Crown Conchs and Tridacnas

[Pescaiolo]

I had a crown conch in my 55g since I set it up a year ago. It tripled in size during that time from 1" long to 3" long and still growing. Last week I bought a Tridacna clam after upgrading to halide lighting. I acclimated the new clam and set it in the tank on the sand in the low flow end of my tank with the lights off. I go downstairs for about and hour and come back upstairs to turn the lights on. I found my crown conch clamped by the clam! The snail was stretching out and taking bites out of the sunk in mantle! I took the snail out and threw him into a 10g with nothing but sand in it and few empty snail shells. The clam didn't make it, 50 bucks down the snails throat. The dang snail only cost me 5 dollars...correction 55 dollars! The clam starting gaping and started to bleach. I ended up feeding the dying clam to the snail in the 10g and I bought 3 more clams for my 55g. After 3 days I am happy to report they are doing great, since they don't have to worry about a snail eating them. Needless to say(but I'll say it anyway), if you keep clams, don't keep crown conchs! The snail might cost you more than the price tag on the dealer tank!