Tip of the Day – 8/9/2011

Despite their overall desirable presence and beneficial role in the reef aquarium, amphipod crustaceans can actually pose as a nuisance in some instances. For example, amphipods may nip at the mantles of clams, causing the clam to take on a “pinched mantle” look. When a clam keeping hobbyist sees the misshapen mantle, they assume the worst and may take drastic measures to prevent the assumed pinched mantle before it gets out of hand. Unfortunately, the cure most hobbyists used for this clam malady is a fresh water dip, which can be quite harmful to the health of the clam and may actually do far more harm than good.