How bad is clam nipping?

[Baltimore Bryan]

I would like to get a crocea clam or two in a few months. I would also really like to get a pair of cherub pygmy angels. I know all dwarf angels aren't garunteed to be reef safe, but I'ver read the cherubs are among the least likely to pick at coral/ clams. If I unfortunately get a nipper, how serious is this for the clam? Will it be fine in good conditions, get stressed but still live, or stress it enough to kill them clams? I have a 55 gallon I could move the angels in if I needed to, but I want to know that my fish won't harm the clams.
Thanks,
Bryan

 

[ludiNano]

Theres NO way to tell for sure if they will harm your clam.

A clam that is stressed with out the stressor what ever it may be, ( niping, H20 qualit y, poor lighting.) removed or corrected, could easly lead to a dead clam.

Nipping is very bad.

 

[a4twenty]

i agree, if the fish start to nip at the clam and you don't remove one or the the other, the clam will die. angels and clams sre not a good combination.

 

[moliken]

+1 on both
do not risk it.

 

[TerraC]

got to agree. I had flame angel and coral beauty in my tank for years with a clam, never touched the clam. One day the coral beauty decided he liked the taste of clam. Caught and sold the coral beauty. I still have the flame angel but any sign of him nipping my clam and he's gone!..

 

[Baltimore Bryan]

Thanks for the replies. For the sake of not starting a new thread, does anyone know if the same applies to sps corals that are nipped? Will they die as well or do they not show as much polyp extension?

 

[cakemanPA]

I have 4 clams in with a Coral Beauty. They have been in the reef tank together for a year. I have yet to see any nipping going on. That being said.. If it happens, I will have a very nice healthy Coral Beauty up for sale. SPS being nipped it will usually die off.

 

[Jay03GT]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15608945#post15608945 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Baltimore Bryan
Thanks for the replies. For the sake of not starting a new thread, does anyone know if the same applies to sps corals that are nipped? Will they die as well or do they not show as much polyp extension?

It depends on the health of the colony, and how much it gets nipped. If everything is up to par, and the colony is healthy in a tank where there is other stuff to distract the fish, then it isn't too bad. If there are only a couple of frags, and they constantly get picked at, then they'll probably die. So there are several factors at play in order to answer your question. While it isn't the best scenario for your SPS, you can sometimes get away with it.

 

[Baltimore Bryan]

Thanks guys, I think I've decided to go with a blue or green chromis instead of an angel so I an keep clams and coral.

 

[coral_lagoon]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15613714#post15613714 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Baltimore Bryan
Thanks guys, I think I've decided to go with a blue or green chromis instead of an angel so I an keep clams and coral.

That was a very wise choice, good job man. :thumbsup:

 

[ludiNano]

Some wrasse are good in a 30g. I have a rainbow wrasse in mine.

 

[Jay03GT]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15622070#post15622070 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ludiNano
Some wrasse are good in a 30g. I have a rainbow wrasse in mine.

I agree. Most of the fairy and flasher wrasses stay pretty small, less than 3.5 inches. Very colorful, especially if you can setup a harem of flashers, this is something I'm looking into when my 70 cube matures a bit.