View Full Version : Pocillopora killing clams
Oldude
04/17/2009, 05:06 PM
Has anyone run into these before. These little clams burrowed into this pocillopora colony and are killing it from the inside out. In this photo you can see 3 clams. On the bottom right I dug one of them out which opened up the top surface but look how the inside is hollowed out from the pest clam. I noticed months ago that this colony had some strange black spots but I didn't really think too much about it and it recently has been failing so I pulled it out of the tank and found the black spots have turned into the openings you see. I have since removed the piece from my display as it was quite infested.
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h210/Trainer02/apr17004pocclams.jpg
MCsaxmaster
04/17/2009, 06:27 PM
Those are commensal barnacles. They're harmless to the coral. They induce the coral to grow around and encase them as protection. They don't hollow out those spaces--that's how the coral grew.
If the coral is declining it has nothing to do with those guys.
cj
Gary Majchrzak
04/17/2009, 06:28 PM
hey Greg- can you post a pic of an intact clam?
I think Chris is onto something :)
Oldude
04/17/2009, 11:04 PM
Interesting, it sure looked like a clam type animal. I'll dig one out tomorrow. Thanks for the feed back.
Oldude
04/18/2009, 11:54 PM
Thanks hris you are right. I cut a few more open today and they are not clams. I don't know exacty what barnacles look like out of their shell so I'll take your word for it. Thanks for the feedback.
:)
IFbettas
04/19/2009, 09:57 AM
They look like barnacles to me too. What is the flow like underneath/inside the colony? Low flow could be causing the colony to recede like that.
barnett8
04/19/2009, 12:58 PM
Yes, they a barnacles, and are harmless.
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