Recommended fish in a clam tank

spamin76

spamin76

Premium Member
I want to incorporate a clam into my current system. I have multiple tanks, so it would be easy to transfer anything incompattible into a different tank(or pawn them off onto a friend). I have a blenny but have heard that they can nip at clams. (I also have peppermint shrimp and have heard the same about them). What are the ideal fish and inverts to keep a clam with? Are there any coral recommendations? I am mostly interested in fish that go well, but anything that goes well would certainly be appreciated.
Thanks
 
Blennies are VERY bad news, especially bi-colors. I'd not put a clam in any tank with one. What kind of lights do you have? That will help you decide what to get.
 
I have kept a few blennies in tanks with clams and have never had a problem, I also know several others that have had the same success. There is always an exception to the rule, bicolors are the species with the worst reputation but then it is probably a similar success rate (possible even better) than dwarf angels with clams. Other blennies almost never pose a problem.
 
Last edited:
Sardaukar said:
What?! Ive never heard this - are you sure?!
Click to expand...
Oh yeah.....while I'm sure it's not a 100% rate, Bi-colors are notorious clam nippers....it's happened to MANY people on this site.
 
I have a bi-color :( but like I said I have a another tank I can move him to if he becomes a pest. Having established that blennies can cause problems, what won't cause a problem?? Right now as we speak I only have a 2x65 watt PC, but in may I am planning on ordering a 250W DE MH pendant. (My birthday present to myself).
 
Im shocked - I have never heard of bicolor blennies causing problems with clams. I still havent heard anyone else 2nd this claim.
 
Search around this forum....there have been many threads like "What's wrong with my clams"....then they see their bi-color nipping at the mantles.
 
Sure glad I read this while eating breakfast. I have a Maxima that wasnt looking good, hole in the mantle couldnt figure what the heck was going on. Sounds like the bicolor is heading to the Q tank!
 
Angels are always a risk for clams. Most are about 50/50 chance of them eating clams. Some also leave clams along for many years, then suddenly develop a taste for them :(
 
Most "reef safe" fish. Angels, triggers, and the like that are risky to corals are out. Blennies are risky.

The really reef safe fish, tangs, clowns, gobies, most wrasses, etc. are safe.
 
I have heard a few people highly recommend a yellow wrasse for clams since it naturally feeds on the pyramdellid snails or whatever that prey on clams. Are there other wrasses(or any other fish) that will do this? I wouldn't even dream of putting a trigger with a clam - I feed my triggers scallops, mussels, and CLAMS!!!!! on occaision and they absolutely love it - seems like a $75 dollar all you can eat trigger buffet to me.
 
I had to remove a burgandy and gold clown, it torn up one of my clams. I have been told to make sure to keep a leapord wrase and have had one for @ a year
 
Wow! That must have been a pair of nasty clams! I've never heard of a clown attacking a clam!

Spammin76: Sorry my above post was a little unclear...I was saying Triggers are NOT safe....I realize it's a little confusing how I worded it :)
 
I figured out what you meant though - I love my triggers - and my triggers love coral - but if I loved my triggers the same way they loved coral - I would have to grill them and serve them with a nice dill sauce. Which I assure you is not going to happen :) - my Humuhumu has been trying to eat the hermit crabs in the tank with him for about a year - and has almost suceeded numerous times - they will eat anything not tied down - I did have an anemone in the tank with them for a little while which is the sole thing my triggers have never tried to eat - but I have heard of triggers eating anemones even - their skin is too thick to get stung. My Humuhumu has even eaten other fish before - though it is not something he does regularly.
 
Clam is doing well now! I guess she (the clown) did not like the clam around its territiory! The wrase is allways munching on small snails- the breed like crazy in my refug.
 
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