Clam Mystery

[GPSReef]

I'm absolutely stumped with this one. I bought a new Maxima clam from my lfs this week it's been doing great I left for the football game today and when I came back the clam is gone. Not just the flesh of the clam, the ENTIRE thing is gone. No shell no clam no anything. I searched under the sand in the direct area where the clam was and I've used a flash light to look as far under my rocks as possible and haven't seen anything. I'm completely stumped for the first time in this hobby I can't even think of a logical explanation for how an entire clam shell and all can disappear in the matter of 4 or 5 hours. I'm posting here hoping somebody has heard or seen of this and can help me out

 

[GPSReef]

My stocking list is:
3 blue/green chromis
3 flasher wrasse males (mccoskers, line spot, yellowfin)
1 tomini tang
1 tail spot blenny
1 gold assessor basslett
I have a number of assorted snails a couple of bristle stars and a few crabs.
The only thing strong enough to move the clam would have been one crab I have but even then I'd expect to see the shell it's completely gone though

 

[Fishmommy]

Maybe it jumped out?
Seriously though, it has to be in there under/behind a rock where you can't see

 

[moliken]

not possible. how big was the clam? maybe you have a mantis that broke the shell and pieces are small and hidden

 

[GPSReef]

Thanks guys I posted this right after I discovered it missing I spent the next hour or so using a flashlight to look under/behind rocks not seeing anything. As far as I know there aren't any mantis in there but it's certainly possible one could have hidden from me.

At this point any hope of finding it alive is gone my next step is today after work start moving rocks to look under them. My aquascape is pretty minimal there's really only a couple spots it could be I'll start by looking in those places

 

[Nina51]

very strange, indeed!

be careful moving your rocks around that you don't stir up the sand bed. doing so can release ten kindsa nasties that can cause a mini-cycle.

 

[skiwez]

Not to sound like a wise@ss but does anyone else have access to your tank?

 

[Stevenliu9]

Not to sound like a wise@ss but does anyone else have access to your tank?

I was wondering the same thing... maybe an envious fellow hobbyist knows this is football no one home day and came in swiped the clam out!

 

[GPSReef]

Thanks for the advice everyone I was really starting to think someone really swiped it! I was able to move some rocks and get under the one a couple pieces at the bottom and there it was stripped clean empty shell. Now comes figuring out what it was that did this since I have another clam in my tank (albeit bigger) and some corals on my sand bed I've never had anything mess with any of them.

 

[moliken]

clam died most likely and cuc did its job.