Derasa hosted by Maroon Clown

[flamehawkfish]

hi All

Take a look at my 7-8" derasa being used as an anemone by my 4"-5" female gold-rimmed Maroon Clownfish.

Should I be worried? I have 4 clams (3 maximas & the derasa). My clownfish causes general mahem bying kicking up the sandbed, and nestling into the Derasa...but I've had her for years and she's laid eggs, so I'm in a bind.

Also, my purple tang has been nipping on the Derasa's mantle. It's not tearing into it; anybody have a similar experience?

Flamehawk

 

[ROB2005]

A pic from a previous thread shows a clown hosting INSIDE the clam as shown here:

As long as the clam doesnt mind, should be alright. Now that Tang........

 

[flamehawkfish]

That is an awesome picture! Thanks for sharing. I think you're right. As long as the derasa doesn't mind, it's probably not a big deal.

As for the purple tang, I'm keepin' an eye out!

 

[johnnybravo234]

You need to do something about the tang. If the deresa is being irritated and stops growing you will need to remove the stressor or the clam.

 

[a4twenty]

i agree, the nipping will only end in problems, even the clown may start to spit sand and move stuff into the clam. for now you have to stop the tang and keep an eye on the clown, maroons are very aggressive.

 

[flamehawkfish]

Yes. This maroon is aggressive, and she stirs up a ton of sand- all the time. I have 3 maximas, and the large derasa.

Right now, all of my clams tolerate my clownfish's sand-stirring antics. Also, the derasa doesn't seem to mind my clownfish using it as an anemone.

Now, for the purple tang nipping... It does it only occasionally. The derasa doesn't even recoil much, and there's no tearing or removal of tissue. I think it's grazing the mantle for algae and other non-visible particulate, but I'm not sure...

I've had the clownfish & tang for over 4 years, and the Derasa for about 7 months. I can't bear to part w' any of them, so I guess I'll just hope for the best.

I'm still dazzled by that ocellaris INSIDE the clam (what is that- a GIGAS clam? It doesn't look like a maxima/squamosa/crocea...)

 

[a4twenty]

yes, gigas

 

[jbeltmann]

I have noticed that my purple tang nips at my crocea. It doesn't like it I'm sure but I have no idea what may happen long term if no action is taken.

 

[a4twenty]

the clam will die.

 

[flamehawkfish]

the clam will die.

That's a bold & negative statement.
Do you speak from experience?

 

[ROB2005]

If the nipping goes unabated, the resulting stress will eventually become too much for the clam, essentially killing it.

 

[a4twenty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13554376#post13554376 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by flamehawkfish
That's a bold & negative statement.

that may be but it's the truth. if the fish is left to nip at the clams mantle he will eventually start ripping the mantle or the stress from reacting to the nipping will slowly kill the clam.

 

[jbeltmann]

I have no idea why he started to do this? I feed the tank pretty heavily, 2-3 times a day.

 

[a4twenty]

no one does, i have heard a million times, they are fine together then one day out of the blue....... not to say they can't be kept together but PT's are definitely on the SL for clams. regardless of tang species ( or any fish ), if they are nipping they will usually not stop and the added stress will only be detrimental to the clam, usually ending in the death of the clam.

 

[ROB2005]

Clams dont like to be stressed simply put, anything that is stressing it will have to be dealt with in some manner.