clams vs aiptasia

[anathema]

What do you use to clean aiptasia off of your clams?

I came home yesterday and my healthy crocea was gaping and would not extend it's mantle over the edge of it's shell. After freaking out and checking PH and several other params because I just started to drip kalk for the first time the night before, I noticed an aiptasia on the back side of the clam.

I scraped it off as best I could, but we all know he will come back.

I imagine a shot of vinegar or kalk while a clam was filter feeding would be very bad, what are my options? I didn't find much in a search about removing aiptasia from clams.

On a better note the clam looks almost normal again today after spending the rest of the day yesterday half closed. Whew!

It's still gaping a bit, but looks like it will recover just fine.

 

[toptank]

I use a soft tooth brush to clean my clam shells. Works well for me

Barry

 

[anathema]

Thanks

Thanks

Thats a great idea. I'll give it a try.

 

[jim norris]

I use a razor blade first to scrape it off. Then as Barry use a soft tooth brush.
Jim

 

[jimmyj7090]

if you can, do it in a bucket or a seperate tank to maximize the change?? of getting rid if our annoying friend

 

[teknopanda]

won't arrow crabs eat the aiptasia off the clam? or can that relationship not exist?

 

[jim norris]

I would be afraid the arrow crab would eat the clam first!
Jim

 

[kedd]

Peppermint shrimp and the right copper band solved the problem for me.
Not one in the tank for couple of years now. (knock on wood)

I have heard of having a problem with a copper band and clams,but I have never seen any of mine even look twice at a clam.
They have been in the tank for about 3 years now.

It would be a good question to poll though,I would like to know if I'm just lucky or if it is rare for a copper band to hurt a clam.

The aiptasia that are too large for either of those,I inject with alkalinity.
This kills them within a hour or so,and doesn't break them apart to spread to other parts of your tank, like scraping or brushing seems to.

Kedd