Neon Goby and Dursa Clam compatible?

[Rogue951]

you sure that urchin isn't making it shrink up?
Maybe put the clam so it's got more space to open up? Looks tight up against the glass.
(and the pic is inverted btw... )

I've seen gobies sit on clams at the store all the time without issue. Some even into the opening of the clam.

[tim the toolman]

I have a crocea clam that was being picked on by my cleaner wrasse and was refusing to ever open up fully. I moved the clam to the other side of the tank to see if it would make a difference and also moved it up off the sanded a couple inches onto a rock ledge. Since this change the wrasse leaves the clam alone. Has remained happy and unbothered for the last six months. Coincidence maybe, and obviously a wrasse and goby are different but that's just my experience.

[monocus]

it most likely is eating parasites on the clam

[Treebeard]

I really doubt it's the goby. My neon goby's favourite perch is on top of one of my clams and the clam is so used to it that it doesn't even flinch when the goby parks itself. The goby uses the clam as it's home base cleaning station.

[dotsfriend]

Thanks for the input - all is well. I should have said that the urchin wasn't normally on it and the pinching had been going on for weeks. While I had put the clam in more-or-less the middle of the tank (width-wise) it had moved itself close to the glass. Since it put itself there I assumed that's where it would do best.

I moved the clam over a week ago back to the middle and pushed it deeper into the sand. It now opens fully each day and no more pinched mantle!

I guess like people they don't always make the best choices for themselves. Thanks for the input!