My poor clam..

[Milly]

I just recently purchased my first calm and was SO EXCITED about it. What a lil beaut. Anyhow, I came home one night and found my blue knuckled hermit crab making a snack of him!! I was hoping it was going to make a slow and steady recovery...but it was too much for the lil guy and it died.

Any other type of invert. or fish that likes to make a quick snack of clams?? In my tank i currently have a diamond goby, molly miller, and a o. clown and a few of the regular ol hermit cleaning crew. I would love to get another clam, but this time I'll do a lil research before jumping headfirst again

[txav8r]

From everything I have read, you need a very well established tank and lots of lighting. I've had my maxima since tmac and it is doing well. I have most of the same fish you do. Probably doesn't help much but I figgured I'd chime in anyway.
Sorry for your loss.

[edshas2]

that sucks about the clam ive always wanted one but dont think i have enough lightning for it.

[dustint21]

The blue leg crabs wont mess with clams unless its already dieing.JME.

Dustin

[jay3]

I have had clams and crabs (blue and red and others) together and never had problems, but I have read that if the clam is not healthy the crabs will smell this and nibble at them etc. Also if the crabs are starving they my also eat the next best thing-crab.

[carlinsa]

just make sure if you get clams you have the light to support them. it doesnt seem like it but they are very demanding (some). you can get you a clam not near a nice looking as the maxima an i cant think of the name but not as light demanding. the hermits dont mess with either of mine an they sit in a very heavy crab zone. (crabs love the rocks next to them)

[jay3]

Clams require very high lighting as Carlinsa said. I have 4-250 watt MH in a 150 gal and still have to put the clam at the top of the tank. In the wild, they are often just below the surface and get direct sunlite -high PAR.

[jay3]

Oh and dont damage the foot whatever you do as this seems to start a slow (and sometimes fast) decline. If the clam starts to gape, its doing poorly. Many fish will pick at a sickly clam.

[Milly]

Hmm... Thats where the crab was picking at, the foot area (the opening of the shell on bottom) it went all downhill from there sadly.

[jay3]

Yep, will happen almost every time. Sorry.