Is ANYONE (besides me) keeping (or kept) a raccoon butterfly in a tank with clams?

Delphinus · #1 08-23-2009, 05:25 AM

I never see my raccoon pick at the clams. I try to observe a lot, and I just haven't seen him show interest in the clams. To wit, I DID notice he was doing damage to a brain coral (which subsequently got moved into a different tank and recovered.) So I'd like to think I'd notice if he was doing something to the clams. But just I don't see any evidence of it.

BUT ... since his introduction, I have lost 4 clams. Clams that were otherwise doing really well until recently.

2 + 2 = ?

I really hate jumping to conclusions without evidence .. but I hate losing clams even more.

achilles101 · #2 08-23-2009, 05:49 AM

Im have raccoon in 75g and just recently it started nipping my clams. it is always knocking/picking up corals too I set up video camera to see who was knocking over corals and was surprised to see raccoon picking them up and knipping corals

Delphinus · #3 08-23-2009, 06:39 AM

Wounds me to get rid of the guy because I like him a lot but I think the writing is on the wall. Drives me nuts that I haven't seen him nip at the clams but I suppose short of setting up the vid cam like you did, there's no way to know for sure.

What are you noticing on the clams themselves? Do you see nip damage or are they just sort of withdrawing into themselves and/or withering away? I was sort of expecting to see bite marks or something but I don't see it on the clams that are unhappy. The remaining 8 clams are happy as .. well, clams, so far, so it's not a systemic system-wide shutdown of the clams at this point, it seems to be more of a one-by-one sort of thing.

Lance · #4 08-23-2009, 02:22 PM

Tony, if your Racoon is anything like my CBB and Bannerfish, it's probably doing the deed during lights out. My two butterflies are very active in the dark, actively looking for food.

i have crabs · #5 08-23-2009, 03:50 PM

mine started nipping at my clams, he was doing it for probably close to 2 months before i cought him. the crocea wasnt extending much and was very jumpy anytime a fish went past, and the squamosia didnt care much, he never did any damage but he definatly was picking, he was also very busy chomping on the million other things in the tank so the clams might not have been the main target which is why they were ok. in the week after removing the raccoon the crocea is doing much better and acting normal again.

BMW Rider · #6 08-23-2009, 04:24 PM

If you decide he needs a new home, I have one for him. I've got a mess of freaking mojano that I'm struggling to get rid of if he needs a good feeding. They can hide in spots where I can't get them and they seem immune to most everything I try to use to kill them. I'd be willing to suffer some coral damage to him if he can help me get these pests under control.

Delphinus · #7 08-23-2009, 08:58 PM

It took him a while but he did clear the tank of what could have been hundreds of majano. It came down to trying the butterfly or removing the rock, some 150lbs of it, and letting it dry out and/or powerwash it. Really didn't want to do that so I guess it was a calculated risk.

Ed, I'd offer him out, but catching him will be the real trick. If I do get to the point I'm ready to catch my fish and transfer them to the new tank, that would be the ideal time to farm him out. We can discuss a temporary farm out or a permanent rehoming then (since he's small he can do OK in a smaller tank that we can move majano'd rock into)..

i have crabs · #8 08-23-2009, 09:26 PM

the only way i could catch mine was to wait untill the middle of the night then flick on the light and scoop him up while half dazed.

BMW Rider · #9 08-23-2009, 10:04 PM

Let me know what you decide Tony. I think I need to find one to get this mojano under control. I don't like the prospect of dismantling the tank to try to clean the rock any more than you did. Like you said, its worth the risk to try one at this point. The mojano are affecting some of the corals now, so I either sacrifice them to the mojano or take a chance on the racoon butterfly. At least I don't have a clam anymore, so that won't be an issue.

I could trade you my nasty old domino damsel for him