Unusual clam eater.

[aquadoc]

I was just at my friend's house, after he had called me to come over and see something unusual.
Well when I got there, I saw his Purple tang eating the mantel of almost all his clams. On some occasions the tang would take part of the clam's newly grown shell with it.
Weird I have heard many fish eating clams before, but never a Purple tang. We took all the clams out and put them in my tank for now until we get the tang out. He wants to buy a fish trap, to get it out. I have told him that he is going to have to tear down some of the reef, in order to get the tang out. Has anyone ever seen a purple tang do this.

[Reef69]

Yeah, some fish will do that if you dont feed them at all..

[Tim Marvin]

Tangs are omnivorous, most of the information on them says they are herbivours but I have not found this to be true. I have never seen one eat a clam though. I have had them clean the shells or pick at a clam if it is dieing, but not a healthy clam.... That is interesting.

[NaCl_H2O]

I have a Yellow & Hippo tang in my clam tank, they have never touched one. New clams with a little algae on the shell will get a nice cleaning from the Tangs, but that's all.

Someone (I think Larry/Instar) mentioned in the last meeting that Copper Band Butterflies will pick on Clams set in the sandbed, but not if placed on the rocks. Don't know why, but an interesting tidbit. Have no idea if this applies to clam eating Tangs ... maybe worth a try?

[cpreefguy]

One of my clowns was eating my ultra crocea! Luckily (err....) he died (got beat up by a rebel chromis!)

[wkopplin]

I have an Emperor (Imperator) Angel in my tank as well as a host of Tangs along with four clams and have never had a problem.

[astrong]

There are always exceptions to the rule.
Normally they dont' touch clams. But I had a Kole tang that tormented my gigas. I threw him in the sump eventually.

[Thunderkat]

Blue hippo tangs start off as herivoires but become omniverous later on, I haven't read anything on the purple tangs but I have read that the yellow tangs stay herbivoires. Switch to a yellow maybe? Poor clams :(

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[Jenn]

I had been lucky that my Moorish Idol never picked on any of my clams, then just out of the blue, I saw they were all closed up one day. After watching for a short time, there he was, nipping at all of them. Then he set a bad example for the others and the Regals and even my Naso joined in. Ended up killing my 5" Derasa, and now I have a nasty piece of eggcrate separating the tank. I am now thinking of selling my Teardrop Max and Croceas.

BTW, they have Nori almost all the time to pick at as well as being fed several times a day....