Is my Squamosa clam in love with my plate coral?

[AttackDonut]

I have a very nice Squamosa clam and a very nice plate coral.

I keep them far apart, but after about 3 days I notice the clam has moved himself to be next to my plate coral.

Seperate, wait.

Scoot scoot scoot

Clam next to plate coral.

I'm mainly concerned no one stings each other, but aside from that, is there any harm with them touching?

I've moved them repeatedly, yet they still find a way to be next to each other.

Is this love or some weird reef thing I don't understand?

 

[Potsy]

Funny I should read this because I happen to have a squamosa that tends to gravitate toward a plate coral a few inches away. They're pretty close so it's probably dumb luck - the clam never suffered any stinging damage that I could see. Perhaps placing a small rock between the two would insure against serious stings.

 

[AttackDonut]

The rock is an excellent idea!

The rock is an excellent idea!

I should have thought about it myself.

But can you image their offspring? A clam with long tentacles...pr a plate coral that folds up in the middle...weird

 

[firechild]

Re: Is my Squamosa clam in love with my plate coral?

I'm mainly concerned no one stings each other, but aside from that, is there any harm with them touching?

There is no problem with them touching. Clams are basically immune to the sting of scleractinian corals and I have first hand experience with a Catalaphyllia that sat touching a clam for several months with no ill effects.

I've moved them repeatedly, yet they still find a way to be next to each other.
Is this love or some weird reef thing I don't understand?

Maybe this is an area where there is a high light intensity or some other factor that makes it a perfect position for both the plate coral and the clam to move to.

 

[pyro383]

Same with mine, light is no different, its a love thing