cleaner shrimp and clam

[davidhughes85]

I just got a deresa today and my cleaner shrimp keeps cleaning it so it wont open all the way...should I get rid of the shrimp?

 

[reef_research]

I would remove the shrimp, as any clam which suffers from a closed mantle will inevitably be damaged if left that way. also, i do recall several people her mentioning their cleaner shrimp "hosting" inside of the clam's siphons, and causing a large amount of stress to the clam.

 

[davidhughes85]

well hes seemed to have moved on...but the clam isnt open all the way yet . its open enough to see decently inside but not open all the way...does it take a long time? hes been in for about 45 minutes.

 

[acrodave]

i have 2 cleaners and 2 clams no issues

 

[davidhughes85]

i think hes tring to eat his foot

 

[a4twenty]

if he CS won't leave him alone there is probably something wrong with the clam. they may 'investigate' for a while after a new addition of fish or invertebrate but usually go back to their business after.

the clam may take a day or two to open fully after the move.

.... i do recall several people her mentioning their cleaner shrimp "hosting" inside of the clam's siphons

these are commensal shrimp, not cleaner shrimp.

if the CS is still bugging him i would remove the shrimp and keep an eye on the clam. IME CS only go after the dead and rotting and often get blamed for killing things that they were only 'cleaning' up

 

[davidhughes85]

Your probably right when he was first cleaning he was getting stuff off the shell, when he found teh foot he went nuts but im sure theres some kind of left over dead stuff from wherever he was taken off of in teh first place...Th eclam has opened all teh way now but is not responsive to light changes but he did pull back when a fish was near him...is this ok? he looks healthy hes not gaping at all the hole is just a tiny slit