Cleaner Shrimp Clam Killer

[hatfielj]

I woke up this morning to find my crocea clam knocked over in the sand being eaten alive by my cleaner shrimp!
The cleaner shrimp apparently found the clam knocked over and began eating away at its foot. It basically ate the entire foot and most of the gills inside. So, needless to say, the clam is now dead!
I'm so angry at the stupid cleaner shrimp that I almost killed him!
However, instead of killing him I simply removed him from the display forever and he is now in the frag tank where he will remain until I trade him into the LFS or sell him.

So, let this thread be a warning to all clam owners. If you have a new clam that hasn't settled in to their permanent resting place yet, be very cautious of letting them stay knocked over on their side for long if you have shrimp in the tank. They will eat and kill your clam!

 

[acrodave]

I willing to bet that the clam was already dead i have never seen them hurt or eat a healty calm

 

[Phyxius]

Cleaner shrimp most likely went after the clam because it was dying already. They normally wont kill a healthy clam just to eat them. I have plenty of cleaner shrimp and they never bother any of my clams. They are scavengers and sure can sense when something is on its way out though....

 

[hatfielj]

Nope, it definitely wasn't dead or dying. I have three that I bought at the same time and all three of them were hanging out in the sand as healthy as can be for a couple of weeks now. They would occaisionally fall over side ways because they were trying to find a spot on solid ground. Usually I would see it in time to stand them back up. This time it flipped over sideways while I was asleep and the cleaner shrimp found it before for I did.
Trust me when I say that this was a healthy, lively clam when it was eaten by the cleaner shrimp. My shrimp is fairly large and its always actively looking for food. In fact, this one eats large pieces of meat whenever I feed rods food. So, there is no doubt in my mind that it was capable of killing a live clam.
I know it sounds unlikely or abnormal, but it really did happen. Please be careful with your own clams.

 

[acrodave]

clams can die overnight i have seen what i would call a healty calm and next day dead..I have had clams and shrimp in all my tanks and never had a issue. and all my shrimp were 3-4in+..I still think your shrimp was doing what they do and eating death

 

[Timanator]

I'd have to agree with all the replies, the Clam is out or on the way out. Cleaner shrimps dont ever go after anything healthy that I have ever seen.

 

[ezcompany]

There have been cases where cleaner shrimps will pesker a perfectly fine clam to death. as evidenced by several members on this board. It is the only shrimp I avoid, and I have had no problems with peppermints or fire shrimps.

 

[SALT WATER CRAZ]

If the clam was on its side it would have no defence at its foot. I never thought abought this vary intresting.

 

[boxerzz]

I al believe the clam is not doing well and therefore attracted the shrimp. It is true that they can just die overnight without you knowing.

 

[recife111]

here have been cases where cleaner shrimps will pesker a perfectly fine clam to death. as evidenced by several members on this board. It is the only shrimp I avoid,

i have imported many clams and noticed that the cleaner shrimps would cause problems for the clams, especially baby clams.
In other tanks where there are no cleaner shrimps the clams did not have a problem, no deaths.

So Yes i agree, they can be a problem sometimes.