Part of clam eaten - will he survive?

Crustoceous · May 1, 2020

Last night I discovered that one of my hermits was doing a bit more than just cleaning around my crocea clam - it had started to eat it starting at the bottom edge working its way up. It's about a 3" clam, and it ate about 1/4" of mantel and tissue. It's hard to see exactly what the damage was but there is no ornamental tissue left on this bottom edge. The inhalant siphon may or may not be damaged. It still responds to activity around it, and the remaining mantle is open and displayed. It is not 100% open for obvious reason. Does anyone have any experience with this? Is he a gonner, doomed to slowly die or is it possible he will grow back the missing tissue?

The crab was banished to the sump for eternity...

DeniseAndy · May 1, 2020

Only instance I have had is a red footed "reef safe" conch that actually ate two of my clams before I stopped it. A 4" derasa and a 12" squammy. It too was banished. Mine did not make it. The derasa was damaged and eaten. The squammy I found it on top of it and tried to get off in time. I was not in time.
Hard to say with yours. Mine went for the whole inside first. Not just the mantel. Watch and see. Best you can do.
Life on the reef is hard.

DeniseAndy · May 1, 2020

It happened overnight and I did not know the actual problem until I found it the one morning still on the squammy.

drblakjak55 · May 1, 2020

Ouch

Crustoceous · May 1, 2020

Yea it's painful to see. I can't get a clear picture but here's an attempt... There's clearish muscle down inside that isn't touched, it looks like just the colored part was torn off... There's a flap of skin that's waving around that is still attached on the left side, that is what the dark portion is that is in front of the intake. I can't really tell the condition of the intake but it might be partially torn.

DeniseAndy · May 1, 2020

That is not looking good, but there is always hope. Even if slim.

Softhammer · May 1, 2020

It’s a goner. Sorry to break the news but I have never seen a clam recover from that. However, I doubt very seriously that the hermit caused it, if it’s a normal, usual clean up crew species. 99% chance that the clam was on its way out and the hermit was doing its job..scavenging.

Hydrored · May 1, 2020

I agree it's done. How new is your tank?

Crustoceous · May 1, 2020

Tank is about three months old. Clam was doing well, and it is now extending fully, what's left of him - and very reactive. Unless he's a zombie clam, I don't really understand how he could have been on his way out previously? It was a dwarf zebra clam that did this.

DeniseAndy · May 1, 2020

I have found the dwarf zebra crabs to like to eat snails. Never had one near my clams though. Hope it pulls through.

Crustoceous · May 1, 2020

DeniseAndy said:
I have found the dwarf zebra crabs to like to eat snails. Never had one near my clams though. Hope it pulls through.

Thanks. Yea he never seemed to bother the snails. I suppose moral support is all I can give it now.

reef lover · May 2, 2020

Ohh poor baby! I hope he pulls through for you.

Softhammer · May 2, 2020

Glad to hear it’s still kicking!

bsagea · May 2, 2020

A clam will regenerate it's mantle if it's healthy. Three months is a short amount of time for a clam to be introduced into a system. It can actually take months and months for a clam to perish if it's not receiving the intense lighting it needs to survive. If it's showing good growth then hopefully the mantle is the only part of the clam that the crab attacked.
bsa

OrionN · May 5, 2020

That last picture looks bad. The Crocea actually have good growth on the edge so he cannot be that bad off prior to this attack.
Good luck with him. He is going to need it if he is to survive the wound showed in that last picture.