Tridacnia with a Peacock

[Ken2001]

Anybody ever tried to keep a Tridacnia clam with a peacock? Assuming the tank were large enough so that you could supply enough light for the clam while also having enough rock so that the mantis could have a large dark burrow to stay in, would this work? Or, would the mantis see the clam as a food source and destroy it?

Ken

 

[LisaD]

Would the high light inhibit the mantis from ever coming out?

 

[Ken2001]

Lisa,

Don't know about that. My idea is to have a fairly tall tank (say a Oceanic 30) w/ the light source (Power Compacts) high at the top of the tank, but fairly diffuse at the bottom. The idea is that the clam gets all the light it needs if placed high, but the mantis can hang out at ground level. Still, I don't feel like placing a $60 snack in there for my peacock, so need to get a feel for whether this is a good idea or has been tried before.

Ken

 

[Gonodactylus]

I have seen gonodactyloids chip away at the mantle and edge of Tridacna shells. I can't remember any instances that were fatal because the clams were removed, but the Tridacna were damaged and scarred.

Roy

 

[Ken2001]

Roy, thanks for the info. I guess that's one more critter that goes on the "no-no" list for including with a mantis.

Ken

 

[Gonodactylus]

It is all relative to size. A 6 inch clam would be fine with a 2 inch stomatopod. A 6" O. s would probably destroy a 2 inch clam.

 

[Herbert T. Kornfeld]

Yeah, if they were to find out how good clam meat is...I doubt it would be long before they smash it as if it were a snail shell.

 

[Ken2001]

No worries about a clam now - Gojira (my Peacock) died over the weekend. I've been traveling out of the country for the last couple of weeks, and water quality, despite no feeds, went to hell. In the few days I've been back, I've done ample water changes and added extra filtration, but the damage was done. Since I've been back, she'd been swimming and moving eratically -- something I'd seen a year ago, with my previous mantis, so I had a good idea what was coming. I'll replace her, but am holding off until I get a larger tank in which water parameters can't go so far out of whack while I'm out of town.

Ken

 

[Herbert T. Kornfeld]

boooooo you mantis killer! Then again, in any other thread you would prolly be given a medal... lol.

 

[rwhhunt]

My peacock ate a clam of mine, but it was right at his front door.... Im sure it was tasty! Thankgod it was not an expensive one like a Tridacnia!