blennies and clams

[frogman182]

i've always been told not to put lawn mower blennies in with clams. but can anyone tell me why? i can't think of any reason why the blenny would try to eat a clam.

[Scuba Dog]

I have always had a Lawnm mower blenny with clams...he liked to pearch on them like an easy chair...always woried that he would get cought in one when It closed up...

[yoh]

i see my "assorted" blenny maul my crocea all the time...there are huge bare chunks outta that one clam.

[Peabody]

Why don't you remove it??

Many blennies (especially bi-colors) love to nip at clams. Lawnmowers are safer than most, but I've even heard of one of them going bad.

[DMK]

lawnmower and red lip here. no problems.

[salty28]

I just had a bi-color blenny completely wipe out the mantle on my crocea clam. The muscle tissue behind the clam still seems to be intact. Do you think the clam can recover? I placed the clam in my hang of fuge that has a pc strip over it running 24/7. The clam is about 6 inches below the light, so I would hope it would get enough light. I checked it for an odor, wanted to make sure it was still alive before I placed it in the fuge. What do you think?? thanks, John

[Peabody]

Don't put it under a 24 hour light. The algea in their tissue needs to respire. 24 hour light will eventually kill corals/clams. The light is low.

A better option would be putting it where it is usually in the tank, and putting something like a "strawberry basket" over it. THe grill used under flourescent lights in ceilings is great for constructing these. FLow and light get through.....fish don't! :)

[utnosaj]

My bi-color dosen't bother any of my clams, guess its hit and miss.

[salty28]

utnosaj, you must have gotten lucky. My little monster complete destroyed the mantle on my crocea clam. I tried to save it by putting it in the refugium, but it was dead within a day. I still have the blenny, he is a cute little devil.

[ReefXpert]

There's a guy in LFS told me that a bi-color had took a big chuck out of a clam. Also, a bi-color had nipped on porites and fungia in my friend's tank.

[Gary Majchrzak]

Originally posted by Peabody
(especially bi-colors) love to nip at clams.
Bingo.
I've never seen a Lawnmower bother a clam, though.

[tedmc2]

I've had a bi-color blenny and a clam together for about three months without a problem. The maxima is on the sandbed and the bi-color stays high up on the LR.

[Chris777]

Originally posted by tedmc2
I've had a bi-color blenny and a clam together for about three months without a problem. The maxima is on the sandbed and the bi-color stays high up on the LR.


I have 4 clams with a bi-color blenny and he does the same thing. Stays high up in the rocks only once in awhile he comes lower and thats to go into a hole in the rock that he likes.