Cleaner shrimps

[scarab]

I am having major doubts about whether cleaner shrimps are reef safe, especially with clams. A few of my clams have been dying recently overnight. It was ok the day before but in the morning I find it totally shrunk in.

Then this morning, I woke up and saw one of my cleaner shrimp disturbing one of my maximas. I chased it away and now the maxima is not opening. Now I really think my clams are dying because being attacked by my cleaner shrimps at night

Anyone had any similar experience? Feeling getting rid of all my cleaner shrimps.

[ReDDeviLs]

not sure about clams,but i have something to share too..

recently lost a feel purple firefish..

they were like stress and stay at the sandbed breathing not moving much too and i see the cleaner shrimps which is as big as the fish going near it.. not sure if its trying to clean it or eat it..but the fish looked agitated.

[19percula]

i dont have any X wif cleaner shrimps attacking clams at all

maybe u should post this ques in the Clam Corner thread

[scarab]

Really, I don't know whether they have any use to the reef or not. Don't see them do anything but steal prawn meat from my pratas and bubbles. One of my bubbles died because the cleaner shrimp tore the prawn meat out together with part of the polyp

[NormanH]

I doubt so, don't forget dead clam is food to cleaner shrimp.

[scarab]

I doubt so, don't forget dead clam is food to cleaner shrimp.

But my clam was not dead. It was doing fine the day before. Now.....argh

[lightningstrike]

I am having major doubts about whether cleaner shrimps are reef safe, especially with clams. A few of my clams have been dying recently overnight.   It was ok the day before but in the morning I find it totally shrunk in.

Then this morning, I woke up and saw one of my cleaner shrimp disturbing one of my maximas. I chased it away and now the maxima is not opening. Now I really think my clams are dying because being attacked by my cleaner shrimps at night

Anyone had any similar experience? Feeling getting rid of all my cleaner shrimps.

bro scarab...... think we really buddies....... i hv the same problem from yesterday till 2day. lost my precious teardrop max, a blue max, my derasa, bicolor blenny, leopard wrasse and a YT within these 3 days......... so sianz....... denitrator i juz bought is leaking water...... can exchange but gotta wait till the shipment comes.... now out of stock...... this is what u call "sway" !!!!

[Achilles Tang]

You guys may have contacted the Dreaded Clam Disease.

A while back, a couple of years ago, a few of us have lost our clams one by one mysteriously. Did you buy a clam recently from the same LFS/supplier?

You can't blame the shrimps or bristleworms, they KNOW when a clam is already dying/half-dead and will be there to pick at fresh seafood.

Lightningstrike, your water quality seems to have taken a nosedive after the clams died... and that affected your fishes... better do a water change FAST!!!

AT

[lightningstrike]

i juz did...... thks for the advice.....

[RAV-65]

Bro, you may wanna allow your tank to settle down a little first before buying all those fishes... Good luck!!

Vincent Ho

[scarab]

Whaat??? Clam Disease??? Die lah like that. Just monitor last night. Cleaners still disturb the clams but no casualty. The maxima that is not opening is already a goner.RIP

The clams that died were a mixture of old and new clams. Some 5 months old, some 1 month old. Could it be the disease was introduced by one of the newer clams......... Sian man. Like clams so much but after this episode don't know whether stil want to keep clams or not.

[fecgoh]

I got 2 clams that spawn one day. The cleaner shirmp went crazy and attack them. By the next morning, the 2 clams are dead. I think they are going for the eggs and sperm but knowing how a pig they can be, they tear the clams to bits.

To me they are like 2 ninjas, coming out only at night an kill!

If it is not because the cleaner shrimp spawn and supply food for my fish and corals, I would have chop them to bits and feed my fish!

[jedi]

bro scarab...... think we really buddies....... i hv the same problem from yesterday till 2day. lost my precious teardrop max, a blue max, my derasa, bicolor blenny, leopard wrasse and a YT within these 3 days......... so sianz....... denitrator i juz bought is leaking water...... can exchange but gotta wait till the shipment comes.... now out of stock...... this is what u call "sway" !!!!

wah bro, so many of ur clams mati also huh? the 2 crocs that i got from u also mysteriously died 3 days back. tot it might be tat they couldnt adapt to the temperature change from ur tank to my tank but now could be something more serious.

[FuEl]

I only witnessed my cleaner shrimps attacking worms in the liverock..never found them disturbing my clam leh.....

[weileong]

I saw my cleaner shrimps disturbing my 8" large clam but that is because I think it is reporting back to heaven already.

Since then I use a string to close up the clam. Already 2 days and the shrimps are no longer disturbing it.

Let's see in another few more days I will untie it and see if I can save the clam or not.

[ervine]

i think the cleaner being more of a scavenger will go after anything dead/dying... so dying or dead fish would naturally be it's target...

The only time I've seen mine go after a live fish is when the cleaner was doing what it was supposed to be doing... cleaning..