Bristle Worms and clams

[reefcrazed]

Uh Oh! I was looking at my tank tonight with a flashlight after all the lights have been out for an hour or two and I see that there are a few bristle worms (red and bluish-purple) under some of my clams. I can not tell if they are in the shells or just under them. I am concerned that they may eat and kill my clams. I have an ultra ponhepe Maxima and a Squamosa (both are like 4-5"). When I shimed the light on one of my clams I saw a bristle worm scurry in between the mantle and the shell. I have had these clams for about 6 months or so. They look very healthy during the day and expand nicely with no bleaching. Is this something I should be concerned about? What the heck should I do? Should I take my clams out of the water and examine them?

 

[jim norris]

Reefcrazed,
This is why I do not trust worms. I have handled hundreds of clams, one day I was checking this awesome 5 inch colored max out. I turned him over are there was a brittleworm halfway between his flesh and shell. No matter what I could not get that worm out. Now I had this clam for about 3 months. After afew months I lost him! Now I cannot say for sure it was the brittleworm but I will NEVER trust them. This is not intended to scare you just it is just my experience. Now why the worm was in this one clam go figure.
Jim

 

[toptank]

Yes that is something I would be concerned about. That is a downfall of placing a clam on the substrate that why I have a few 6 lines wrasse in my clam tank as they will eat them.

Take him out and examine him real well and you night consider placing him in the LR till you get your worms under control . IMO

Barry

 

[smokinreefer]

well, i have only had clams for about half a year, but i have a large population of bristleworms, including large fat ones, and i have not lost any clams except for 2 that were about 1" in size.
*read..not worm related*
HTH

 

[reefcrazed]

Thanks for the feedback. I was afraid of that. I hear all these good things about worms for the sandbed and the reef etc... and that many people do not have problems with clams etc..

Ok, then what reef safe fish will eat worms? I will get a six line wrasse, but are there any others? I thought the six line eats the predatory snails that feed on clams, no?

Any continued help would be great.

Thanks.

 

[Guy]

reefcrazed,

Has your clam stopped growing lately? I don't have very much experience keeping clams but I have seen them look great all the way up to the day they died in the tanks of fellow reefers. The only common theme is that even though the clams looked great they were not growing.

 

[reefcrazed]

Yes, my clams are growing. At least 1/4 inch in the past 4 months or so.