IT'S THE BLENNY! gasp!

[amored]

hi everyone,

 

i got a gorgeous pink and blue crocea clam (3.5") from DD this morning. drip acclimated for half an hour then placed it on the sanded (made sure it was never exposed to air). it was doing great for a while, opened up nicely and all, and then i think my neon dotty back started harassing it. i came home from errands and found it on it's side, closed up. when i righted it, it opened right back up, but then i sat and watched it for a while and my dotty back was circling all around it, acting like it was going to nip at the mantle, but never quite touching it.

 

IT'S MY STARRY BLENNY! i saw him nip at the mantle!

 

HELP! what do i do?!?

 

 

also, params, because someone will ask (salifert kits):

 

nuvo16 with maxspect razor

SG 1.025 (constant)

79* F

ammonia 0

nitrite 0

nitrate .5

phosphate undetectable

pH 8.1, i buffer with aqua vitro 8.4 but it never really rises

KH 7

CA 350

Mg 1250

 

aquavitro salinity salt

[ward827]

I have a derasa and HAD a dotty back.
Never had a problem with either.

Dotty back died this past weekend. One minute eating
the next swimming into things and heavy breathing.

Loved that fish!

[amored]

I have a derasa and HAD a dotty back.

Never had a problem with either.

 

Dotty back died this past weekend. One minute eating

the next swimming into things and heavy breathing.

Loved that fish!

 

 

 

aw, sorry to hear that. i love mine too, if only she'd leave the new neighbor alone!

[Stormie]

I had a dottyback harass 2 goby's to death. I don't trust those fish.

[amored]

i just fed the tank and the dotty back is so full it could burst! but still annoying the poor clam.

[ward827]

I'd watch the clam. Too much stress is not good for clams.

[amored]

so it's actually my starry blenny! he's not aggressive at all normally, i assumed he'd be fine with the clam. but noooooo. i saw him nipping at the mantle!

 

what do i do?!?! currently i am chasing him away with a turkey baster if he gets too close but i can't do this forever...

[metrokat]

Blennies can nip at clam mantles. You have to remove the blenny.

[amored]

Blennies can nip at clam mantles. You have to remove the blenny.

 

aww…. i like my blenny. okay.

[metrokat]

I'm sorry.

[basser1]

Maybe put the blenny in a breeding trap for a couple of days?

 

Like one of these:

 

http://tropicalfishandaquariums.com/FishCare/BreedingTrapPhoto.asp

[ZephNYC]

The Blenny will kill your clam. They will irritate it to death just as they will to seahorses.

[GHill762]

The Blenny will kill your clam. They will irritate it to death just as they will to seahorses.

are any blennys clam safe? I've heard the midas is the best behaved of the blennies around clams, but I wouldn't want to risk it at all..

 

I hate how difficult it is to figure out clam-safe livestock. everything is rated for reef safeness, but no mention of how it will be with clams. I've been considering putting together a list, or maybe opening up a thread and keeping a tally of what isn't clam safe.

[ZephNYC]

Omly Crawling blennies are not clam safe. All others are fine.

[Boggers]

I have a Bi color blenny that I have had for 6 months, Added a maxima clam a month ago and it doesn't touch it unless its perching next to it at feeding time...hmmm

[sean1986]

i have the madis blenny and he leaves my clam alone

[ZephNYC]

I have a Bi color blenny that I have had for 6 months, Added a maxima clam a month ago and it doesn't touch it unless its perching next to it at feeding time...hmmm

Cool. I've had a bi color that was a monster. It would attack clam mantles and even rip the skin off of seahorses.

[Boggers]

Hope it never goes hungry and gets a taste for it then.