Clam Worms

[TikiDan]

I was wondering if anybody has had any experience with clam worms in their reef tanks? I noticed that I have 2 that are about 12" to 15" long hiding in the back of my tank and I don't know if they are good or bad. the funny thing is, My tank has been running for about a year and a half and I just saw them yesterday. But, I suppose that is why I got hooked in the first place, I am always finding new life in such a small world.

 

[Vincerama2]

Can you be more explicit in your definition of "clam worm?"

Do you have a picture?

V

 

[Ti]

what is a clam worm?

 

[Sparkss]

Ditto, I have never heard of them. Pictures and/or a good link to info about them (IE: Latin name, etc) would be very helpful

 

[sfsuphysics]

My guess is he's refering to a bristleworm, in which case they'll only eat dying stuff up.

 

[Vincerama2]

Also ... Holy crap! 12-15 INCH worms in your tank !?!??!?!!!111!!!

V

 

[Nukeproof]

If they are that big, it could also be a fireworm. That will be a bad thing.

 

[TikiDan]

I am not sure what it is exactly. I found a picture of something that looked similar here
http://www.csc.noaa.gov/benthic/resources/species/species8.htm
But I am not sure exactly. I was watching one of them today, and it crawled out of a hole in a rock, extended about 12 inches, crawled backwards back into itso hole but it left a clear tube behind and started to pump out a white milky liquid. it was kind of gross. Do you know what else it might be?

 

[Sparkss]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7602623#post7602623 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sfsuphysics
My guess is he's refering to a bristleworm, in which case they'll only eat dying stuff up.

not true. Fireworms, which are a bristleworm, are predatory and can/will take down a fish. I speak from personal experience on this one.

 

[Ti]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7606030#post7606030 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Sparkss
not true. Fireworms, which are a bristleworm, are predatory and can/will take down a fish. I speak from personal experience on this one.

That's crazy, how big of a fish can they take down?

 

[Sparkss]

flameback angel for one. Adult blackcap basslet for another.

It is far from crazy, if you read up on the topic

 

[Nukeproof]

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by Sparkss
not true. Fireworms, which are a bristleworm, are predatory and can/will take down a fish. I speak from personal experience on this one.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

According to Anthony Calfo / Bob Fenner in the book Reef Invertabrate, Fireworms and Bristleworms are different. Fireworm usually comes from aquaculture rocks in Florida and are much bigger than the Bristleworm. That's at least how I remember it. I also remeber them talking about the benefits of Bristleworm in the reef tank when they spoke at SEABAY (Calfo) and the old BARE days (Fenner).

Maybe what you saw was a Bristleworm that might be scavenging on a already dead fish. I got Bristlleworms in my system since I started this hobby and I never seen Bristleworm take out a fish.

 

[Sparkss]

we got our fireworm as a hitchiker on Tonga LR. I thought I had read that both fireworms and bristleworms were polycheates. Fireworms are definitely the larger of the 2. We also have bristleworms, but not the fireworm variety (any more). Fireworms are absolultely predatory, that is what their toxin is for(hence the "fire" moniker).

 

[Qwiv]

I don't think anyone here can classify what is in this guys tank, even with a photo. It does sound like a bristleworm, but there are 100s of species, so who knows which one.

Fireworms do not attack fish. There are some predators fireworm species, but they are not fish killers unless the fish attacked one and the venom in its bristles of the worm was enough to take out the fish. Most starving fish know not to attacke a fireworm. Some fireworms eat coral (which give them the bad rap) and some eat other fauna. The only worm I know about that attach fish is a “bobbit,” worms of the genus Eunice. These live in the sand bed in burrows and will shoot out to catch a fish. They are very big and would not survive well in out tanks.

some reference (some is outdated)
http://saltaquarium.about.com/od/bristlewormprofiles/index_r.htm

 

[teachermark]

Sounds like conflicting opinions. I wonder who's right?

 

[TikiDan]

I am trying to get a picture of them , but they are camera shy....go figure.

 

[Sk8r]

The only worm/fish conflict I've experienced was when my pushy purple firefish nipped a bristleworm and ended up with a face-full of bristles, like a dog encountering a porcupine. He looked embarrassed for a few days, but the bristles finally dropped off.

I have many, many bristleworms in my tank with clams, fish, lps, sps, four at least most of a foot long, and I value them as part of the poo-processing process. If not for them, my sand would be awash in snail poo and the corals would not be able to ingest it.