I first noticed it about 3-4 days ago. Its gotten to the point where the clams remain mostly closed for a goodly part of the day (or a goodly part of the day that I'm looking at them). I've moved them over fro the spot they were in, thinking it might be my royal gramma who never strays far from "his rock" on the right hand side of the tank. The clams are more towards the middle and well away from the rock so he doesn't go over that way. However, they're pretty bad and not really getting any better, not that they would miraculously heal in the 2 days that its been since I moved them but still...
Oddly enough, they're open in the evenings, usually when I'm on the computer. So I'm starting to suspect other fish. They know when I'm in the room, they do their little "feed me" dances and are trying to catch my attention. Currently, I'm looking heavily at the scopas tang who seems to be fascinated with them in an "I don't care" sort of way. Lots of drive bys, stops for points of interests but no nips when I'm looking. These poor clams are badly nipped. Well 2 of the 3 are pretty bad, one seems to be holding its own and is open more often than the others.
Anyway, I did have a point/question here. Has anyone had or heard of a scopas tang nipping at clams? I thought they were herbivores? Granted, most of my fish are a little on the odd side so this wouldn't be a shocker.
Other fish in the tank include:
powder blue, regal, bangaii, tailspot wrasse, 2 vanderbilts chromis, candy hogfish, pygmy hawkfish
If this continues I'm seriously looking at finding a temporary clamsitter clams until they either heal or something. I'm starting to wonder if nipped clams aren't sending out some sort of "I'm tasty and delicious" beacon to whoever is eating them. I have 2 other clams in the tank that are completely unharmed, one is right next to the three that are being snacked on.
ok I'll shut up now
