Clam with shrimp living within

[shan]

Hi Sara,

Viper and Jacques suggested i post this here as you may be able to assist.

I, by pure luck, managed to find a small shrimp living inside my maxima clam. The clam shows no signs of distress and shows signs of growth.

Inorder to get the pic, i had to shoot 5ml of coral frenzy into the clams mouth so that it would open up. I know this was not a brillant idea but the clam was all fine after these pics were taken.

What i want to know:
1. Is my clam fine with this type of relationship?
2. Is this documented?
3. If documented, what shrimp is it?
4. Do i need to do anything specific? not too sure how to ask this last question as i do not know what i am dealing with.


here are 2 pics







thanks

shan

[leslie hempel]

wow thats cool.

[sihaya]

Hello Shan, welcome.

You are not alone! WWM has had a few inqueries about these little shrimp. At some point, one of the crew members (I think it was AnthC) got in contact with Daniel Knop (clam afficiando). The shrimp is a bit of a parasite, but perhaps not so much that you need to remove it (especially if there's only one in a relatively good sized clam). You can try to remove it if you want, but you might end up doing more damage than good. If it were me, so long as the clam appears happy and healthy, I'd leave it be.

Sorry I don't have the specific name of the little critter at the moment... but I'll try and find it for you.

Thank for sharing the pics!
Sara

[shan]

Thanks Sara

[gaz19]

i also have on in my largest clam! can only see it every now and then. i have tried many times to get pics but they come out blurry. i have had mine for nealry a year and it seems fine. hope it stays that way

[shan]

a year and no problems Gaz - makes me feel much better

[gaz19]

when i first saw it i nearly shat my pants! couldnt believe it. was ment to start a thread but couldnt get a pick and didnt want every one to think im smoking my socks over here

[crispin]

Originally Posted by gaz19

when i first saw it i nearly shat my pants! couldnt believe it. was ment to start a thread but couldnt get a pick and didnt want every one to think im smoking my socks over here

i thought u did that anyway, but that was perhaps cause i see you are a durban boy!

nice thread and pics, very interesting

[gaz19]

Originally Posted by crispin

i thought u did that anyway, but that was perhaps cause i see you are a durban boy!

nice thread and pics, very interesting

i ment when i first saw my clam with a shrimp inside it. im sure you would also do the same not knowing weather or not you may loose your largest clam

[viper357]

Originally Posted by gaz19

when i first saw it i nearly shat my pants! couldnt believe it. was meant to start a thread but couldnt get a pic and didnt want every one to think im smoking my socks over here

Classic, that's gotta be the post of the year

[leslie hempel]

Originally Posted by viper357

Classic, that's gotta be the post of the year

its definatley one of the funniest ive heard...

[mantisfreak]

Originally Posted by sihaya

Sorry I don't have the specific name of the little critter at the moment... but I'll try and find it for you.

Commensal shrimps that live in Tridacnids are from the Family Palaemondidae ( from the Anchistus, Conchodytes or Paranchistus genera). They clean the clams gills looking for food.

photo courtesy of Barry Neigut

[sunburst]

Incredible. Strange that public awareness is so thin. Wonder what the future will reveal about this relatonship. Great pics and thanks for sharing Shan