Bristle worm invasion

sumpfinfishe · #1 10-18-2002, 05:24 PM

I'm posting this thread with little information. My roomate shinned in on his 60 gl reef last night to find two bristle worms eating his small(2") derasa clam. That's all the info I could get! He wanted me to ask you all if any of you fellow reefers have had similar problems, and if so, do you have any suggestions for catching these critters?

Delphinus · #2 10-18-2002, 05:35 PM

Leave the worms be. They're beneficial -- they were only doing their job as scavengers.

I know it appears that they have predated upon the clam, but, that means the clam was doomed, dying, or dead. They will NOT touch a healthy clam. The only thing I am not sure of, is, if the clam is stressed, but not necessarily doomed, but maybe it emits some kind of scent still that attracts the scavengers. Even in such a case, worms aren't the problem -- if it isn't the worms that do it in, then the copepods will, or the shrimp, or the hermits .... apparently, nothing tastes better than meat of a distressed clam. So unfortunately, someone will move in.

So, unfortunately, the clam is in trouble (most likely, already gone). But, don't blame the worms.

Sorry!

Aquattro · #3 10-18-2002, 05:45 PM

Tony, I concur. Long before we can tell a clam is dying, the scavengers will move in. As far as I know, the only worms that prey on clams bore holes thru the shell.

sumpfinfishe · #4 10-19-2002, 12:33 AM

Well I think his clam is toast, I was looking at it today and I saw one of the worms near bye. I agree Tony, I just thought to put the :?: out there. I heard from a goood source that his derasa and his junior maxima were a bad shipment that all contained parasitic snails. The maxima died after only 3 days and noe the derasa, I know my roomies tank is in good condition(water quality) so I'm going to believe the source. Also my roomie wants to know if anyone has ever made a homemade trap for bristle worms-any suggestions on how to.

Bob I · #5 10-19-2002, 03:50 PM

I have seen brisleworm traps at my LFS, but my advice is the same as Tony's ie. let them be. They are beneficial scavengers. Some of us love to see them in our tanks. Other people go out and buy them to put in their tanks.

naesco · #6 10-19-2002, 04:33 PM

I agree with everyone else.
Tell your roomie to save his money on the trap and invest it in larger (and much more expensive) clams.
These little two inch guys simply don't make it in most reefers tanks.

Troy F · #7 10-19-2002, 05:57 PM

I'd like to add that without a lot of light, no clam is going to make it whether you feed or not. Minimum lighting for any of the Tridacna spp. clams is PC or VHO. The reason I mention this is that I read on one thread that someone kept clams under NO lighting with minor feeding.