Clown hosting a Clam

[taillonjohn]

My tomato clown, which had previously been hosting with a branch of sargussum growing out of a rock, has decided to start hosting the crocea clam. It's been about 3 days now, at first it seemed the clam didn't mind, and stayed open, but last night the clown was like laying in the mantle. I kept waiting for the clam to clamp shut but it never did? instead its mantle is much more retracted than usual. has anyone ever had a clown host a clam before? I've seen threads with other fish, even shrimp, hosting with clams, but haven't seen for a clownfish

 

[cristhiam]

Clowns can host pretty much anything, mine is starting to host on my derasa but it's not all the time yet. I have 3 clowns and they all host on a torch for now but my black clown goes to the derasa from time to time, the clam doen't react to it.
You can try to move the derasa to another location, it sounds that it's getting stressed.

 

[taillonjohn]

its a crocea clam, and its attached to a rock for some time now, so I wouldn't want to move it, especially since the clown can easily get to it wherever I move it

 

[bassettmd]

Its very normal for them to do so... if they do not have an anemone to host in.

B4 Anemone Added

After Anemone Added

 

[taillonjohn]

Wow, tks for the pics. Ok, so I won't worry about it.

Still though, I keep expecting that the clam will clam shut.... oh well, live and let live

 

[ezcompany]

if your clam is more retracted than usual you should be concerned. if you see the pics above the maroon is grossly smaller than the gigas. croceas are the smallest of tridacnids and can receive a lot of stress from a hosting fish.

 

[bassettmd]

From my experience the clowns seem to known enough not to pi$$ off the clam to the point where it will close on them. You should be fine, if however you are still worried about it you can try to get him a different coral of even an anemone to host out of.

 

[CMcNeil]

my big clown was hosting this derasa until i moved my clams to a separate tank.