Help; Clam pinched mantle

[lazylivin]

Has anyone had any luck treating clams with pinched mantle disease? I've had one for the past month that I've been giving freshwater dips but the clam isn't getting any better.

[Steve]

Sorry to hear Brian, that is something I have no experience with.

[Amstar]

Brian --- read this on reef2reef

Over the years, reef enthusiasts have learned the common misconception that the only way to treat PMD is with a twenty min fresh water dip. This is not true and more often than not you will cause more harm than good. A fresh water dip is extremely stressful and should only be done as a last resort.
 
My first step to treating PM is try and see what is triggering it and then remove the trigger. IE: if you have GFO, a nipping fish, stinging coral, etc remove it ASAP. Once that has been done I highly recommend running as much carbon as you are able to and push as much flow through it as you can. Once carbon is running, I change mine out every two days during the first week of treatment. After that, I change it every four days till the PM is no longer present. If running carbon doesn't make a change in appearance of the clam in one weeks time then I recommend doing a twenty min fresh water dip.

When I do a fresh water dip, all I do is take a bowl full of new RO/DI water, float it in the tank for ten to twenty minutes to equalize the temperature. Once the temperature is the same as the display tank's water, I place the clam fully submerged in the bowl of fresh water. Over the next fifteen to twenty minutes, I gently use a turkey baster and blow the water all over the clam to ensure a good washing of fresh water. Once done, I place the clam back into the display tank in the lowest stress location I can find.

[Amstar]

Also Nanoreef.com -- user zephnyc had some success by using carbon on his newly mixed saltwater --- something to do with the iron in it?

http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/303365-pinched-mantle-disease/