Derasa and Brisstleworms

[codybug]

A LFS told me that brisstleworms can harm my clam. Is this true? My Derasa isn't looking as healthy as it has. I keep it on the liverock. Should I keep it in the sand? Maybe where the worms can't get at it? I thought brisstleworms were good for clean-up and did no real harm to anything. Did my LFS give me bad info?

thanks

 

[Omar H]

IÃ"šÃ‚´ve got bristleworms in my tank and waht I do is put something underneath buried in the sand so my clams will be able to dig in and still find something (that can be moved) to attach to. The worms IÃ"šÃ‚´ve got seem more interested in scavanging than actually going after corals and clams, but I could not tell for sure. The only thing that I can tell you is that they are all over the sand and so far they have not hurt my T Maxima.

Now, derasas are fast growing clams that place significant demands of nutrients from the water, if you are keeping it in a 15 gallon reef, that could be part of the problem. Any recent changes in its environment? How long have you had it? Another problem with clams is that when they're starving (lack of nutrients) usually you donÃ"šÃ‚´t find out until it's too late. And then you see crabs, fish or worms going after it and tend to think that X, Y, Z must had killed it when in fact it was already dead or very close to it.

There may be other problems instead/additional to the worms.

Omar

 

[codybug]

I've had it for about 7 months and its been doing great. Just recently it seems not to like it on the rocks. Like somethings irritating it. Nothing has changed in the tank. I keep my calcium on the highside. I think it will be OK - just thought I would ask about the bristleworm thing.

Thanks

 

[moumda]

There are worms that attack clams (attack the foot) but it's not a bristle worm. Try posting in Shimek's forum for better info.

 

[killereef]

I have three different clams in my tanks and bristle worm. My clams are doing great. Bristle will only eat things that are dead or going to die (sometime). How much light do you have?

 

[Electrobes]

I purposely keep bristleworms in my 40g Breeder with 8 clams in there. They are purely scavengers and will not harm your clam. They will however start eating a very much dying clam... which is where they get their mythology as being clam attackers and killers.

Derasas are sand dwelling clams, and are lower light clams. That is not to say that they hate halides, but they are more easily bleached by too much light. If you can leave it on the sand, it will be much happier there.