Its official- tangs should not be kept with clams!!

J

JIM260

New member
Caught my Hippo and Yellow tangs chomping my Derasa and Gigas. The Derasa is fine. The Gigas went down hill extremely fast and died. The Derasa has been in the tank 3 years, the gigas 1 year, the tangs for 4 years in a 300 gallon reef tank.

Has anyone else ever had issues with tangs and clams? I wonder why after all this time? I did recently back feeding down on the tank because i have a tendancy to over feed.

I recently read an article on clams in Coral Magazine June/ July 2004 Volume 1/ Number 1 by Daniel Knop that states SURGEONFISH SHOULD NEVER BE KEPT WITH CLAMS! Most lfs say they have never heard of the issue.

I am now strongly considering removing my three tangs. Thoughts?
 
I have a 3" purple with a 5" crocea. The only incident was when some food fell on the crocea's mantle and wasn't immediately ejected---the purple went after it, the clam slammed shut-ish, and the purple fled. My local lfs keeps a vlamingi in its clam/frags tank to keep it clean, and there's no trouble.
 
Yeah, I think you have the exception, rather than the rule. that being said- you should consider ANY grazing fish a risk. It is possible!!!

By the way, I love reading coral magazine, and Daniel Knop is a much more reknowned and acclaimed authority than I will ever be, but I must say, I think some of the stuff he puts in that magazine is a crock. I also hate how that magazine caters to the Miracle Mud system. I know the publisher runs that company too, but sometimes it bores me with its propoganda. Sorry to get off topic, and I'll get off my soapbox now.
 
I have seen some threads of hippo tangs getting their teeth into more than they should. For the yellow tang it may have been a case of monkey see monkey do.
 
Glad so many weighed in on the tang side of things!

I have a small purple in QT waiting to join my first Derasa in about 2 weeks.

I got nervous when I saw this thread!
 
Great feedback

Great feedback

I really hate the thought of giving my tangs the boot but i would really like to grow some clams.

Since my Crocea has been fine up on the rock and out of the way, i am thinking of moving the Derasa up there also. Implimenting the out of sight out of mind theory. Once again, on the sand he is right were the tangs hand out all day.

Thanks again for the great input.
 
Fish can have agendas....it's possible the tang doesn't want the clam where it is.
 
I am going to step up feeding. Seems like the best resolution for tangs and clams. My systems is so large, established and has so many cleaner inverts, i really shouildnt have a nutrient problem.

On that subject, after reading a coulple new articles recently regarding DSB i am questioning my 10"DSB in my refuge. Thoughts?
 
you know I have had tangs mixed with clams for probably 14 years in several different tanks, current tank has 15 clams now and I think 13 tangs now. never seen one bite a clam, never saw one eating a clam. Maybe the occasional "grazing" of algae off the shell or near the mantle but nothing destructive even when i used to be a "light feeder". Now I feed heavy to keep the fish fat, skim a lot and use prodibio to keep the problem algae away.
Chris
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8911193#post8911193 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by reefkoi
Now I feed heavy to keep the fish fat, skim a lot and use prodibio to keep the problem algae away.
Chris
Click to expand...

What is "prodibio"?
 
You can do a search on reef central or the internet, but it is probiotics. They are strains of bacteria and also carbon sources and trace elements. My tank has been wonderful since I started dosing, and I can now feed a lot more than in the past with no algae problems.
C
 
yeah the moderaters have deleted it :) gotta love reef central, you cant pretend any other information on the internet besides reef central exists. Amazing simply amazing! WoW this is the first post I have made that they have deleted part of. I guess I'll pretend RC is the only source of info available. So Pay the fee to be a premium member and then you can do a search on Reef central and find info on Prodibio. just dont wander out onto the open internet looking, that would be bad.
Chris
 
While probidio surely may be a great product, it is not required for algae control. Reefkoi seems to have great success with it in his tank, but that doesnt mean its required, or will work in yours.
 
oh yeah for sure, I was kind of responding to a point someone brought up about feeding cutback and tangs nipping at clams.
My method is feeding plenty and controlling it! I think that is or should be everyones goal. After all keeping everything happy is what the hobby is all about. I "think" prodibio is whats allowing me to do this. I have never been able to feed so much and keep the cyano and diatoms and dino's in check before I was using Prodibio. Maybe its something else? maybe my tank has reached a nice point and is just happy, who knows.
C
 
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