Nassarius snails keep harassing my clam

[aww_419]

Hello, I have a new 6 inch clam, id like to keep it cuz i got a good deal on it but when I put it in the DT all the nessarius vibex snails make a b-line for it. then start poking at its insides. ??? I thought nessarius vibex snails were safe for clams, live ones anyways. The clam is healthy and happy in the sump with a 10k light on it but id like to put it the dt, thats kinda why i bought lol. Any idea why? They leave the smaller clams alone. maybe just an easy target to good to resist kinda like a buffalo? I was thinking about placing it on the rocks and see if they will go after it up there?

thanks

 

[talon4x4]

You sure they are not just cleaning the shell?? When I added a new clam my 3 hermits and a few snails were all over the shell cleaning it off. Come to think of it, this happens any time something new hits the water. They love cleaning off frag plugs!!

 

[aww_419]

i thought that at first but they are definitely sticking out some kind of tenticle or prod and repeatedly poking at the inside of the clam.

 

[jaybfresh]

Could be bad news... even though the clam looks ok nassarius snails going after it is a good indicator the clam is not well. Protect the clam ASAP... the snails can clean out a 6 inch clam overnight.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

sounds like a sick Tridacna. Nassarius can smell it.

 

[aww_419]

hes been in the sump the last 3 or 4 days and looks better than ever, better than it did at the LFS. Think maybe it would be fine to try and see if its ok now?

 

[aww_419]

Could be bad news... even though the clam looks ok nassarius snails going after it is a good indicator the clam is not well. Protect the clam ASAP... the snails can clean out a 6 inch clam overnight.

yeah I took it out an hour or two after I first put it in the DT that was almost a week ago. so its definitely safe

 

[aww_419]

ok got a crappy pic but hes only half open, I cant wait for him to open all the way i have to leave in 5 min. And the red and white light from this camera keeps scaring it.

 

[adambirk]

i have to agree when nassarius snails are messing with something it is a deffinent indicator that something is not good. they can smell death long before we see anything. keep doing what you are doing. it sounds like you are doing something right if it is getting better. the store you got it from might not have had it under proper light. just keep it away from the snails and make sure that it is expanding all the way.

 

[aww_419]

Ok just thought of this, when i first got the clam and put it in the DT the nessarius would immediately come out of the sand. then I took it out and put it back in the acclimating bucket. then back in the DT and out the snails came again. I put it in the sump until i decided to put it im my roommates tank. Now its been in the sump for a few days and the snails don't seem to be aware. they are all in the sand unless i put in mysis and or feed the corals. Does this mean they no longer smell or sense what they smelled before? In a day or two should I place the clam in the DT and see if the snails become aware?

 

[tmz]

That Tridacna crocea is not fully open and does not look well to me. I would put it in a good place and leave it. Moves are stressful. . If it doesn't open fully in a day or two a fresh water dip might help.

 

[aww_419]

The clam opens up pretty far. As I stated before I just couldnt get a good pic at the time, I was running late and combined with the flow in the sump stopping the mantle from settling down and it being scared of the lights from the camera it kept getting spooked. not too mention its only under a small 10k fuge bulb. I will leave it in the sump as long as it takes but if someone could give a time frame that would be helpful. Also after doing some research I seen that its rare but nassarius snails even the vibex will attack an easy meat source, it was also suggested that I may not have nassarius snails but I may have whelks that will absolutely attack large clams. I tried to get a pic of the snails but it just isnt happening with this POS camera. I just bought an SLR from amazon with a macro lens so it will be here in a few days. About time I got a decent camera.

 

[dsmooth]

That happened to me a week after introducing my clam to DT, same kind, and color clam. I took the Nassarius snail that was harrassing my clam and put him in the sump. The other left the clam alone, and that was 6 months ago. clam still growing.

 

[aww_419]

was it a white nassarius or brownish. I was told the brownish snails may be whelks and the other snails with follow its behavior if a meal is involved. thanks I may just be getting rid of the snails but I like them stirring up the substrate.

 

[EvMiBo]

Hey I just introduced a crocea clam to my display and the same thing happened to me. I was wondering how it worked out for you? I have my croc in the sump for the night.

 

[Kent E]

This has probably been mentioned, I didn't read the whole thread but it sounds like pyramid snails. I had them and am very familiar with them. Every couple of months I'd pull the clam out and scrub it down and was away the pesty snails.

 

[superkat]

(Kent, that's what i was thinking, but wasn't sure...so stayed quiet.)
+1

 

[dreaminmel]

all the nessarius vibex snails make a b-line for it. then start poking at its insides.

These snails are much, much larger than the pyramid snails. Pyramids generally stay on the clam rather than coming up out of the sand bed from all over and zooming over to it.

 

[aww_419]

definitely was not pyramidal snails. I received vibex nassarius snails from an LFS only to find out that they are not nassarius that they were whelks which are clam eaters. I took them all out after they attacked and killed one of the smaller clams. The other 2 clams did great after the snails were removed. They now live with my neighbor. If your snails even somewhat resemble these guys id be cautious. ----->

http://www.melevsreef.com/id/whelk.html

 

[aww_419]

ohh yeah a side note. I traded them to my neighbor to be safe as i am still finding baby whelks in the tank from time to time. usually in the fuge or trapped in the overflow and occasionally hiding with the vibexs in the DT