Jestersix

Help IDing this predator that just ate my Maxima clam

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wayne

Supporting Member
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So as I was walking by the tank this morning, I noticed out of the corner of my eye that my maxima clam didnt look right. it had this brown slime coating on it. last night it was perfectly healthy. so I frantically started googling - making it produced a mucous coating because something irritated it. I went in to check, perhaps the surrounding corals got too close. As I went to remove the mucous around it, I noticed it started to move and then I yanked this thing off it and my clam is gone. I have no idea where this thing came from or that it even existed in my tank until now.

What is it?! nudibranch? my poor maxima :( I've had this clam for more than 6 months so why now
 

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Thanks! I introduced a couple turbo snails a few weeks back that didnt survive past 24/48 hours and chalked it up to it just the roll of the dice, but now I know why. I'm so upset, it's my first clam and I was so proud of being able to keep it successfully. I'm kind of a night owl so I always look at my tank with the lights off, I'm shocked I've never seen it until now.

so it looks like flatworm exit/flatwormRx don't work on polyclad worms. anyone have any tips/hints on eradicating? I have sexy shrimp so not sure a wrasse is the move I want to make.
 
Turkeysammich said:
@wayne @CaseyP it might be a stupid question. How do you think that got into your aquarium ? Did you use live rock ? Or you think it came in on a frag ? I’ve always wondered.
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I honestly have no idea. I don't have a quarantine setup but I've dipped all my frags in ReVive and have never seen any flatworms fall off. this thing is ginormous so I feel like theres no way I would have missed it.

All my rock work I picked up as dry rock, from neptune and other reefers. The used rock were dry for a few months but I also dipped them in bleach for 24 hours before using.
 
I've caught a few over the years. I think they might survive things we normally dip with or come in super tiny/hide in cracks. Let us know what you do that kills it
 
Turkeysammich said:
Don’t kill it. Dip it in revive. See if it lives.
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Thats my plan, I havent disposed of it yet as much as I would love to kill it with fire.
Kensington Reefer said:
agreed
would be good to know what meds will kill it
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Darkxerox said:
I've caught a few over the years. I think they might survive things we normally dip with or come in super tiny/hide in cracks. Let us know what you do that kills it
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I'll try some of the flatworm meds to see if it works too, but so far the google results aren't promising. the only thing ive read so far is someone (the reef2reef link I posted above) dipped their clam in a Bayer Advanced insecticide
 
Looks like a leopard polyclad they get palm sized. Found one cruising on the glass a year ago. Also had no idea how it ended up in my tank just assumed live rock. Also they reportedly cary a deadly neurotoxin tetrodotoxin (TTX) the same toxin in our california newt, puffers and other marine organisms. Wondered why my cuc shells were piling up! Use gloves.. glad you got it in one piece since I’ve heard they can regrow. Here’s the one I found think it was around 2 1/2 inches. Haven’t seen another one but good reminder to check your tank an hour or so after complete darkness. Also make sure any ambient extra lights are off as well near the tanks and use a red led flashlight.
Good luck
Paul
 

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So since I have ReVive on hand, I figured I'd give it a go....

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I don't know if its truly dead but it reacts pretty strongly so having it somehow get past the 15 min dip is bewildering.

maybe it hitchhiked on the clam itself or maybe a turbo snail? since those didn't get dipped or quarantined
 
wayne said:
So since I have ReVive on hand, I figured I'd give it a go....

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I don't know if its truly dead but it reacts pretty strongly so having it somehow get past the 15 min dip is bewildering.

maybe it hitchhiked on the clam itself or maybe a turbo snail? since those didn't get dipped or quarantined
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This is great info thanks @wayne ! Maybe throw it back into clean seawater now to see if it recovers.
 
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