I purchased a clean up crew for my new 36 gallon tank 1 week ago that included 10 snails, 10 hermit crabs, 1 cleaner clam and 1 peppermint shrimp. The shrimp molted the first night and then hid under a rock and I haven't seen him since. The hermit crabs and snails are doing well (2 snails died, the rest of that gang are alive and cleaning). The clam stayed on top of the sand for a few days then burrowed. He came back up yesterday morning and was back on top of the sand when I went to work. By the time I got home, the shell was open and the internal body of the clam was just gone! There are no other fish or inverts in the tank (other than lots of copepods). Would the peppermint shrimp eat a clam?? I haven't even seen the shrimp in 6 days so I don't know for sure he's alive.
I'm doing a water change today and I'm curious if that will drive the shrimp out in the open. But I am curious if anyone has any thoughts on the clam death? I can't imagine the hermit crabs would be strong enough or interested in eating him. I suppose the clam may have died for some reason and then the clean up crew did their job. But does anyone know if peppermint shrimps will (or even can) prey on clams?
I'm doing a water change today and I'm curious if that will drive the shrimp out in the open. But I am curious if anyone has any thoughts on the clam death? I can't imagine the hermit crabs would be strong enough or interested in eating him. I suppose the clam may have died for some reason and then the clean up crew did their job. But does anyone know if peppermint shrimps will (or even can) prey on clams?
