Remember my complaints about a clown getting cozy with our clam? Well... in rearranging the tank, I was rather cocky and sat the clam directly in front of the majestic angel's favorite cave.

A few days later the majestic finally started showing some non-reef safe colors and began nipping at the clam. We were a bit surprised because we've never caught him nipping at anything (past fish that particularly irritate him) ... he's going for the clam pretty good at this point (although the clam shows minimal signs of nipping on his mantle and is opening back up well)

We've moved the majestic to the 'fuge, re-arranged the tank so and are trying to decide which to keep long-term. I'd like to think that rearranging the tank, keeping the majestic in time-out for a week or two, and moving the clam back to a high-spot might discourage the behavior but I'm not very confident...

That will be an interesting decision on your part as to what you decide if the angel does not stop.
I do enjoy my clam, but for me fish are a little bit harder to replace tham a clam. I can always find a clam that has done well in aquariums, or have been captive raised in aquariums. Fish are a different story. When you acquire another fish and go through the rigorous QT in the hopes the fish will eat and not have any problems while in QT. Then after the qt period, hope he gets along well with other tank mates is a bigger deal to me than finding another clam that does well.

I'm just worried that if he likes the taste of this clam, that he might acquire a taste for clams in general... and if the positive reinforcement of nipping random things in the aquarium will progress towards nipping softies, LPS, SPS...

I agree with you - I would keep the majestic hands down versus that one clam. I'm much more concerned with this being a major road block for stocking a mixed reef...

The subject matter made me jump in to you!!! fish know how to get your attention dont they?


Can I have the clam? oh that wasnt nice.



can you reach in the tank at Majestic every time you see her head of the clam? A year ago, I would never have dreamed of sayingthat, but I have fish that hide when I approach the tank, they know they did wrong. Fish are so amazing.



Good luck to you, I hope you can work out a deal with Majestic;)

lin wrote:Can I have the clam? oh that wasnt nice.

I'll give ya a good deal on it...

lin wrote:can you reach in the tank at Majestic every time you see her head of the clam?

I could (we keep full gloves laying around) but I used similar tactics on our Koran angel (before we rehomed it to acquire the majestic) when it was harassing things, and all it accomplished was it made the Koran sneaky about it - he would only harass when he couldn't see me (and he looked for my reflection to see if I was around the corner too! I know he did because he would stare at me while I was staring at him through the reflection..!!!)

good for me, but is he still alive? poor thing.


I believe you about the sneaky fish. I had hesitated to tell any one about my oscars looking through a frosted glass then the salt water tank to see me. At one time, I just thought it was normal fish behavior, they would look for anyone, but its me they are after. I will go ahead and tell this..... I have an oscar that grabs the algae tab, swims around with it in his mouth, lets go of it, flips it up and grabs it again. He puts on quite the show. I had to move the pleco out, I wasnt sure he was getting fed. darn silly fish.



Whats the latest on ((our)) clam?

LOL it's still alive. I cant see any nips/damage on the mantle at this point (it amazes me how quick aquatic life heals!) and he's pushing his mantle wiiiiiide open!

When I said he started nipping, I truly meant he just started. We watch the tank very closely every day (particularly for fish-on-fish and fish-on-coral harassment)... majestic didn't have a chance to tear it up.

We reintroduced the majestic once the tank was rearranged sufficiently with the clam up high (majestic doesn't swim high)...he hasn't harassed the clam for the last 4 hours and clam is staying wide open while the lights are on, but we aren't anywhere close to trusting him yet. He's on 6 month probation

6 months!!! wasnt that a first offense? maybe it took a tough sentence to make him swim right.

glad things a better for the moment. Have you thought of about getting a 24 hr web cam that people can see whats going? you might get help that way.

lin wrote::o 6 months!!! wasnt that a first offense? maybe it took a tough sentence to make him swim right.

Maybe I didn't use the right term... he's on very close observation for the next 6 months and if he nips something again, something's going to leave the tank!

lin wrote:glad things a better for the moment. Have you thought of about getting a 24 hr web cam that people can see whats going? you might get help that way.

You are the 5th person to suggest that to me in the last 3 months! I might have trouble ever actually doing work in the office if I had a webcam I could watch the fish on It's a very good idea though and we're seriously considering it.



Thank you!

I think its called Close Confinment. poor guy.
I agree a web cam would not be a good idea, I hadnt thought about my eyes looking over at the tv all the time while Im trying to work.



Maybe a tank divider the next time. I think they are a pain to put together, but Im sure it would work.