Peppermint Shrimp Pestering Clam....

SaltwaterGeek · 01-03-2008, 11:30 AM

I have recently added a Clam to my tank. Since adding it to the tank, I have a Peppermint Shrimp who continually pokes at the Clams Mantle most assuredly taking the easy way out and stealing the clams food instead of gathering his own elsewhere.

My question is... Will the shrimp eventually loose interest and go on his way or will this become an issue with the clams ability to survive? Hit happens more at night but it does happen sometimes during the light time hours. Has anyone had similar experiences?

Thanks,
Chris

framerguy · 01-03-2008, 11:47 AM

Shrimp are thieves! I have the same issue while feeding my corals. The shrimp are all over them. I haven't had them bother the clam though, and am actually surprised that a clam would have something they wanted. I don't think there is a way to predict whether the shrimp will stop or not. If it doesn't I would remove the shrimp. At least they are easy to catch. If you have a refugium I would go ahead and put the shrimp there now.

Dentoid · 01-03-2008, 12:35 PM

Clams get most of their energy from a symbiotic relationship with its zooxanthellae and to a lesser extent from macroscopic phytoplankton. I can't imagine a clam having any food that the shrimp would want unless a meaty piece of food gets caught on its schutes. If it's only happening at night (I'm assuming you mean after lights out) the calm should not be fully open and its mantle should be retracted. I would think this is not a problem. If the shrimp is pestering it during the day so that it refuses to open, then you have a problem. Try moving the clam to another place in the tank and see if the shrimp follows.

Witfull · 01-03-2008, 12:41 PM

throw the shrimp on the barbie~

shrimp are crab cousins~

Dentoid · 01-03-2008, 12:46 PM

That's a better idea!

BigAl07 · 01-03-2008, 12:58 PM

Also note that often times a shrimp can "smell" trouble in the tank and are the first ones to the "Scene". It's possible something is wrong with the clam but also possible you have a bully shrimp. I used to notice that my peppermint shrimp would pick at my new Sea Hare. I let it go and it finally "expired". At first it was thought that maybe the picking LEAD to it's demise but more rational thinking leads me to think the shrimp was just there a tad bit early because it could "smell/sense" what was happening.

Good luck and Happy Reefing

SaltwaterGeek · 01-03-2008, 03:30 PM

At first I was thinking along the same vein as you BigAl. Normally I would get concerned that something in the tank was on its way out. But recently I had to trade in a Sea Cucumber for this same Peppermint was antagonizing it so bad that it would never feed. Scared that my fish would suffer if it went due to lack of nutrients, I got some store credit at the LFS.

The Peppermint was almost invisible when I first got it... it was so tiny. Since then, its been eating so well that its now bigger than any fish in the tank. Therefore I think its bully related. Now the task of catching it without destroying my tank!

Just out of curiosity... Besides a clam not opening. What are some signs of distress in a clam?

panmanmatt · 01-03-2008, 03:58 PM

Are you sure it is a peppermint shrimp and not a camel shrimp? Camels are notorious for being destructive and eating anything they can find, be it dead or alive.

framerguy · 01-03-2008, 04:19 PM

Excellent point Matt.. wish I'd thought of it. Camels are not reefsafe.

SaltwaterGeek · 01-03-2008, 04:25 PM

No... Not a camel shrimp. It doesn't have the white markings.

Chris

Dentoid · 01-03-2008, 05:00 PM

Gaping is a condition in which a clams shell is open the mantle is retacted a bit and the inhalational and exhalational siphons are wide open. The clam may not react to the shadow test either. A clam that is gaping is a goner.

A healthy clam will be open with its mantle fully extended during lighting periods and will retract quickly if a shadow passes over them. When the lights are off, the clam will retract its mantle and close its shell not necessarily all the way though.

SaltwaterGeek · 01-03-2008, 06:33 PM

Well... I finally got the stupid shrimp out of the tank! I had to take almost everything out to do so. Man, that sucked!

Just before doing so, that Peppermint was going to town on that clam right in front of me. He was hitting that thing so hard, that he was getting his whole back into it.. lol. Pissed me off!

I wanted to send him to Davie Jones locker, but the wife got pissed, so I guess he'll be going back to the LFS for some store credit!

Now all I can do is wait to see when / if the clam opens.

Thanks for all your help and info.

Chris

reefman420 · 01-03-2008, 07:39 PM

i always say if the clam doesnt react to the shadow it is not healty,I do the shadow test when i purches new clams,any sighn of hesitation then i dont buy it

SaltwaterGeek · 01-03-2008, 07:46 PM

I bought it yesterday, and it reacted perfectly.. Even when I got it home, it quickly adapted to the tank opened up wide and reacted swiftly to light changes.

However, it has not opened an entire 9.5 hour lighting cycle. I'm not an expert, but I am fairly certain it was because of the shrimp issue.

How long can a clam stay closed before I should get concerned?

Thanks,
Chris

SaltwaterGeek · 01-04-2008, 07:45 AM

Well, I woke up this morning and the clam seems to definitely be gaping. The clam to be very healthy and responded great to light... mantel was fully extended. Can all this be the work of one shrimp..... or am I missing something here?

Chris

01-03-2008, 11:30 AM	#1 (permalink)
SaltwaterGeek Scopas Tang Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 401 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Peppermint Shrimp Pestering Clam.... I have recently added a Clam to my tank. Since adding it to the tank, I have a Peppermint Shrimp who continually pokes at the Clams Mantle most assuredly taking the easy way out and stealing the clams food instead of gathering his own elsewhere. My question is... Will the shrimp eventually loose interest and go on his way or will this become an issue with the clams ability to survive? Hit happens more at night but it does happen sometimes during the light time hours. Has anyone had similar experiences? Thanks, Chris

01-03-2008, 11:47 AM	#2 (permalink)
framerguy Manta Ray Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Mount Airy, Ga Posts: 3,326 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Peppermint Shrimp Pestering Clam.... Shrimp are thieves! I have the same issue while feeding my corals. The shrimp are all over them. I haven't had them bother the clam though, and am actually surprised that a clam would have something they wanted. I don't think there is a way to predict whether the shrimp will stop or not. If it doesn't I would remove the shrimp. At least they are easy to catch. If you have a refugium I would go ahead and put the shrimp there now. __________________ ___________________________________ Greg All time fav quote: "Now and then it's good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy."-Guillaume Apollinaire "Being happy can be as easy as deciding to be!"-Greg Kimsey (framerguy) Still Workin' on it! 390gDT built in wall, Gargantuan DIY Beckett Skimmer, 150g sump, Sequence Hammerhead closed loop, 75 gallon seagrass/mineral mud refugium, 55 gallon crushed coral/live rock refugium, 30 gallon DSB/ cheatomorpha refugium, algae turf scrubber, DIY calcium reactor, DIY kalkwasser mixer, DIY light system w/4x 250MH & 4x54w T5, etc, etc, etc... chronicles-akwareum (\___/) This is Bunny. (=O.o=) Copy and paste him into your signature (")__(") to help him gain world domination

01-03-2008, 12:35 PM	#3 (permalink)
Dentoid Over Achiever Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 10,239 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Peppermint Shrimp Pestering Clam.... Clams get most of their energy from a symbiotic relationship with its zooxanthellae and to a lesser extent from macroscopic phytoplankton. I can't imagine a clam having any food that the shrimp would want unless a meaty piece of food gets caught on its schutes. If it's only happening at night (I'm assuming you mean after lights out) the calm should not be fully open and its mantle should be retracted. I would think this is not a problem. If the shrimp is pestering it during the day so that it refuses to open, then you have a problem. Try moving the clam to another place in the tank and see if the shrimp follows. __________________ Scott Dentoid's Reeforama

01-03-2008, 12:46 PM	#5 (permalink)
Dentoid Over Achiever Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 10,239 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Peppermint Shrimp Pestering Clam.... That's a better idea! __________________ Scott Dentoid's Reeforama

01-03-2008, 12:58 PM	#6 (permalink)
BigAl07 Reef Addict (hopeless) Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Waynesville, North Carolina Posts: 10,619 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Peppermint Shrimp Pestering Clam.... Also note that often times a shrimp can "smell" trouble in the tank and are the first ones to the "Scene". It's possible something is wrong with the clam but also possible you have a bully shrimp. I used to notice that my peppermint shrimp would pick at my new Sea Hare. I let it go and it finally "expired". At first it was thought that maybe the picking LEAD to it's demise but more rational thinking leads me to think the shrimp was just there a tad bit early because it could "smell/sense" what was happening. Good luck and Happy Reefing __________________ Allen Allen's testimonial . . ."Let Me help you help YOURSELF" (Click Here) with a SW set up there is one basic fundamental rule that we ALL should follow *When in doubt... wait it out. This means take it slow and let the tank "develop" and don't rush it. Time is your friend Ask me about how to increase your REEF budget without going without FOOD!!* Big Al's 10g Julie's (BigAl's Gal) 6g NanoCube BigAl's Slow 90g Tank Chronicle Allens OFFICE 12g Nano-Reef Reef Balls & Cakes Debt Free & Change your Family Tree!!

01-03-2008, 03:30 PM	#7 (permalink)
SaltwaterGeek Scopas Tang Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 401 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Peppermint Shrimp Pestering Clam.... At first I was thinking along the same vein as you BigAl. Normally I would get concerned that something in the tank was on its way out. But recently I had to trade in a Sea Cucumber for this same Peppermint was antagonizing it so bad that it would never feed. Scared that my fish would suffer if it went due to lack of nutrients, I got some store credit at the LFS. The Peppermint was almost invisible when I first got it... it was so tiny. Since then, its been eating so well that its now bigger than any fish in the tank. Therefore I think its bully related. Now the task of catching it without destroying my tank! Just out of curiosity... Besides a clam not opening. What are some signs of distress in a clam?

01-03-2008, 03:58 PM	#8 (permalink)
panmanmatt Acropora Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Waretown, NJ Posts: 1,904 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Peppermint Shrimp Pestering Clam.... Are you sure it is a peppermint shrimp and not a camel shrimp? Camels are notorious for being destructive and eating anything they can find, be it dead or alive. __________________ The mind is like a parachute, it only works when opened. (\__/) (='.'=) (")_(")

01-03-2008, 04:19 PM	#9 (permalink)
framerguy Manta Ray Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Mount Airy, Ga Posts: 3,326 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Peppermint Shrimp Pestering Clam.... Excellent point Matt.. wish I'd thought of it. Camels are not reefsafe. __________________ ___________________________________ Greg All time fav quote: "Now and then it's good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy."-Guillaume Apollinaire "Being happy can be as easy as deciding to be!"-Greg Kimsey (framerguy) Still Workin' on it! 390gDT built in wall, Gargantuan DIY Beckett Skimmer, 150g sump, Sequence Hammerhead closed loop, 75 gallon seagrass/mineral mud refugium, 55 gallon crushed coral/live rock refugium, 30 gallon DSB/ cheatomorpha refugium, algae turf scrubber, DIY calcium reactor, DIY kalkwasser mixer, DIY light system w/4x 250MH & 4x54w T5, etc, etc, etc... chronicles-akwareum (\___/) This is Bunny. (=O.o=) Copy and paste him into your signature (")__(") to help him gain world domination

01-03-2008, 04:25 PM	#10 (permalink)
SaltwaterGeek Scopas Tang Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 401 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Peppermint Shrimp Pestering Clam.... No... Not a camel shrimp. It doesn't have the white markings. Chris

01-03-2008, 05:00 PM	#11 (permalink)
Dentoid Over Achiever Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 10,239 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Peppermint Shrimp Pestering Clam.... Gaping is a condition in which a clams shell is open the mantle is retacted a bit and the inhalational and exhalational siphons are wide open. The clam may not react to the shadow test either. A clam that is gaping is a goner. A healthy clam will be open with its mantle fully extended during lighting periods and will retract quickly if a shadow passes over them. When the lights are off, the clam will retract its mantle and close its shell not necessarily all the way though. __________________ Scott Dentoid's Reeforama

01-03-2008, 06:33 PM	#12 (permalink)
SaltwaterGeek Scopas Tang Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 401 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Peppermint Shrimp Pestering Clam.... Well... I finally got the stupid shrimp out of the tank! I had to take almost everything out to do so. Man, that sucked! Just before doing so, that Peppermint was going to town on that clam right in front of me. He was hitting that thing so hard, that he was getting his whole back into it.. lol. Pissed me off! I wanted to send him to Davie Jones locker, but the wife got pissed, so I guess he'll be going back to the LFS for some store credit! Now all I can do is wait to see when / if the clam opens. Thanks for all your help and info. Chris

01-03-2008, 07:39 PM	#13 (permalink)
reefman420 Elegance coral Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: minneapolis Posts: 1,085 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Peppermint Shrimp Pestering Clam.... i always say if the clam doesnt react to the shadow it is not healty,I do the shadow test when i purches new clams,any sighn of hesitation then i dont buy it __________________ 155 oceanic bow front,20 long refuge packed with caluerpa and mangroves,40 gallon sump,175lbs LR,3x250 watt xm 10ks,aqua-c remora,and pro-clear 150 skimmers sailfin tang,kole tang,royal gramma,cinnimon clown,2xpink skunk clowns,six line wrasse,mandarin, 155 bow coral-orange montipora cap,superman monti cap,scripps green polyped staghorn,ORA pink poccilipora,ORA blue millipora,green slimer,yellow UK acro,pink birdsnest,armor of god zoas,various zoas and shrooms,hammer,frogspawn,clove polyps,favite,fancey toadstool,reg toadstool,yellow leather,purple leather,devils hand,2 types xenia,ricordea florida,ricordea yuma,kenya tree,galaxia,bubble coral,button polyps inverts are lots of snails and hermits,crocea clam,maxima clam and seabae anemone,rbta

01-03-2008, 07:46 PM	#14 (permalink)
SaltwaterGeek Scopas Tang Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 401 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Peppermint Shrimp Pestering Clam.... I bought it yesterday, and it reacted perfectly.. Even when I got it home, it quickly adapted to the tank opened up wide and reacted swiftly to light changes. However, it has not opened an entire 9.5 hour lighting cycle. I'm not an expert, but I am fairly certain it was because of the shrimp issue. How long can a clam stay closed before I should get concerned? Thanks, Chris

01-04-2008, 07:45 AM	#15 (permalink)
SaltwaterGeek Scopas Tang Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 401 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Peppermint Shrimp Pestering Clam.... Well, I woke up this morning and the clam seems to definitely be gaping. The clam to be very healthy and responded great to light... mantel was fully extended. Can all this be the work of one shrimp..... or am I missing something here? Chris

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)