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View Full Version : Bristtleworm under my Squamosa! HELP!!!


NPCivic
01/28/2004, 01:17 AM
As I was looking around in my tank, I decided to check underneath my Squamosa and to my surprise I found a good size bristtleworm (5-6") underneath him. :eek2: I immediately removed that bristtleworm, hoping it did not do any serious damage to my clam. I'm new to keeping clams and I've had this clam for about 2 months now and I don't want to lose it. I have read that bristtleworms doesn't go after clams that are healthy and my squamosa opens up very nicely everyday and don't show any signs of stress at all. I've checked my water parameters and they all show up fine. My question is, is there something that I should look for that shows signs that the bristtleworm did damage underneath my clam? Or is my clam on its last days?:( Please help!!!!

outdoorandmore
01/28/2004, 02:13 AM
How large is your clam and how often does it purge water during the day?

firechild
01/28/2004, 04:55 AM
The worm is just making a home under your clam as it would a rock or anything else. I have 6 clams on my sandbed and all of them have at least 1/2 a dozen worms that live underneath them. It is perfectly normal and should not concern you.

NPCivic
01/28/2004, 12:14 PM
-outdoorandmore-
the size of the clam is 3.5" and what do you mean by "purge?"

-Firechild-
I did not know that bristtleworms would a home underneath a clam. I have always read that it is bad a sign to find bristtleworms underneath your clam but if you say that it is not something to worry about, then I will take your word for it. Right now, it opened up like usual and it did not change position last night like it has been the past few nights. That's probably why it was changing position, maybe the bristtleworm was irritating it <---but that's just a hunch. Thanks for the replys.

outdoorandmore
01/28/2004, 04:13 PM
Purging is when the clam retracts so quickly and forcefully that it pushes the water through itself, thus purging.
I hope that makes sense.

NPCivic
01/29/2004, 12:49 PM
It does it when food particles fall inside its mouth and that is the only time that it does it. Does that sound okay? Lately he hasn't been doing that, but this morning I checked under him again and fortunatly nothing was under him. That is a good thing.

outdoorandmore
01/29/2004, 02:47 PM
Great...your clam seems to be behaving normally.
I think you should be ok.

NPCivic
01/30/2004, 12:20 AM
Thanks for the replies.