Will coral beauty attack a clam

[Zach Sonker]

Hello, I figured this would be a good place due to the theme. My friend got a very small coral beauty, and due to its size is being picked on in his 125gal. He asked me to put it in my 30gal biocube until it gets a little bigger. I am ok with that, it will be going in a bigger tank once it has the size required. My question is, will it attack my clam. I have a 3" clam in my tank and 2 clowns about the same size as rhe coral beauty (1.5"). I know that he may nip my corals, but im more worried about the clam. Thanks for any help!

 

[Big G]

Mine nipped at EVERYTHING until its passing.

 

[GoldeneyeRet]

Maybe, maybe not.

 

[Zach Sonker]

Maybe, maybe not.

What a philosophical answer.

 

[Zach Sonker]

Mine nipped at EVERYTHING until its passing.

Did it kill anything.

 

[Big G]

Did it kill anything.

Nope. But it did like to take a taste or two or three of everything in the tank. I've read threads where Coral Beauty's have been model citizens for years and then suddenly ate corals and had to be removed.

 

[GoldeneyeRet]

Not philosophical, just true. Maybe 50/50 It will nip and clams don't take nipping well.

 

[Maritimer]

I've got a coral beauty, a flame, and a regal in my 220 - and a maxima clam.

So far, I haven't seen any nipping, up until the recent time when I had to pull all the fish for something that looked parasitic. To be fair, the clam is more open now (nearly a month later) than he was with fish passing overhead all the time.

I do find that my coral beauty is a perpetual motion machine - always on the go, she zips all over the tank, only rarely stopping to peck at something.

~Bruce

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

the better question is.. if we had the right equipment, could we hear the clam scream when the coral beauty nips at it.

i would say the odds are 80/20 that he will bother your clam.

 

[Labridaedicted]

the better question is.. if we had the right equipment, could we hear the clam scream when the coral beauty nips at it.

i would say the odds are 80/20 that he will bother your clam.

this killed me, haha!

I've found coral beauties to be particularly fond of nipping clams and lps even as dwarf angels go. I even tried the aquacultured variety thinking that perhaps if they'd never been exposed to them they might not be as prone to nip. Still went straight to clams.

I will say that it's always a crap shoot mixing Centropyge with corals and sometimes you do get lucky. More often than not, though, your going to get a nipper. I will say, I've had a pretty good track record with potters angels not going after coral and clams, although they can be a challenge in other capacities.

 

[Zach Sonker]

Update. Coral beauty was purchased at smaller than 1". Has been in the tank for 2 months. 1 before question asked. About one month after. Has not went for clam or coral yet, clowns are keeping him in line it seems, they nipped his tail one time at first, which has grown back its minimal cosmetic damage, since, no fighting or coral or invert damage to be seen. Will update if anything changes.

 

[Zach Sonker]

And

Update. Coral beauty was purchased at smaller than 1". Has been in the tank for 2 months. 1 before question asked. About one month after. Has not went for clam or coral yet, clowns are keeping him in line it seems, they nipped his tail one time at first, which has grown back its minimal cosmetic damage, since, no fighting or coral or invert damage to be seen. Will update if anything changes.

To add, it is aquacultured.

Update. Coral beauty was purchased at smaller than 1". Has been in the tank for 2 months. 1 before question asked. About one month after. Has not went for clam or coral yet, clowns are keeping him in line it seems, they nipped his tail one time at first, which has grown back its minimal cosmetic damage, since, no fighting or coral or invert damage to be seen. Will update if anything changes.

 

[shred5]

All angels are hit or miss with clams and corals. Some are worse than other like the cherub dwarf will rarely where other are much higher chance. A coral beauty is on the higher chance for dwarf angels. Yes they can kill a clam or coral.

I have a Flameback which I would put in the middle on chance it will nip that has been a model citizen for years and now it is killing frags. So you never know and even one that has been good for years can change. Truthfully the only dwarf angel I trust is the cherub any more. If you have enough corals a nip hear or there may not be bad. I noticed my sps had all closed up and then I saw a bare patch on one and then I saw him hitting my corals.
With clams if they find they like them they will become relentless. usually by the time you notice it will be too late.

 

[cracker]

I'd be concerned about the clowns picking on the coral beauty also.