extreme large bristle worm went into clam

[sendiewestlake]

Yesterday, I saw this huge grey worm with white bristles come out of a rock and went into the bottom of my clam. I got twisers and grabed the clam out of the water and took it to the sink and pulled a portion of it out, but couldn't get the rest as it was going in the clam. A friend told me to put the clam in a bowl of water (from the tank) and let it sit and the worm might come out. Well, I let it sit there for almost an hour and the worm didn't come out. I put the clam back in the tank and now its mantle is retracted and I am worried sick. I have had this clam for almost 2 years. Does anyone know if this will kill my clam. I don't know what else to do. Thank you for any help.

 

[Highlander]

IME if the worm could get into the clam, the clam was probably sick and gaping. Bristle worms should not bother a healthy clam.

 

[sendiewestlake]

It wasn't gaping. I have had this clam for almost two years. It was just sitting there and the worm sent underneath it. I can't imagine that it was sick. It looked normal.

 

[Highlander]

I hope that your clam is ok, but it is sometimes difficult to tell. I recently had a squamosa die which looked perfect till the day I noticed a bristleworm and emerald crab inside it!! Turned out it had been attacked by pyramid snails but looked fine up to that point. A healthy clam should really retract and close up the second you touch it IME.

 

[sendiewestlake]

Thanks to both of you for your advice. I guess I was hoping beyond hope....It is now retracting even more. It makes me sick when one of my animals die. Thanks again.

 

[cwbroden]

Sorry to hear about this. Does not sound good for that clam.

 

[Charlie Davidson]

What happened? Hope your clam is OK!!!!

 

[koj11]

I would try taking the clam out in a bucket of your tank water like you did before, but put in some sort of food that normally brings your worms out. Maybe then you could grab him. I've never kept a clam, so I don't know how well they fare with different treatments, but a freshwater dip would surely bring the worm out as well. good luck.

 

[Julio]

brittleworms can hurt clams no matter what, if you have baby clams sitting on sand they can easily kill them and if it went into the clam then is most likely atacking it.

 

[sendiewestlake]

Just wanted to let everyone know that my clam is still hanging on. It is not totally opened up, but almost with mantel looking pretty good. I don't think it is over yet, but it might just make it. I have been waiting until all of the lights out and then after about an hour I get my long twisers and I have gotten about ten or so of these worms that are at least 10 inches long. In the disposal they go. I hate doing that,l but I don't really have a choice. I love my clam. Thanks for all of your help. So far so good.

 

[Julio]

you might want to prop the clam up on some rocks so more worms don't come and bother it. or on a piece of pvc.

 

[BKtomodachi]

Wow... those are a lot of big bw's. For future help I might add a small trap to get the small ones out before they grow big too.

 

[Julio]

the traps dont' work very well, you are better off just putting a silverside inside a nylon mesh bag and you will catch them better this way.