Is this Pinched Mantle?

[MeuserReef]

Is this pinched mantle or is there something eating my T. Crocea's mantle?

Could it be possible that the mushroom (bottom left in picture) is extruding its "guts" and stinging the mantle at night?

I had some troubles a few months ago with this clam and I was sure that it was pyramid snails, but it turned out that they werent.

Here a few pics from the last time that I noticed damage to the mantle. I might note that all of the mantle grew back fine after this episode and looked great until I noticed the new damage today.

[a4twenty]

it's not PM, your second guess sounds about right. move him away from the mushroom and post your fish / invert list please.

[MeuserReef]

Fish:
- 2 Clownfish that NEVER leave the left side of the tank. The clam is in the center.

Inverts:
- 1 Peppermint Shrimp
- 1 Cleaner Shrimp

I have turbo snails too.

The tank is 2+ years old and everything else in the tank is thriving.

[a4twenty]

well that didn't help

just to be sure i'm seeing it, the mantle is actually missing?


did you move it away from the mushroom?

what are you dosing the tank with? and how?

have you been treating for aptasia?

knocked some salt ( creep ) in the tank?

[MeuserReef]

just to be sure i'm seeing it, the mantle is actually missing?

Yes, the mantle is missing in a small section only. Imagine taking a big bite out of a sandwich. Thats what it looks like to me

did you move it away from the mushroom?

I have not moved it yet. Im planning on moving it later today during maintenance on the tank. After watching my water movement and looking at the size of the mushroom, I think its a stretch to think that the damage is mushroom related. Im still going to move it just to make sure.

what are you dosing the tank with? and how?

The only thing that I dose is Kalkwasser and I dose it through a Kalk-Reactor that is inline with my top-off. I have been using the KR for about 2 months.

have you been treating for aptasia?

No. Other than the peppermint shrimp that I have, I dont have an aptasia treatment method (due to not having aptasias)

knocked some salt ( creep ) in the tank?

Now this is a very interesting question. based on the way that my canopy is built, and where the clam is located in the tank, it is possible that some of the salt creep that sits on the lip of the tank was knocked in, falling on the clam. It would've had to have happened while feeding the fish, because the canopy would have been opened at the same time that the powerheads were turned off. Salt creep would never make it to the clam if the flow was on.

Very interesting. I will have try to replicate this event (without letting it fall on the clam obviously).

Any other thoughts?

[skinz78]

I wonder if one of your shrimp developed the occasional taste for clam? If not I would bet something in your tank is chewing on it.

[MeuserReef]

Originally posted by skinz78
I wonder if one of your shrimp developed the occasional taste for clam? If not I would bet something in your tank is chewing on it.

Thats what I first thought, but couldnt figure out what would have been doing it.

I watched some small amphipods (sp?) running about last night and tried to see if they were going near the mantle. There were some along side and under the clam, but none on the mantle.

Weird eh? I guess I wont know for sure unless I see something actually feasting on it.

After the first episode (2nd and 3rd pictures above), the mantle re-grew itself and looked as if nothing ever happened. Hopefully it will regrow this time as well.

[mr pink floyd]

i saw this on a derasa at the LFS i work for, it was in a stock tank with no shrimp, then moved to a display with noting but clams and other SPS... seemed healty

[a4twenty]

Originally posted by MeuserReef

Now this is a very interesting question. based on the way that my canopy is built, and where the clam is located in the tank, it is possible that some of the salt creep that sits on the lip of the tank was knocked in, falling on the clam. It would've had to have happened while feeding the fish, because the canopy would have been opened at the same time that the powerheads were turned off. Salt creep would never make it to the clam if the flow was on.

Very interesting. I will have try to replicate this event (without letting it fall on the clam obviously).

Any other thoughts?

if salt creep falls on the clams manlte it can burn a hole right through. i was just guessing that some has fallen inbetween the clam and the glass.

i would think if it was a shrimp, the other memebers of the CUC would be all over the dieing tissue.

[MeuserReef]

Im going to monitor it to see if it appears on other areas of the mantle.

Could it be possible that the clam did this by itself, some sort of temporary tissue recession?