Giant Clam Safety?

teddscau · 05/14/2018, 08:47 AM

Hey guys, I'm planning on putting two pairs of dragonface pipefish in my new 90g reef tank (I'm not getting the pipefish until next summer). I'm designing it to be a freaking oasis for them. Lots of places to hide, good circulation without being overwhelming, macroalgae and a bit of sea grass (still need to order those plants...), non-photosynthetic gorgonians, lots of copepods, etc.

Anyways, I was hoping to put a clam in the tank. However, I read that pipefish can accidentally startle the clam, causing it to clamp shut on them, causing both the pipefish and clam to die. Is this fear mongering, or is it legit? Should I skip the clam? I've always wanted a giant clam, but if it could hurt my (future) pipefish...

teddscau · 05/14/2018, 08:49 AM

Oops! I meant photosynthetic gorgonians!

vlangel · 05/14/2018, 11:29 AM

I know clams are not safe with seahorses but I am not sure how real the risk is with pipefish.

kizanne · 05/15/2018, 06:13 AM

I'd skip the clam. My dragonface lay all over everything, and they still use their tail to hold onto things. I think they would face the same or worse danger than seahorses.

teddscau · 05/15/2018, 08:14 AM

Darn, I kind of wanted a clam, but you're the one with the pipefish, so you'd know

.

kizanne · 05/15/2018, 09:50 AM

Well I don't have a clam so it isn't definitive.

But dragonfaces almost never are freely swimming they drape and dangle and even when they have their torso up to get something they usually have a tail on something for balance type thing.

05/14/2018, 08:47 AM	#1
teddscau Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Canada Posts: 214	Giant Clam Safety? Hey guys, I'm planning on putting two pairs of dragonface pipefish in my new 90g reef tank (I'm not getting the pipefish until next summer). I'm designing it to be a freaking oasis for them. Lots of places to hide, good circulation without being overwhelming, macroalgae and a bit of sea grass (still need to order those plants...), non-photosynthetic gorgonians, lots of copepods, etc. Anyways, I was hoping to put a clam in the tank. However, I read that pipefish can accidentally startle the clam, causing it to clamp shut on them, causing both the pipefish and clam to die. Is this fear mongering, or is it legit? Should I skip the clam? I've always wanted a giant clam, but if it could hurt my (future) pipefish...

05/15/2018, 06:13 AM	#4
kizanne Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: North Florida Posts: 646	I'd skip the clam. My dragonface lay all over everything, and they still use their tail to hold onto things. I think they would face the same or worse danger than seahorses. __________________ Successfully bred: Banggai, Lined Seahorse, Saltwater Mollies, from egg dwarf cuttlefish, peppermint shrimp, Opae Shrimp. Saltbabies.com Algae Barn Discount Code: saltbabies15 Current Tank Info: 120 gallon seahorse/flame angel/sharknose/pipefish tank. 30 gallon grow out, misc. other tanks

05/15/2018, 09:50 AM	#6
kizanne Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: North Florida Posts: 646	Well I don't have a clam so it isn't definitive. But dragonfaces almost never are freely swimming they drape and dangle and even when they have their torso up to get something they usually have a tail on something for balance type thing. __________________ Successfully bred: Banggai, Lined Seahorse, Saltwater Mollies, from egg dwarf cuttlefish, peppermint shrimp, Opae Shrimp. Saltbabies.com Algae Barn Discount Code: saltbabies15 Current Tank Info: 120 gallon seahorse/flame angel/sharknose/pipefish tank. 30 gallon grow out, misc. other tanks

05/14/2018, 08:49 AM	#2
teddscau Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Canada Posts: 214	Oops! I meant photosynthetic gorgonians!

05/14/2018, 11:29 AM	#3
vlangel Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 2,409	I know clams are not safe with seahorses but I am not sure how real the risk is with pipefish.

05/15/2018, 08:14 AM	#5
teddscau Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Canada Posts: 214	Darn, I kind of wanted a clam, but you're the one with the pipefish, so you'd know .