometimes.

 

[SauceyReef]

Sometimes they can survive usually not. Possibly from moving it. Maybe?

Possibly.

Its ok we all need help sometimes.

I am guessing the byssal threads is connected to the byssal opening and not the hinge? I was really careful when I moved it so I doubt I could have done damage like that, but we will see by today.

 

[twentyleagues]

I am guessing the byssal threads is connected to the byssal opening and not the hinge? I was really careful when I moved it so I doubt I could have done damage like that, but we will see by today.

I am not sure why it happens tbh. I had a derasa years ago along with a few croceas and a maxima or 2. The most comments were about the hinge issues being about the only problem with them. I have seen a few posts since I have been back 2 years that said something about this also. I think it may have to do with the relatively larg byssal opening, not real sure. Mine never had an issue. One of my maximas just disintegrated one night. I was guessing something decided to eat it as there was no indication of it being sick, had new growth on the shell. All 3 croceas were perfectly fine also.

 

[SauceyReef]

If anyone is opposed to me lifting the clam and checking speak in the next few hours, please! In fact I may even wait a day just to be sure.. It is hard to find people who know a lot / have good experience with reef clams.

My main concern is that the byssal thread is re-forming and that me moving it to check the underside could potentially mess with the process and do more damage.

 

[twentyleagues]

If anyone is opposed to me lifting the clam and checking speak in the next few hours, please! In fact I may even wait a day just to be sure.. It is hard to find people who know a lot / have good experience with reef clams.

My main concern is that the byssal thread is re-forming and that me moving it to check the underside could potentially mess with the process and do more damage.

I would say if in the process you feel any resistance just leave it alone.

 

[SauceyReef]

I gave it a grab, and it seems to be totally stuck.

Hopefully they just look a little weird when regrowing/reattaching their byssal threads, but I dont remember this look from my Squamosa when it moved around and dropped the byssal.

 

[twentyleagues]

I gave it a grab, and it seems to be totally stuck.

Hopefully they just look a little weird when regrowing/reattaching their byssal threads, but I dont remember this look from my Squamosa when it moved around and dropped the byssal.

Yeah I'd just leave it be and hope it'll rebound.

 

[dansyr]

That just looks like irritated-derasa to me, not about-to-die derasa look imo. Not an RFA but I had a torch zap my maxima when i had a flow issue once, probably less extreme than that but it did get a hole through mantle, and it healed up fine.

 

[SauceyReef]

That just looks like irritated-derasa to me, not about-to-die derasa look imo. Not an RFA but I had a torch zap my maxima when i had a flow issue once, probably less extreme than that but it did get a hole through mantle, and it healed up fine.

Oh good that makes me feel a lot better. Hopefully it heals up fine and extends back to normal in a few days.

I see clam mantles touching corals in a lot of photos. I wonder if it is just aggressive ones you have to be careful with.

 

[dansyr]

Oh good that makes me feel a lot better. Hopefully it heals up fine and extends back to normal in a few days.

I see clam mantles touching corals in a lot of photos. I wonder if it is just aggressive ones you have to be careful with.

I think corals really vary. Like one of my maximas is literally brushing a seriatopora and it keeps rotating to jam its mantle into the colony, no issues or signs of irritation on either of them. I've given up trying to move it.

But if capnella comes into contact with the mantle, totally different story. No matter the irritation they always come back for me and I learn one more type of coral to keep them safe from. Fingers crossed yours makes a speedy recovery! Please update as it comes along.

 

[SauceyReef]

Update : took a while but the clam got back to fully opening. During this time it didn’t grow much as you can tell by the lack of growth ring on the shell. Over the past couple weeks the clam and RFA have been inching back towards each other.. Now once again the RFA tentacles are touching the clam and making it retract.

I should step in earlier this time - right? Just cut the byssal thread again to move the clam? Can’t get the RFA to move

 

[exnisstech]

I'm no expert but what I've read say derasa loose their byssal thread when they get older. I've not read of them regrowing. Again just info I've gathered online.
Also just commenting on the broken hinge issue mentioned above. I lost a Derasa to a broken hinge. It was in the same spot for over a year and one day I noticed is on its side. When I went to move it upright I noticed the hinge was broken. I have no idea what the cause is but mine didn't make it. I don't think it's a common issue but I did find a few reports when I was looking for info on mine.