Crocea Clam VS Nassarius Snails

[firsthesitation]

I have a 75 gallon reef tank setup with various softies and a number of different fish. The one thing I always thought missing was a clam. I purchased a Crocea the other day from my LFS. I happened to notice tonight when walking by that when my nassarius snails came out under my moonlights they were "attacking" my clam. DEFINITELY not your innocent climbing on top of it and such. The one I pulled off had its feeder tube right up inside the clam. I moved the clam to my sump for the time being but I'd like to figure out what the deal is here as best I can tell there isn't any damage however I don't think it serves much purpose having a nice clam in your sump. I know you might ask what I'm feeding....I feel a mix of ocean nutrition flakes in the morning and frozen mysis shrimp and marine cuisine at night......Any ideas what is going on?!!

Thanks!

 

[SeanT]

<img src="/images/welcome.gif" width="500" height="62"><br><b><i><big><big>To Reef Central</b></i></big></big>


Nassarius snails are scavengers.
If they are eating parts of your clam then the clam may not be healthy.

 

[a4twenty]

the whelk is a known clam predator that resembles a nassarius snail.

but if your sure they are nassarius then i agree with SeanT the clam is probably not doing well. the nassarius are attracted to the smell of dying flesh and you were wise to get him out as soon as possible. hopefully he can make a recovery but he will not do well in your sump as crocea's require lots of light to produce food and recover.

can you post a pic of the clam?

can you post your water params?

what fish do you have?

how did you acclimate him?

how was he in the store? ( did he react well to shadows )

 

[firsthesitation]

I'll try to get some pictures and the information you requested as soon as I get home tonight. Thanks for the help guys!

 

[Strack]

I lost 3 baby maximas from the little bastards and I am sure they are Nassarius snails. Don't put your clam in there or it will be food. All three of my clams were perfectly healthy. Then dead within 30 minutes.

Took the snails out and no more problems.

 

[Lake75]

Well, I have two types of nassarius snails (one small, one big) in my 75 gal, in addition to at least 3 other types of snails. And I have 2 croceas, 1 derasa, and 1 squomie in the tank for over a year now and never had any problem. I'm a firm believer that, except that whelk thing, snails don't attach your clam unless it's on its way out.

 

[Strack]

I have 1 Squa, 1 Crocea and 1 Derasa and never had problems either. These were all about the size of a large goose egg when I put them in the tank. But these baby maximas were in the best condition I have ever seen pretty much and very health. All showed very good light reflexes and closed completely when touched.

I think the problem is that they were so small. They were about the size a 50 cent peace. I think clams that maybe are that small just can't close tightly and completly or something. Not sure.

 

[reefkoi]

I think the Nass. snails only start to eat the clam when it's on its way out or already gone.
Clams can go sour so fast one morning they look like the picture of health then by mid-day gaped and gone, so chalk it up as something wrong with the clams not the snails.
C

 

[jmaneyapanda]

Agreed. Strack, I hate to say it, but I think you are refusing to acknowledge the ineveitable. True nassarius wouldnt predate a clam, they were dying and the clean up crew did their job. No offense.

 

[a4twenty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11181349#post11181349 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Strack
I think the problem is that they were so small. They were about the size a 50 cent peace. I think clams that maybe are that small just can't close tightly and completly or something. Not sure.

clams under 3" have very high mortality rates regardless of our efforts.

 

[firsthesitation]

So since I'm either retarded or its impossibly stupid to insert a picture in to a reply I couldn't do it. Still quite new to this but I got them added to my pictures. Sorry to make you guys go through all the extra effort but if you want the pictures are there.