Massive Derasa Clam and a Yellow Tang

[marlinnhag]

I have a very large Derasa Clam. Bought the size of a football. Lately I have noticed my Yellow Tang nipping at it. Its not taking any chunks out and there are no marks. Its like it just hitting it with its mouth. The clam doesn't seem to be bothered. It is not closing or flinching when the Tang does this. Should I be worried? Is it time for Swim Shady (Yellow Tang) to be removed?

Thank You!

 

[Scorpius]

I don't keep anything that may go after my clams, but I like my clams more than any fish.

 

[areefer01]

I have a very large Derasa Clam. Bought the size of a football. Lately I have noticed my Yellow Tang nipping at it. Its not taking any chunks out and there are no marks. Its like it just hitting it with its mouth. The clam doesn't seem to be bothered. It is not closing or flinching when the Tang does this. Should I be worried? Is it time for Swim Shady (Yellow Tang) to be removed?

Thank You!

Take a video and then replay it is slow motion to see what it is doing. If you or a friend has a gopro it is great for this.

As an aide I have a maxima clam and my Zosters, Pyramid, and Gold Lined Rabbit will all do a drive by and hit the clam. At first I thought it was hitting the mantle but turns out they are not. In fact it wasn't until I setup the gopro that I was able to see exactly what they are doing.

Zoster and Pyramid Butterflies are hitting the green nuclear palythoas. The small or new ones that spring up on the shell. They hit it pretty hard and so the clam reacts and pulls in the mantle. The Gold Line again is striking but it is the stop of the clams shell and getting algae if present. Similar to the butterflies it will hover the maxima, it will retract the mantle a bit, and then the rabbit scrapes off any algae. Once done the clam extends the mantle.

In all cases I was able to go back and verify to include seeing the mantle in one piece. No bite marks, nothing. If the yellow tang is doing something similar video it or sit and watch and see if you can make heads or tails out of it. My maxima is perfectly fine. Just retracts for a few then poof - it is back out in full display.

Go figure.

 

[marlinnhag]

I dont have a Go pro... But maybe my underwater Nikon can get a good shot. Though I assume once that goes in the tank the tang will be scared and hide. (hes one of bigger chickens in my tank surprisingly)

Hes not really bombing it. He sits above it and kind of just pecks at it. (looks very much like picking algae off a rock)

 

[bushdoc]

Tang could be nibbling on algae growth on Deresa shell?

 

[AydenLincoln]

Can I see a photo of the big guy?

 

[vetteguy53081]

My tangs do this occasionally- while it makes me nervous, its right after I feed and they appear to be hunting for scraps

 

[areefer01]

I dont have a Go pro... But maybe my underwater Nikon can get a good shot. Though I assume once that goes in the tank the tang will be scared and hide. (hes one of bigger chickens in my tank surprisingly)

Hes not really bombing it. He sits above it and kind of just pecks at it. (looks very much like picking algae off a rock)

You can use your smart phone or any camera/video device. Also apologies as I didn't mean it had to be in the display. Just set it outside the display but in an area to get the video.

Hope that helps.

 

[djf91]

I had a large purple tang that did this. I was hoping he was just nipping at the shell but it soon became evident that he was nipping the mantle, and quite aggressively actually. Maxima remained mostly closed for about a month until I removed the purple tang…then back to normal mantel extension. I’ve heard other accounts of larger sized Zebrasoma individuals doing this.

 

[cooltowncorals]

I had a lawnmower blenny doing this to a maxima for a while hitting mantle keeping it closed most of day.

as soon as the blenny was rehomed clam opened and fine for along time

 

[marlinnhag]

UPDATE::: I have seen less of the nipping over the last couple of weeks. My "fish tank guy" came and removed an aiptasia that was growing in the sand near said clam and he must of pulled the clam out because he was back in the tank backwards when I came home (siphon facing me)

Since then I havent seen the same nipping, but clam also seems to not be as "open" I pulled him last night cleaned him up a bit and then rehomed to another area of the tank. The tang had made its little home right behind the clam so Im hoping maybe if they are not next to each other it will curb the issue.

 

[hart24601]

Fingers crossed it works out. I have had tang nip clams over the years and had to rehome the tangs. It can be hard to tell what is wrong with a clam sometimes if a fish is picking on it as it can happen when not looking at the tank. I had to do a day long Timelapse to find out. I suspect many clam deaths are due to fish nipping on them, eventually the clam stops opening fully and then it can’t get enough energy. Hope that’s not the case here but it does happen.

 

[Tcook]

Twelve posts and no pictures of this massive clam?

 

[demonclownfish]

I had a hippo tang go rogue and kill 3 maxima's, a crocea, and a derasa... Worst day in my reef keeping career. I take no chances when it comes to my clams anymore. Will have a clam only volcano lagoon soon.