Dersa problem? - Page 2

I am not feeling negative towards anything else, just the tanks.  I sense disaster.

I wanted to bring the thread up to date on the clam progress so should this happen to anyone else there is my clams story, although I have no idea how it will play out.

Apparently, dersas, when they feel unstable, can and will anchor themselves.  This can take place at any time, and not always with the smaller clams.  Most people tend to agree that once they get over 5.5 inches, the chances of them doing this are slim. 

The clams can cast off their byssal fibers and break free of their "anchor".  This is usually ok.  I am not sure if this is entirely what happened in my case or not.

My clam detached from the cleaner again and I found it layed over slightly again.  When I went to set it upright, there is a definite "give" to the two shells, there is no super tight pivot point.  I have place the clam so that it is braced slightly side to side.  It is opening a bit wider, the mantle is extending, the colors are bright and it is very reactive.  It appears to be feeding somewhat.

The timing of this clam "anchoring" itself coincides with me putting the "bulldozer" rose urchin in the tank.  I have seen the urchin everywhere and it does doze over things, picking up anything possible.  When we move, it will be delegated to another clamless tank. 

I have no idea what prompted the clams seperation, I am wondering if it may have to do with a torch that I moved around and is closer to the clam.    I am guessing due to the fact that the byssal fibers were nearly as big around as my finger, something went wrong.

I don't know if it will make it, that "sloppiness" to the shells alarms me because I have never seen anything like it.  For now it seems the happiest I have seen it.  I don't know if it will regenerate or recover it's former normalacy or if I will have a wonky, handicapped clam.

Fingers crossed!

The clam is still hanging in there but the looseness of the shells is noticeable, maybe more so.  When it's closed the two sides don't neccessarily meet.  In spite of vowing to leave it alone, yesterday I kind of "shored" it up so that it did match, I really feel that if it is going to heal it has a better chance that way.

It's been mostly closed, which I kind of expected since I messed with it again.  Colors good, I saw the syphon a little.  Fingers crossed but feeling less optimistic.

Well my clam is still alive.  I am surprised.  It has now been over a week.  I would think if it was going to die, it would have died before now.  I do occasionally have to set him upright, when he falls to the side, his shells get really out of alignment.  I am puzzled but optimistic.

I have that moment of hesitation every morning expecting to see an empty shell.  I spent a little time working at getting him well braced.  I'm thinking he wants to live but will have a hard time healing if he keeps shifting so I left a little wiggle and opening room and braced him from both sides to sit upright.  I don't like to keep messing with it but feel this gives him the best shot.  He seems to look better today.  It's still vividly colored and reactive.  Nothing more I can do I guess but wait and see!

Well here's as good a picture as I can get.  Ignore the glass please, I haven't been able to clean in this area for a while very well to avoid disturbing the clam so it looks like crap.  I also have a pair of tomato clowns spawning and I am about done getting bit.  This isn't too long after the lights came up so it was still opening.  It does open a little more than this.  It looks so much better after being "shored" up.  The syphon is really extending and it appears to be filter feeding.  The colors are much brighter in person.  Do you see where the mantle appears pinched?

A few days ago, it didn't have enough flow to extend the siphon, the fact that it is extended shows it's got current and is feeding, right?  Or am I grasping at straws?

Well, after a treacherous move and two weeks back setup, against all odds and logic, my clam is still alive.  The shells are still wonky.  I give it a daily adjust (we're quite familiar now) and it's well still hanging in there.  Who would have thought.  It's the weirdest thing I have ever seen.

It's amazing, it looks really good!  It has been supporting itself for the last two days on it's own.  I am blown away!  Happy but blown away.

I thought the poor guy was for sure a goner when he somehow ended up in one of the live rock tubs while moving!  I was frantic.  But, there he was open, wonky, and happy.  I <3 my wonky clam.