Flatworms and Clams

PuffJob

New member
I am an experienced reefkeeper, but clams are relatively new to me. I have had some succes I own a few small maximas. However being somewhat ignorant of clam care I wanted to ask a stupid question. Latly we havehad a small colonization of flatworms in our tank, they have seemed pretty benign, but I do notice they like to park thier annoying little bodies all over the shells of my clams. Does anyone think that these flatworms could be harmful?

-Meg
 
I have the ugly reddish brown flatworms too and I checked with Dr. Ron before getting my clams. They're fine. They do like to sun themselves on the clams shells but I've yet to find one on or even near the mantle.
 
In Daniel Knop's book "Giant Clams" he talks about this on page 110.

"Oysters and mussel are parasitized by several species of Planaria (Littlewood and Marsbe 1990), but in the <i>Tridacnidae</i> only one species of the family <i>Stylochidae</i> has been <b>described</b> and only in <i>T. Gigas</i>."

It goes on to describe the flatworms as being "very small and of brownish coloration". They enter the clam through the byssus orifice and can kill the clam.

Now, what to make of all this. Well, if Flame indicates that Dr. Ron says it will be ok...then why not. I respect his opinion on most everything. Besides Knop only indicates this happening with one species of the family. Although, from his description it sounds earily familiar to the reddish brown planaria widespread through the hobby today.

I guess it will be up to the rest of us to monitor and report and negative effects on our Clams with planaria present.

Anyone else keeping clams in a system with lots of planaria??

FWIW
 
I have Knop's book too. He also mentions bristleworms as predators of clams. I have bristleworms in the thousands and flatworms in the tens of thousands. If Knop is right my clams should really be dead by now.

I guess I consider Dr. Ron's information to be more up to date at this point. Considering it would be impossible to rid my tank of bristleworms and, try and I may, the flatworms don't seem to be going anywhere, I'm REALLY hoping he's right. I may be singing a different tune if I wake up one morning to a dead clam full of bristleworms and flatworms.

Here is the link to the post with Dr. Ron's opinions on clams with bristleworms and flatworms:
http://www.reefcentral.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=81213
 
I'm glad to know that the common flatworm isn't a problem for clams. I have some of the reddish ones in my tank....not alot and I do remove some at each cleaning...but it's nearly impossible to remove them all. Good to know they won't bother my clam as I have seen a couple of them on the rock the clam is on.
Thanks for the info!:D
 
lets talk hermits. why are they pestering and attacking very healthy clams. they have all lived together for over 2 years.


SCOTT
 
I do not trust hermit crabs. They'll eat anything - snails, even each other. Before I set up my tank I read that they also eat deep sand bed critters so I didn't put any in my tank. I wouldn't trust them with clams.
 
I guess I must disagree but then that what makes the world go around. :) I just don't trust worms with clams.

Some have no problems with them and then I have heard that some people have found their clams full of worms the day after they put the clam in the tank. Yes I know that if a clam isn't up to par,he can release a mucus that will attract some worms. My thinking process is that if a clam is in some sort of stress and releases that mucus without all these worms then maybe he would have a chance to over come in stress. I have had a few clams that I thought wouldn't make it and put them in a small Q-tank with no sand and left him in there for a few day with nothing to bother him/her and when he/she looked better put him back in to display tank and has done great since. Now would he have had a chance to recover from the stress or whatever if he had remained in the tank with worms, don't think so.

He is a good example. Received a beautiful back tiger from Jim Norris about 6 months ago. After acclimating and then placing into the tank my copperband went after him like there was no tomorrow. The clam finally gave up after the 4 attack and opened up and was gapping so much that I could have place a quarter in him. Took him out of the tank and put him into a 15 gallon tank with the same water that was in the display tank and placed him on a PVC ring with low lights and feed DT's for a week in which time he was back to his self, now if I would have left him in that tank and had lots of worms would he have survived, my guess would be no. Oh, by the way the copperband is no longer in my tank. :)

I don't care what anyone says if worms get hungry and you have that clam on the sand or even in the rock work, he will enter that clams through the byssal aperture and eat him.

JMO.

Just something to think about.
 
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