The peppermints are attacking.

[SurferStevo]

I got a new T. crocea yesterday. It looks healthy (it's got big fat insides) & had good mantle expansion all day yesterday. This morning the peppermints are all over it! It looks like they are trying to get into it's shell & it's foot. I moved the foot section against a rock so it can attempt to attach (as well as for protection from the peppermints). The clam is shut tight. The lights have not come on yet. Should I worry about this? I keep shooing them away but they just keep coming back.

 

[cromax]

Doesn't sound good. I've had cleaner shrimp pick at seemingly healthy clams in an experimental system. It seems that if clams are introduced and not stressed, the shrimp will ignore them. However, following a stress event such as a sudden temperature change, the shrimp will suddenly pick at the clam.

It is a very strange phenomenom to me because I still don't understand why the shrimp would suddenly pick on a seemingly healthy clam. Perhaps the shrimp have a sensitive sense of smell and can detect stress or death of a clam before we can. Or maybe they just like to hurt clams when they feel like it. :worried:

 

[Peabody]

I've heard bad things about peppermints and clams. Sounds like you may have to pick between the two For now, get some acrylic eggcrate of somethign to put over the clam and still let him get all the light he wants.

 

[SurferStevo]

For now it seems the pepps have left the clam alone (strange they would pick on the new clam - they leave the others alone). But it might be because I target fed them (which I never do - until today). I guess I'll just have to wait & see if it opens normally when the lights come on. However, my maxima, squamosa, & deresa have already partially opened. Could the crocea just still be a little stressed?

 

[SurferStevo]

It's a goner!!!

It's a goner!!!

I don't know what happened I acclimated it for like 90 minutes using the drip method. It seemed happy yesterday all day after it went into my tank. It looks like it's close to death if not there already. Is there anything I can do? Here is a picture the cleaner shrimp have jumped on it now.
Steve

 

[Peabody]

Ooh....I'd say that's a gonner Next time you get a clam, put an acrylic eggcrate or something over him to get acclimated and stop releasing his tasty mucus from acclimation stress.

 

[SurferStevo]

The last thing I wanted was to spend the money on a shell. Okay, next time it will be eggcreated.

 

[Palmetto]

The shrimp could tell it was dying.

I have kept peppermints in a tank with up to 24 clams in there. They can tell a clam is dying about 24 - 36 hrs. before you can.

They will absolutely swarm a clam that is in trouble- but will not eat it until it is a goner. They just hover and run around the outside like vultures circling a dying cow.

I am sorry to hear of your loss.