Clam Death

Wasdal052

New Member
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?
 

lmforbis

Well-Known Member
All I can say are cleaner clams don’t do much and can crash your tank when they die. Have no idea why it died. Don’t buy another.
 

Wasdal052

New Member
All I can say are cleaner clams don’t do much and can crash your tank when they die. Have no idea why it died. Don’t buy another.
Thanks! I'm thinking of adding a royal urchin to help clean the sand bed. The hermit crabs and shrimp have done wonders cleaning the rocks, but I still am getting a pretty significant buildup on the sandbed. I'll steer clear of cleaner clams.
 

jay0705

Well-Known Member
Its a very new tank. You will have various things start growing and such. Its normal, no need to try and fight it. Balance will clear it all up over time. That said, cleaner clams are useless. They die fast and do almost nothing
 
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