Too many inverts to add a clam?

[New&no clue]

I love inverts! They are my favorite part of my tank. I have always wanted to add a clam, and I finally have lights that I think will support them. However, now I am worried that my obsession with inverts may have created an unsafe space for a clam to live. I have a mixed reef, and no one has touched any of the corals, but I know a clam is a different story. My tank is 180 gallons with a crew of anthias. Because of this, I feed the tank 3-4 times a day. Twice with pellets and flakes from an auto feeder, and 1-2 with frozen. Below is a list of inverts I have

Blue leg hermits
Red leg hermits
Emerald crab
Porcelain crab
Arrow crab
Pin cushion urchins
Cucumbers
Tiger conches
Skunk cleaners
Fire shrimp
Peppermint shrimp
Pistol shrimp
Sexy shrimp
Anemone shrimp
Turbo snails
Trochus snails
Astraea snails
Cerith snails
Nerite snails
Nassarius snails

I do have a large refugium (20ish gallons) that I could move inverts to. I also have another 30 gallons softy tank that I could move some stuff to.

 

[lapin]

I would be suspect of the crabs. You could just watch and see who steals food and irritates the clam.

 

[Rmckoy]

That’s a lot of inverts …..

 

[New&no clue]

I was thinking about putting it into some sort of cage while acclimating to the lights. Then I could see if anyone was picking at it.

 

[DeniseAndy]

The biggest issue I see is the peppermint shrimp (maybe the other shrimp). I had some peppermint shrimp that bothered my baby clams so much, they would not open and perished. I now have them in tanks no where near my shrimp.
If the clams is larger (4-5" and aquarium conditioned), should be no issues I see.

 

[xjiang7]

You may have better chance with a bigger clam. I put my clams on top of a 2 inch pvc union to lift it from anything can bother it on sand bed

 

[SantaMonica]

I too have heard that the size of the clam is a major factor.

 

[Rmckoy]

Typically and generally speaking . Most clams are easier to care for after they’re 2”
Anything smaller can be a bit harder to care for properly .

 

[MartinM]

I have a lot of those invert also along with ten clams that are quite happy and nobody bothers them. I do feed a lot, though, so everyone stays full.

 

[DeniableArc]

I love inverts! They are my favorite part of my tank. I have always wanted to add a clam, and I finally have lights that I think will support them. However, now I am worried that my obsession with inverts may have created an unsafe space for a clam to live. I have a mixed reef, and no one has touched any of the corals, but I know a clam is a different story. My tank is 180 gallons with a crew of anthias. Because of this, I feed the tank 3-4 times a day. Twice with pellets and flakes from an auto feeder, and 1-2 with frozen. Below is a list of inverts I have

Blue leg hermits
Red leg hermits
Emerald crab
Porcelain crab
Arrow crab
Pin cushion urchins
Cucumbers
Tiger conches
Skunk cleaners
Fire shrimp
Peppermint shrimp
Pistol shrimp
Sexy shrimp
Anemone shrimp
Turbo snails
Trochus snails
Astraea snails
Cerith snails
Nerite snails
Nassarius snails

I do have a large refugium (20ish gallons) that I could move inverts to. I also have another 30 gallons softy tank that I could move some stuff to.

Just to be clear is there any inverts you don’t currently have lol

 

[New&no clue]

Just to be clear is there any inverts you don’t currently have lol

Yes, a mantis shrimp… some day maybe