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My clam may have been stung!


vlangel

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Last night I moved some corals around and I didn't know it but my clam was within reach of the hammer's tentacles! Now the very end of its mantle is a little bit paler, even a clearish purple. I moved it up out of the hammer's reach. The clam, a crocea is open fully and seems responsive if something moves near it so I'm hoping its ok. Has anyone else dealt with this?

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jedimasterben

Clam mantles are extremely resistant to the sting of nematocysts, and grow adjacent to or on top of corals in the wild. Crocea clams even erode away rock and corals to burrow inside them to better protect themselves from predators.

 

It's unlikely any real harm was done, I wouldn't worry about it.

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I had a similar issue with my maxima clam. It was stung by an anenome and it actually got weak or died since a few hours later my hermit crabs devoured it. All that was left was an empty shell. :-( . The clam had been happy and healthy for six months.

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Clam mantles are extremely resistant to the sting of nematocysts, and grow adjacent to or on top of corals in the wild. Crocea clams even erode away rock and corals to burrow inside them to better protect themselves from predators.

 

It's unlikely any real harm was done, I wouldn't worry about it.

I had read that clams grew on top of and near corals but I pictured the corals to be SPS and not as nasty, sting wise. Anyway, I've had this clam for a year and I'm very fond of it so I hope you are right. I'll make sure my water parameters are perfect so it can have the best chance of healing.
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I had read that clams grew on top of and near corals but I pictured the corals to be SPS and not as nasty, sting wise. Anyway, I've had this clam for a year and I'm very fond of it so I hope you are right. I'll make sure my water parameters are perfect so it can have the best chance of healing.

 

Just remember clams do like nitrates to an extent.

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I had read that clams grew on top of and near corals but I pictured the corals to be SPS and not as nasty, sting wise. Anyway, I've had this clam for a year and I'm very fond of it so I hope you are right. I'll make sure my water parameters are perfect so it can have the best chance of healing.

 

I think youre right. Ive never heard of a clam growing on or in any LPS. The sting can definitely kill a healthy clam. Ive had gonioporas kill clams.

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Just remember clams do like nitrates to an extent.
. I have 6 fish in a 36 bowfront and so I feed pretty heavy. I keep everything in check with consistent weekly WCs. Also I feed phytofeast and cyclopese and the clam always appeared to be getting enough.
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I think youre right. Ive never heard of a clam growing on or in any LPS. The sting can definitely kill a healthy clam. Ive had gonioporas kill clams.

I try very hard to provide a safe, healthy environment for all my tank inhabitant and it grieves me when I overlook something and one of them suffers. So far my clam still looks pretty good so I may have dodged a bullet this time. I'll know not to underestimate the reach of my LPS in the future!

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I try very hard to provide a safe, healthy environment for all my tank inhabitant and it grieves me when I overlook something and one of them suffers. So far my clam still looks pretty good so I may have dodged a bullet this time. I'll know not to underestimate the reach of my LPS in the future!

 

They usually recover from such stings if given the chance.

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I've had frogspawn and torch tentacles all over my clam with no drama.. Didn't bother it one bit.. That said I've heard of several people having clams killed by corals and anemones, so it's definitely not unheard of.. Makes me wonder though, what makes it okay sometimes and not okay other times?

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I'd guess it may be specific to coral or clam species. As I've had one of my blue squammies nestled right up against my over sized maxi mini. That nem packs a pretty nasty punch. Far stickier than any BTA. Never bothered the clam one bit.

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This is a mystery to me as well as I currently have maximas that are responding to aptasia stings, but I also have maximas that dont appear to mind them. A voucher to the mysteriousness of Tridacnids!!!!

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Actually I used to have a mini carpet anemone and its foot was parked under my clam and yet never stung it. When it first moved there I intentionally pricked it with a straight pin trying to encourage it to relocate. I did that every day for over a week and the nem just refused to leave but it never did sting so I let them co-habitate. That is the same clam that I am worried about now. It really is a mystery why the nem didn't sting it and the hammer did. Perhaps it is because the nem located itself next to the clam, and I put the clam next to the hammer? Maybe the hammer felt threatened?????

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I didn't realize the other day when my maxima moved closer to my frogspawn colony and then it just stayed there fully extended looking normal not even bothered by the frogspawn so I let it stay for a few days to see what happens. It never ended up moving or showing any signs of distress. I still ended up moving the frogspawn just in case cause I don't want to lose the maxima I have had for 2 years. So, I assume it really does depend on the clam...

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post-82793-0-80865600-1390235734_thumb.jpg

 

Finally, here is a pic of my clam after it was stung. The paleness at the left end of the clam doesn't show under the daylight bulbs so this was taken when only the moonlight was on, which is why the clam isn't open as much as usual. Do you think the color will return to normal eventually?

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  • 2 weeks later...

Well, I just wanted to report to anyone interested that my clams seems fine now 2 weeks after the possible stinging. There's not enough good news in the world so I thought this qualifies!!!!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Man I don't know because I have a red bubble tip anemone attached to one of my clams mantles right now been there for about a month. The clam still looks healthy even though they rub up against each other. I need to snap a pic

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hey, every hot clam needs a good poke once in a while! And a big hardyyyyy harrrr harrrrrr!!!!!

I think you put this in the wrong thread.. :lol:..

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  • 1 month later...

Here's more evidence for the anemones not bothering clams claim. They've been like this for months and both are happy as can be;

 

9Ne0v5E.jpg

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