*My maxima is in serious danger

[Bin Weed]

I woke up this morning and noticed my maxima clam was looking a little funky... i saw my cleaner shrimp around it but didn't think much of it.

I added the shrimp to the tank on friday to accompany the one already in the tank.

anyway i left for the day and

 

I came home about 2 hours ago and its not looking so good.

I noticed my NEW skunk cleaner, Lysmata Amboinensis, picking hard at the still retracted mantle. I moved the shrimp and in the process moved the clam. The foot is no longer attached or even extended though the clam still retracts.

The clam has been in my possession for over a year. Its in a 30 gal. under 300 watts of MH.

THE QUESTION IS

Do you think the new cleaner shrimp got to the clam or was he picking off dead or damaged tissue?

In my experience in my experience they have been opportunistic scavenger/predators.

1.026 SG

400-450 calc

i dont have an Alk kit left though it usually checks out

78-81

Trace amount of Nitrate

0 nitrite

0 ammonia

I havent checked po4 in a while

I have a 12 gal reef i can put the cleaner in if i catch him. Do you think i should?

[ezcompany]

yes you should remove the cleaner shrimp immediately.

you should also definitely get a alk test kit. they're not even expensive.

[SeeDemTails]

IMO cleaners are not reef safe.

 

At night, your acros never get to extend like they would unmolested by the always prowling shrimp.

 

I would say my shrimp makes each peice of coral(a lot) in my 37 gal reef retract/close atleast once a day, and then just jumps from acro to acro at night, picking all over them nipping polyps. I plan to remove him asap.

[Bin Weed]

Thanks for the input

The shrimp is still in the tank and seems scared from when i tried to catch him before. It isnt near the clam anymore.

I'm afraid it may be too late for him.

We'll see.

Bin