Clams are absolutley irrisistable to critters like crabs, shrimp and snails once they start to even remotely go downhill. Once the clam doesn't have enough energy to fend off predators (i.e., stay shut), it's feeding time! It is amazing how fast these guys go to work. The scent a dying clam gives off will attract pretty much everything in your reef to come and have a party.
FWIW, you can dip clams in FW with no ill effects as you would dip new corals in TMPCC or the like. It will kill off pyrimad snails and other clam eating invertabrates yet leave the clam unscathed. In your situation I'm not sure what caused your clams demise, but I can assure you it was your efficient C.U.C. that took care of it in the end.
That's not good. A total disappearance over night with no signs of stress is pretty crazy. Makes me think something ate it. Have you had anything else disappear like this? I'm thinking the dreaded bobbit worm (not sure if they eat clams though)
Could it have died in the evening and been "cleaned up" by scavengers (hermit crabs, nassarius snails, sea stars...)?
Have you looked to see if there is a hole bored through the shell? I've seen photos of Tridacna shells where clams have been killed this way. Can't remember if it is a worm, sea star or snail that does this.
I think I'd be staying up late tonight to try to determine if there is something that ate it.
bristle worms can dig through the foot and kill the clam but it takes months, im almost positive it was the cuc for some reason or another sorry about your clam
I'm with the bristle worm as being the culprit~I had a blue dot sea hare about the size of a golf ball~one morning it was about the size of a dime~what was left of it anyways~at the time I had no hermits in my tank~only a few snails~so yup it's the worms!
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Originally Posted by Tom@HaslettMI
There's nothing like being a Reefer!
