Derasa Clam early death

Ctheronj · 10/13/2017, 04:50 PM

Hi

I ordered a 3" aquacultured derasa clam from LiveAquaria this week, it arrived yesterday along with an SPS coral frag. I separately drip acclimated both of them according to standard procedures immediately after their arrival on my doorstep. I placed the clam on a rock about half way up in my tank in the middle, in an area of low to medium flow. It had a kenya tree coral sort of close to it, tho certainly not touching. It snapped shut a few times before opening back up again, several hours after making the move into my tank, suggesting to me that it did OK for the transfer.

Both looked reasonably good last night when I went to bed, although I thought I was hallucintaing when I saw something that looked like a bristle worm disappear into one of the clam's orifices, and this morning the clam was I don't know, half way open with the mantle extended and looking ok. Lights (320 watts of LED) were set to 50% of usual today.

Fast forward to return from work this evening and the clam is definitely dead with a big hole in the mantle, which is retracted way in, and my yellow tang intermittently picking at it. Since I decided to write this, my lone hermit crab has also decided to feast.

My tank is a 90 gallon (48wx24hx18d) in pretty good shape... nitrates 0.25, phos 0, ca 480, alk 9, pH 8.1-8.3, and it supports a small amount of SPS, LPS and soft corals with good growth. I only have four fish, all reef safe (clown, benggai cardinal, sixline wrasse, and the tang). I recently migrated the tank from a 50 gallon maybe 2 months ago when we moved, so it is not what I would call a mature tank (but the 50 I had for three years before the upgrade), This is my first clam and the first time I have had one of the lower life forms die so quickly, I have certainly had fish die while in quarantine and always assumed it was a pre existing condition.

Is there something that I did wrong? Expose to lighting too soon (arent clams supposed to need light, but maybe too soon)? Bristle worm attack? Something else? Or is this a case of a bad specimen where I should seek a refund from LiveAquaria (I feel that they have good customer service and if it was something that I did wrong, would not want to inappropriately ask for a refund).

Thanks for your wisdom in advance.

Clayton

binder · 10/13/2017, 06:38 PM

they have an alive for 14 day policy and great customer service. I just had a maxima perish on Monday after 6 days. he looked good but just didn't make it. the shipping process is stressful and you can't always guarantee that every specimen will live long. sometimes you can do everything right but still have a problem. don't beat yourself up. I've lost many clams over the years due to all sorts of reasons.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

justletmein · 10/15/2017, 08:09 PM

No telling what happened before it got there, maybe it's bag was sandwiched against the ice packs they put in and it got cold or something who knows. Nothing obvious wrong with your procedure though.

MondoBongo · 10/17/2017, 10:27 AM

i ordered a T. derasa from LA/DD a few years back. it lasted about 8 days before it died. others have similar stories. for whatever their success rate with clams appears low. i've had much better results getting clams local.

ROB2005 · 10/18/2017, 12:12 PM

IMHO clams do poorly when shipped. The transit alone is enough to stress them.

jda · 10/18/2017, 08:21 PM

They used to be pretty good for clams when they had them under the 400W Radiums. I have lost 4 out of 4 lately... and I usually know what I am doing with them.

Mr. Manty · 10/19/2017, 08:33 AM

I had some freshwater fish get shipped out in very poor condition by live aquaria recently, all six died. The refunded me, no questions asked. Great customer service at least.

Ctheronj · 10/22/2017, 06:54 PM

Thanks for the help everyone. I have concluded that this was just bad luck, I will pursue the 14 day refund, and I am going to think twice before mail ordering a clam again. I will probably put the store credit to some more coral frags...

10/13/2017, 04:50 PM	#1
Ctheronj Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 6	Derasa Clam early death Hi I ordered a 3" aquacultured derasa clam from LiveAquaria this week, it arrived yesterday along with an SPS coral frag. I separately drip acclimated both of them according to standard procedures immediately after their arrival on my doorstep. I placed the clam on a rock about half way up in my tank in the middle, in an area of low to medium flow. It had a kenya tree coral sort of close to it, tho certainly not touching. It snapped shut a few times before opening back up again, several hours after making the move into my tank, suggesting to me that it did OK for the transfer. Both looked reasonably good last night when I went to bed, although I thought I was hallucintaing when I saw something that looked like a bristle worm disappear into one of the clam's orifices, and this morning the clam was I don't know, half way open with the mantle extended and looking ok. Lights (320 watts of LED) were set to 50% of usual today. Fast forward to return from work this evening and the clam is definitely dead with a big hole in the mantle, which is retracted way in, and my yellow tang intermittently picking at it. Since I decided to write this, my lone hermit crab has also decided to feast. My tank is a 90 gallon (48wx24hx18d) in pretty good shape... nitrates 0.25, phos 0, ca 480, alk 9, pH 8.1-8.3, and it supports a small amount of SPS, LPS and soft corals with good growth. I only have four fish, all reef safe (clown, benggai cardinal, sixline wrasse, and the tang). I recently migrated the tank from a 50 gallon maybe 2 months ago when we moved, so it is not what I would call a mature tank (but the 50 I had for three years before the upgrade), This is my first clam and the first time I have had one of the lower life forms die so quickly, I have certainly had fish die while in quarantine and always assumed it was a pre existing condition. Is there something that I did wrong? Expose to lighting too soon (arent clams supposed to need light, but maybe too soon)? Bristle worm attack? Something else? Or is this a case of a bad specimen where I should seek a refund from LiveAquaria (I feel that they have good customer service and if it was something that I did wrong, would not want to inappropriately ask for a refund). Thanks for your wisdom in advance. Clayton

10/17/2017, 10:27 AM	#4
MondoBongo Obligate Feeder Obsessed Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 4,061	i ordered a T. derasa from LA/DD a few years back. it lasted about 8 days before it died. others have similar stories. for whatever their success rate with clams appears low. i've had much better results getting clams local. __________________ [Citation Needed] "You don't use science to show that you're right, you use science to become right" - xkcd Current Tank Info: A rectangular shaped money pit.

10/18/2017, 12:12 PM	#5
ROB2005 Reefing Is My Passion! Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 719	IMHO clams do poorly when shipped. The transit alone is enough to stress them. __________________ If at first you don't succeed at reefing, break it down and set back up😁 Current Tank Info: 75 gallon corner overflow, 4-54W T-5 , dozen blue hermits, tiger pistol/yellow watchman goby, royal gramma, banghai and pajama cardinals

10/22/2017, 06:54 PM	#8
Ctheronj Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 6	Thanks Thanks for the help everyone. I have concluded that this was just bad luck, I will pursue the 14 day refund, and I am going to think twice before mail ordering a clam again. I will probably put the store credit to some more coral frags...

10/13/2017, 06:38 PM	#2
binder Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Saint Joseph, IL Posts: 25	they have an alive for 14 day policy and great customer service. I just had a maxima perish on Monday after 6 days. he looked good but just didn't make it. the shipping process is stressful and you can't always guarantee that every specimen will live long. sometimes you can do everything right but still have a problem. don't beat yourself up. I've lost many clams over the years due to all sorts of reasons. Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

10/15/2017, 08:09 PM	#3
justletmein Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: TX, San Antonio Posts: 2,188	No telling what happened before it got there, maybe it's bag was sandwiched against the ice packs they put in and it got cold or something who knows. Nothing obvious wrong with your procedure though.

10/18/2017, 08:21 PM	#6
jda Dogmatic Dinosaur Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 6,256	They used to be pretty good for clams when they had them under the 400W Radiums. I have lost 4 out of 4 lately... and I usually know what I am doing with them.

10/19/2017, 08:33 AM	#7
Mr. Manty Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2017 Posts: 194	I had some freshwater fish get shipped out in very poor condition by live aquaria recently, all six died. The refunded me, no questions asked. Great customer service at least.