Clownfish Stressing My Maxima

[Xxero]

Over the last few days, I've noticed my Maxima's mantle hasn't been as extended as usual, so I've just been keeping an eye on it. I have also noticed my male Ocellaris Clownfish nipping at the Clam shell, but I just figured it had found itself some pods.

Well today the Clam looks like it's starting to gape a little, and the Clownfish won't seem to leave it alone. Every time that I look over at the tank, the Clownfish is hovering around the Clam. It's actually nipping at the mantle and flat area now, and the Maxima's not happy with this one bit.

What gives!?! I've had both the Maxima and Ocellaris for months, but all of a sudden the Clownfish has turned Clam bully.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

 

[jmm]

A local fish store has a large clam (over 30") that has clownfish living in it. Way up inside of it. It doesn't seem to notice.

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

Sounds like the clown has decides it wants to use the clam as it's host. You can try putting a fruit basket over the clam to try to deter it.

 

[davocean]

It could even be possible what looks like nipping could be cleaning a space for laying eggs maybe.
Fruit baskets are great for this, perhaps it will move on to something more suitable.

 

[Xxero]

Thanks so much for the replies. I'm really concerned about it.

What's weird is my LFS kind of suggested the same thing. Her first question was whether the Clown pair had a host or not?.....Nope! I've never purchased them a hosting Anemone because I heard that ORA Clownfish may or may not take to one. But now I'm thinking I might give it a try.

My LFS suggested trying a Bubble Tip Anemone. Anyone have any hosting issues with ORA captive breeds?

 

[Xxero]

A local fish store has a large clam (over 30") that has clownfish living in it. Way up inside of it. It doesn't seem to notice.

Holy crap! :eek1:

I hope that's not what's happening here. Mine is only about 6-7 inches or so!

 

[davocean]

TB or WC makes no difference, the key to having success is pairing your clowns to a nem that is a natural host match as to what they would be found in the wild.
I have seen clowns ignore a nem for months, and then when the right nem is added they dive right in.
BTA's are very popular, inexpensive, and forgiving in care needs, so many reefers jump on them, however it is not always a proper match, and then people can't understand why their clowns do not take to it.
Some clowns will accept a non natural match, but many will not.
You could also try a soft coral, frogspawn or hammer, they may go to that.

 

[Xxero]

It seems like the only Clowns I recall seeing hosting BTA's are Tomato Clowns...?

Davocean, what's TB and WC? (sorry)

 

[davocean]

Tank bred or wild caught
I believe maroons are really the only natural match to a BTA but I have to double check the list on that one, my exp and curiosity of BTA's was short lived, they just wander way too much for me to keep in a mixed reef

 

[davocean]

This is the current list posted in the nem forum for natural matches, however not all agree and it could possibly use some updates, and I'm pretty sure most agree occs are listed under the BTA/E.Quadricolor list and should not really be there.
The book/research by Fautin and Allen are probably the most up to date and accurate for information on clowns and anemone's.
I used to have that list from their book but it's been removed(guess we gotta buy the book)

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2375473

 

[nogascans]

I'll give you my 2 cents on this.

As mentioned by davocean (above) with regards to ignoring a natural/un-natural host , I had a Sebae anemone in mixed reef tank with a pair of Orange Skunks that ignored it for over 2 1/2 years, preferring a large Colt coral as host.

Went out of town for long weekend at Daytona 500 earlier this year, and when we came back, they had chosen the Sebae as host. And, as a bonus, they had already paired and started laying eggs on rock next to Sebae.

I added a new tank and moved the Orange Skunks to that tank. I wasn't ready to put the Sebae in a newer tank until it matured, so I added a small Bubble Tip from a split. Within an hours the Pink Skunks had chosen it as host,

In third tank (60 cube), I have a pair of tank raised Ocellaris Clownfish which decided to use a large ORA Purple Cap. They have been breeding for months and have a small area they keep clear of polyps for eggs. There is a pair of Red Bubble Tips in same tank about 18" away and they totally ignore it.

So take the attached posting about natural hosts as a rough guideline, but don't expect anything except the unexpected.

Sincerely,

David

 

[davocean]

So take the attached posting about natural hosts as a rough guideline, but don't expect anything except the unexpected.

Sincerely,

David

There may be variables in outcomes, some species of clowns are quicker to accept a non nantural host, this is true, and possibly even adds more confusion in trying to understand clownfish behavior.
So I do agree there may be different outcomes, but the one thing that does seem to be common among clown/nem keepers is usually a clown will take it's natural host pretty quickly, almost immediately in most cases.
Some clowns will not accept a non natural host.

 

[Xxero]

So, I will definitely research/purchase a host for the pair and see if that helps the Maxima situation, but my gut tells me that's not the problem here.

From what I've observed over the past few days, it seems like the male Clown discovered some pods on the Clam's shell. The Maxima had been covered with pretty dense hair algae for a while, but a couple of Mexican Turbo snails took care of that recently. In doing so, it's almost as if the male discovered some newly exposed pods, and it hasn't left the Clam alone since.

Every time the Clown nips at the Clam or its shell, the Clown backs away really fast and begins chasing whatever it just plucked off the shell. Then it's right back to the Clam and he does it again. And again. And again. And it's starting to take its toll on the Maxima.

Currently the lights are off with moonlights only, and my cleaner shrimp has now taken to the Clam. It's digging/picking at the Clam itself where I have never seen it pay any attention to it at all in the past. I feel like the Clam is going down and going down fast.

Nothing else has changed. Water params are normal, and I haven't added anything new as of recently. The only change that has been made was a recent relocation of the Clam down onto the sandbed where I did have it elevated up on a pedestal of sorts in the past. I wonder if it's a turf thing, and the male Ocellaris doesn't like the Clam's new location???

I have no clue what has happened to have kickstarted all of this drama, but I'm losing hope for the Clam's outcome. I will try the berry basket thing and see if that helps, and I will begin researching a hosting Anemone, but I feel like it's all going to be a little too late. I'm not thrilled about purchasing an Anemone either, to be honest, just because I also do not like how they move around the tank a lot. I don't like "X" factors, and random Anemone movement to me is an "X" factor.

*Sigh* Thanks guys and gals. :sad2:

 

[Xxero]

Broke out the flashlight and this is what I see:

The Maxima always closes during lights out. Not tonight. So I take a look and there is a large Nassarius Snail inside of its shell going to town. I pluck out the Nassarius and pick up the Clam and it's completely unresponsive. With the flashlight on it, I can see cloudy white substance coming out of its siphon spout. I'm pretty sure this is it for the Clam. Argh. :facepalm:

 

[jaybfresh]

Broke out the flashlight and this is what I see:

The Maxima always closes during lights out. Not tonight. So I take a look and there is a large Nassarius Snail inside of its shell going to town. I pluck out the Nassarius and pick up the Clam and it's completely unresponsive. With the flashlight on it, I can see cloudy white substance coming out of its siphon spout. I'm pretty sure this is it for the Clam. Argh. :facepalm:

If a Nassarius snail is taking interest, the clam is dying.

 

[Xxero]

Welp, that was fast. 3 days and it's dead.

I'm beginning to think moving the Clam from that perch down to the sand might have done it in. It seems like ever since I relocated it, almost everything in the tank started paying negative attention to it.

It was just fine 3 days ago, and now it's dead. Crazy how fast they can go.

R.I.P. T. Maxima. :sad2:

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

That's a shame. Was it attached to the rock when you moved it? I ask because tearing the byssal threads they use to anchor themselves to the rocks can sometime cause a demise. You may also have a predatory polyclad flatworm in the tank. They eat clams and snails. They are nocturnal so finding them can be tough.

 

[Xxero]

That's a shame. Was it attached to the rock when you moved it? I ask because tearing the byssal threads they use to anchor themselves to the rocks can sometime cause a demise. You may also have a predatory polyclad flatworm in the tank. They eat clams and snails. They are nocturnal so finding them can be tough.

Yes, it was attached to that cradle/perch from day one. I have had it for about 4 months now, and it was really happy up there. I was very careful with the removal. It released its foot pretty easily, but I had to take a sharp razor to about 6-8 byssal threads. That was about 3 weeks ago though, and it had already reattached to a new piece of flat rock. I thought that it was just fine.

I'll keep an eye out for a flatworm, but I've never had any snail deaths or any previous issues with the Maxima. I'm scratching my head on this one. I really liked that Clam.

 

[jaybfresh]

Any chance of pyramid snails?

 

[ca1ore]

Clams can be really twitchy sometimes. Once the mantle starts to recede down from the inside if the shell it's a goner - at least, I've never had one recover. I'm currently having that problem with a 10" deresa that I've had for years. No idea why.