Need help with Deresa =(

[PupChow]

I got my 4" blue rim deresa from FFE for about a week... it had been doing quite well although the baby max went to the reef tank in the sky =(

But today after I got home from work I noticed that the mantle is kind of retracted into the shells and the hole is gapping... it still closed up at night tho.

I have 110w PC and 60w actinic blue over the tank (clam is sitting on the cc gravel, and its mainly under the blue light). Temp is around 80, salinity is around 1.024, amm, nitrite are 0 while nitrate is quite low.

Just curious if anybody can offer any speculation? I did do a water change about 3 days ago.

- Mok-Yi

[MiNdErAsR]

It's really hard to say what exactly went wrong. Clams are funny like that. It could have been on it's way out when you bought it, without any outward signs indicating a problem. Maybe it experienced too much stress during shipping. It also could have been poor acclimation on your part. Not pointing a finger, just offering possibilities here.

This is why I personally prefer to make clam choices in person. You can examine the base, making sure the byssal gland is in tact. See how mantle extension looks. Check for parasitic snails. And most importantly, make sure it reacts to changes in light (i.e. a shadow passing overhead). I'm not suggesting this guarantees your success, but it's certainly a good start.

Sorry for your loss.