1 oz of bristle worms under my clams (Picture)

[whatcaneyedo]

I was feeding my fish today and noticed that my large Squamosa clam's mantle was looking pinched while the Derasa and Maxima looked normal so I thought I'd investigate. When I lifted it up I disrupted a pretty large mass of bristle worms hiding out underneath. Most of which were the usual light pink with a little bit of grey but a few were completely grey and a bit fatter looking. Now I've always had worms in my tank but I've never worried too much about them. However I do occasionally pull out the really big ones when I see them simply because they gross me out. Well there were at least three pretty big ones (4-5") under the clam so I plucked them all out with some tweezers. The clams appearance changed immediately and is now fully extended they way it usually looks. I've had the Squamosa since last August and its put on two new layers nice white new shell/scutes since then. I regard it as being my healthiest as the other two were purchased much more recently and haven't yet added to their size.

I have no natural predators for bristle worms in my frag tank where I keep my clams but I'm thinking that I should get something just to control their numbers. In my display tank the butterfly fish eats them and so even though they are present they don't reach plague proportions like this. Or maybe I should just keep manually extracting them on occasion just to be safe.

Although the other two clams weren't showing any signs of irritation I cleaned out underneath them as well. Here is what I collected from all three:

[ScubaSteve]

Yuck...

[fishoholic]

Wow crazy! I wouldn't put a butterfly fish in there though because most butterfly's eat clams, try a sixline wrasse, they are known to eat bristle worms.

[Starry]

Arrow crab, or maybe a dottieback?

[FitoPharmer]

Arrow crab are awesome bistol worm hunters. They can be a problem as well thought so use caution. "This crab has been known to attack crustaceans such as Banded Coral Shrimp, and may even attack small slow moving fish. All crabs are opportunistic feeders and if insufficient food is present they may pick at mushrooms or polyps searching for food." -live aquaria

[Mandosh]

I'm definitely gonna need a chaser.

[whatcaneyedo]

I already have an ornate wrasse with the clams but I think I'll get a yellow coris again. I used to have one and it ate bristle worms well before it jumped out. I now have a cover so that should no longer be an issue. The ornate likes to eat mini brittle stars which I think is part of the problem. Less brittle stars and no crabs or shrimp equals more bristle worms. I've also kept six line wrasse before but they can be territorial little jerks.

[Madmak]

Whatever you put in there better be big and brave!

[Snaz]

I think if i was sitting on top of a bed of those worms I wouldn't fully extend either.

[Ian]

Yup my melanerus wrasse has cleaned my 180 up .i never see these anymore