cleaner shrimp attacking my crocea

[nickyblase]

My 3-4" crocea was looking great, new shell growth, mantle hanging way over the shell, and then the cleaner shrimp decided it wanted to start picking. Now the clam doesn't want to open. I plan to pull the shrimp out tonight, but is there anything else I can do to nurse the clam back to health (assuming it's not too late)?

 

[Richard]

if you get the shirmp out, just leave the clam alone it should heal by itself maybe you can target feed with some phyto.
Are you sure the clam isn't already sick and the shirmp is doing its thing?

 

[ReeferMedic]

I have a cleaner goby that hides in a big Derasa. When it does, it won't open up fully. It usually only does this for a day or so, then leaves it alone. How long has the shrimp been doing this? It may just be doing it's job and picking things off......

 

[Saltaddict]

Not sure if I'm right in this observation other are welcome to dispute but I have noticed once in my own tank that a shrimp and a fish started picking at a clam even though they had not done so in the previous two months . I believe this happen because the clam was not right by this I mean sick or dying somehow they seem to sense or know this before you know the clam is sick. It's like they can tell it's on their way out not healthy or weak so an easy target. I had two clams and my shrimp and one of my fish who never would touch a clam started to do this.You guess it two days later even though I stopped the harassment the clam perished. One years later the same animals are still in the tank with the remaining healthy clam and they have never bothered this clam. Now you can argue that the harassment caused the other clam to expire but I tend to think it's the other way around they can tell it's week and a easy meal?

 

[mloebl]

Not sure if I'm right in this observation other are welcome to dispute but I have noticed once in my own tank that a shrimp and a fish started picking at a clam even though they had not done so in the previous two months . I believe this happen because the clam was not right by this I mean sick or dying somehow they seem to sense or know this before you know the clam is sick. It's like they can tell it's on their way out not healthy or weak so an easy target. I had two clams and my shrimp and one of my fish who never would touch a clam started to do this.You guess it two days later even though I stopped the harassment the clam perished. One years later the same animals are still in the tank with the remaining healthy clam and they have never bothered this clam. Now you can argue that the harassment caused the other clam to expire but I tend to think it's the other way around they can tell it's week and a easy meal?

I've seen this as well. I had read about it in the past on a few sites how it's often a sign there is a problem with a clam. I had a crocea when I foolishly got one before I was ready, and it started gaping, then slowly over a couple of weeks not opening as much, not too long after the cleaners who previously ignored it were all over it until it was gone. My dresera I got later has never been touched.

-Mike

 

[ReeferMedic]

Not sure if I'm right in this observation other are welcome to dispute but I have noticed once in my own tank that a shrimp and a fish started picking at a clam even though they had not done so in the previous two months . I believe this happen because the clam was not right by this I mean sick or dying somehow they seem to sense or know this before you know the clam is sick. It's like they can tell it's on their way out not healthy or weak so an easy target. I had two clams and my shrimp and one of my fish who never would touch a clam started to do this.You guess it two days later even though I stopped the harassment the clam perished. One years later the same animals are still in the tank with the remaining healthy clam and they have never bothered this clam. Now you can argue that the harassment caused the other clam to expire but I tend to think it's the other way around they can tell it's week and a easy meal?

Makes sense to me......

 

[nickyblase]

I'm not sure what is going on - the clam was wide open with very bright coloration until a little over a week ago. It didn't start to close up until the shrimp was picking on it.

I will move the shrimp, and will also try to feed the clam. I hope he comes back - he was a great looking clam.

 

[RichConley]

My 3-4" crocea was looking great, new shell growth, mantle hanging way over the shell,

Mantle hanging way over the shell isnt good. That means hes not getting enough light. Sounds to me the shrimp is just cleanign things up.

 

[nickyblase]

edit: I didn't mean wide open -the opening was really only an inch and a half or so, but the mantle was hanging waaaay over - looked really nice.

If there really was something wrong with him before the clam started to pick, is there anything I can do to help it, like a dip or something? Should I perhaps move it up (it's on the sandbed now)??

 

[RichConley]

Like I said, if the mantle is hanging WAY over, its not getting enough light.

How deep is it (in inches) and under what light? Is it off to the side, or right underneath the light?

 

[nickyblase]

Didn't see your post before I typed my edit. How deep is what - the tank depth?

It's a 20H, which I think is about 20" or so, and it's on the sandbed. The lights are 175w mh 20k's, and it's right in the center underneath the mh bulb.

 

[NateHanson]

Not sure if I'm right in this observation other are welcome to dispute but I have noticed once in my own tank that a shrimp and a fish started picking at a clam even though they had not done so in the previous two months . I believe this happen because the clam was not right by this I mean sick or dying somehow they seem to sense or know this before you know the clam is sick. It's like they can tell it's on their way out not healthy or weak so an easy target. I had two clams and my shrimp and one of my fish who never would touch a clam started to do this.You guess it two days later even though I stopped the harassment the clam perished. One years later the same animals are still in the tank with the remaining healthy clam and they have never bothered this clam. Now you can argue that the harassment caused the other clam to expire but I tend to think it's the other way around they can tell it's week and a easy meal?

My thoughts exactly. I think the clam died, and the shrimp cleaned up. That's a pretty small clam, and they can be tough to keep. I know. I killed one.

 

[Aquaman_68]

When shrimp & crabs pick at clams it is because they are dying. I've had a maxima open & looking beautiful one day & the next day the shrimp were feasting on it. I later found a portion of the foot floating @ the bottom of the tank. I figured the clam tried to move or was jolted & tore his foot. Once that happens they are toast.

 

[nickyblase]

bummer. he's still alive - he's open about 3/4" right now, but the mantle is still inside the shell. The color of the mantle is still fairly bright - not brown at all.

The shrimp went over a minute ago to pick at it, and the clam closed again, and then opened a bit after I chased the shrimp away. Should I bother to pull the shrimp out like I mentioned earlier that I would, or is it too late?

 

[NateHanson]

Hey, we could be wrong, so I'd pull the shrimp out just on the chance that the clam is actually ok.

It's a good sign that it's been a couple days and the clam is still looking good and behaving normally.

 

[nickyblase]

I decided to improvise... instead of pulling the shrimp out, I took a thin, clear plastic tupperware bowl & punched a bunch of holes in it & put it over the clam. Right before lights out, the shrimp was nowhere in sight, and the clam was open. The mantle was still not extending outside the shell though. Hopefully the shelter and some time will do the trick.

I'll keep you posted.

 

[Liquid]

Good luck!

 

[NateHanson]

Another thing that works well is a green plastic mesh box that cherry tomatos come in. It will allow unobstructed flow, doesn't really block much light, and is too tight for the shrimp to get in.

 

[nickyblase]

well, i hope I don't get the answer I think I am going to get... I picked up the clam when I got home from work to inspect it, and it opened up shortly after lights on (I'm on reverse photoperiod at the moment). The color still looked good, but mantle still in the shell. I turned it over to see if anything was possibly irritating the foot (it's been in the sandbed), and the foot looked horrible!!

instead of looking smooth and kind of like a scallop type texture, it looks almost cottony. Hopefully this pic will help. The little white dots are pieces of sand.

I put him on a rock on the sandbed with the little plastic thingy over him. Is he too far gone? He's still opening & closing & not brown. Is there ANYTHING I can do to save him?

 

[BigSmokeShowJOE]

Not sure if I'm right in this observation other are welcome to dispute but I have noticed once in my own tank that a shrimp and a fish started picking at a clam even though they had not done so in the previous two months . I believe this happen because the clam was not right by this I mean sick or dying somehow they seem to sense or know this before you know the clam is sick. It's like they can tell it's on their way out not healthy or weak so an easy target. I had two clams and my shrimp and one of my fish who never would touch a clam started to do this.You guess it two days later even though I stopped the harassment the clam perished. One years later the same animals are still in the tank with the remaining healthy clam and they have never bothered this clam. Now you can argue that the harassment caused the other clam to expire but I tend to think it's the other way around they can tell it's week and a easy meal?

aim with him on this