crocea=fail

[block head]

picked up a nice 2"crocea on friday from a great lfs. clam seemed very heathy and reactive. placed in my display tank and all seemed well. peppermint shrimp came and investigated right away and lingered about a minute.all day saturday clam seem fine. maybe a little less extended at times. it was closing in defense often, when fish swam over it. then would open back up. my potter's and clowns never showed any interest. saturday night, lights out clam looked great. wake up sunday morning peppermint sitting in an empty clam shell. tank parameters are normal except high nitrate 15-20ppm. not sure what to blame. my potters has never hurt any coral.my peppermint shrimp are aiptasia ninjas. i want to say somebody ate it. maybe someone with more experience could chime in?

 

[TheH]

The potter's angel could have definately done something. Do you have any other clams in the tank?

 

[block head]

i can't really get the potters to eat much angel formulas. i know it might have. it just seems weird to leave it alone for 1 1/2 days then attack it in the night. my peppermints are my number one suspect. don't have any other clams. not sure if nitrates could kill it in less than 12hrs?

 

[Cracken]

hey how many pepermints

 

[Ohiomom]

Highly doubt it was the shrimp..they would eat it after dying but generally don't go after healthy stuff..would say almost certainly the potter's. From a quick online check..

"They will eat almost anything once they take to the idea that food can come from the sky. Some specimens may pick at coral (especially LPS) as well as feather dusters, clams, and anemones. "

 

[a4twenty]

i agree, angels are not considered clam safe.


people fell safer with the pygmy angels and quite often they don't cause any problems for long periods of time. but as the fish matures or new livestock is added their temperament can change and they start acting up. the shrimp were likely just doing their job as part of the CUC.

HTH

 

[block head]

i've got a breeding pair of peppermint shrimp that are very aggressive. are area is plagued with aiptasia. they destroy any aiptasia but they can be destructive. i've caught mine eating zoo's and other corals. potters are more herb/detravours. my potter's has plenty of lps,nem,polyps to choose from. he's shown zero interest. he sleeps in the same cave every night. i'm not saying he couldn't wake up in the night and destroy a clam. i just don't think it's as probable. these peppermints attack everthing ,including my hand . i 'll have to keep an eye on both, it just sucks. the crocea was really nice and didn't come cheap.

 

[a4twenty]

actually eating corals??? why do you keep them??

are you sure they're peppermints and not camelbacks?

camelbacks are much whiter and have googlier ( is it a word ??) eyes, as well as a small hump on their back.

can you post a picture??

potters are omnivores ( i believe all angels are ), all it takes is for them to nip at the clam, then the CUC will be attracted to the scent of dead / dieing flesh.

 

[block head]

they are peppermints for sure. aiptasia run rampant without them. they are a pita but so far damage is acceptable. how delicate are clams? is a nip going to cause instant death?. i would love to try another clam at some point. i thought they were hardier. i understand a prolonged attack would most likely kill a clam.

 

[a4twenty]

the problem is that if a nip or two cause enough damage the CUC will smell the dead / dieing flesh and come to the feast.

 

[block head]

sounds like a hassle, i've read were fish nipped and steps were taken to fix the problem. if a clam can't defend itself overnight from a shrimp or a nip i'll pass on clams. i watch my tank very closely. i thought that they could close up and protect themselves. seems like a worthless defense for a reef creature.