Miniwhinny Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 Y'all know that...straw that broke the camels back. Well this morning I got up took a look into my tank with the blue leds on and OMG I couldn't believe my eyes, coming out of my PRIZE neon green maxima was a giant bristle worm...the clam was surrounded by slime, released from the rock right away and had noting but the tiniest piece of flesh left at one end.(sad) RIP little buddy That stinkin' worm ATE my entire clam. I've had salt tanks for 18 years now and I'm wondering if I'm just wasting my time...y'ever feel that way? It's not even the money, it's seeing these magnificent creatures die in my care (sad) I have my bonded picasso's in that tank and I'm really reluctant to get rid of them...I really wub them. I'm almost thinking of taking out ALL of my LR - bleaching it ALL of any life forms and starting a 100% sterile tank. arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh (sad)(sad)(sad)(sad) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stylaster Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 ooh man that sucks, usually though bristle worms only eat clams if they are already dead or dying. A lot of the time clams will look fine right up till the last couple hours before they die. Sorry for your loss, sure was a beautiful clam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miniwhinny Posted November 20, 2009 Author Share Posted November 20, 2009 Well, that's another "marine rule" that has to be changed because this clam was in awesome health. Bright full mantle...as the saying goes..."happy as a little clam". boo-hoo. and what makes it worse is I have a life changing fear of worms and when I say fear...I mean we moved from the valley to the Central Oregon High Desert because in the desert there are NO WORMS hahahhaha. Y'know what it's like not to be able to walk up your drive after a rain storm in the valley because the drive if full of evil spawn worms. and now I know that thing is in there are so are my other clams....[language filter] (flame) (flame) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CCR Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 That sure was a beauty RIP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bitricker Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 Sounds like it's time for some revenge! I hear a six line wrasse or an arrow crab will eat them. The arrow crab will also eat a lot of things you probably don't want it too as well tho, so as always do your homework ... I'm new to all this so that's about as much info as I can offer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 Dang that sucks sorry to hear. I was sad when i lost my clam too. Bitricker has a good idea!! Revenge!! (enforcer) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miniwhinny Posted November 20, 2009 Author Share Posted November 20, 2009 Oh you guys are right..I'm ready for revenge. I'm ready to stick his little head into battery acid and slowly lower him into it over a 24 hour period while he dangles by his tail from some tooth floss hahahahha (clap)(rock2)(naughty) (whoa...surprised myself with that one hahahaha) Seriously..I'm mega ticked..I spend hours lovin' on that little clam and now all I have is an empty shell and the start of World War III. I guess I have to be grateful it wasn't the $300 Tuamotu I'm searching for lol...not that money is the point but a $300 prime rib feast for a worm is beyond something I can handle (enforcer) So I'm stealing hubbies prized Tupperware and I'm gonna make a small hole in the top and I'm putting in a nice tasty piece of seafood...sounds like it will work? This thing is HUGE (well to someone with a fear of worms it's huge...you know 4 inches can look like 2 feet hahahahha) and I still have a couple more clams in there (scary)(scary)(scary) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chewie Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 That sucks! Try an inverted coke bottle trap. (yes it has to be coke) Just cut the top of the coke bottle right where it transitions to the neck. Invert it, press inside the other end of the bottle. Bait, and wait. It takes a few tries. Most crabs, shrimp, and small fish aren't smart enough to find the way out. How long did you have the clam? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miniwhinny Posted November 20, 2009 Author Share Posted November 20, 2009 Oh thanks Chewie...I'll have to go buy a coke container as I only have diet root beer here (laugh) I only got the clam about a month or two ago. I've had the other two for well over a year but this one was not only my pride and job but my newest whah, whah. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reef165 Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 bristle worms come out at nite and are very vibration sensitive but Ive caught several of them just by waiting several hours after the lights have gone out then sneaking up to the tank with a pair of tweezers and a small flashlight . They spook easy but if ya spot one then turn the light away and get close with the tweezers then spot the light on it they freeze for a second and ya can grab it. don't squeeze to hard or it'll break in half and ya wont have the satisfaction of torture! But ya at the same time have the COKE bottle in there, It works aswell, Just remember that they are nocturnal and the best time to catch them is when lights are out so eather dont have the bottle in during the day or dont get discouraged if ya dont get it durring the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miniwhinny Posted November 20, 2009 Author Share Posted November 20, 2009 OKay...COKE bottle lol Cut in half, inverted and placed in the tank with a nice juicey fishfinger lol Loading my AR 15 assult rifle 'cus there aint no way I'm putting my hand in there if a worm crawls in that bottle (scary) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThePremiumAquarium Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 LOL their stings don't hurt that bad if at all. I pick them up on accident all the time when packaging algae and unless I have a cut or something I never really notice. They do leave a nice row of bristles sticking out of your finger though lol. Makes you fingers look like a cactus! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miniwhinny Posted November 20, 2009 Author Share Posted November 20, 2009 I don't care about the bristles...getting stung isn't the issue...issue is I'm TERRIFIED of worms...I'm talking seriously-in-need-of-psychiatric-help petrified. I don't know how I'm going to sleep tonight knowing that thing is in my house (scary)(scary)(scary). I'm going to turn off my lights and drape the tank in towels. I'm even making hubby cook dinner tonight cus I'm not going in the kitchen (scary)(scary) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThePremiumAquarium Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 :( that is sad. I hear you though. I had a teacher that had a death fear of birds flying over his head. One day a bird flew into our class and he passed out from the overwhelming fear. We actually carried him outside so that when he got up he didn't see the bird over his head and end up having a heart attack or something. I don't like clowns very much myself though I can deal with them as long as they don't get too close. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 If you get bristles in your hand use duct tape to remove them. Works pretty good. (Had one stick me awhile back when I was moving things from one tank to another) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThePremiumAquarium Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 Good idea Rick. Some people use a cup of vinegar to dissolve the bristles as another method of getting them out if the area is in pain or something. I personally have pretty good luck just wiping them off with a damp towel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miniwhinny Posted November 20, 2009 Author Share Posted November 20, 2009 Thanks everyone for the help. I'm really sad - this little clam was such a magnificent animal. Hubby tried the "just the law of the jungle" pep talk but I still feel bad. I really had no idea a bristle worm could completely wipe out a healthy clam over night to the point where there was almost nothing left. You often hear people say they're helpful scavengers but seriously after this I think I'd rather have a more sterile environment and keep my tank clean with high flow and filters....I mean I love pit bulls but I wouldn't be putting one in the field with my 2 1/2 ft high horse 'cus he'd get eaten and it would be all my fault.(sad) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 As someone mentioned above I would suspect that the clam was already dieing. I know it may have looked healthy but I would be checking all of my parameters and trying to figure out if there was some other reason the clam expired. Especially if there are more in there. Would hate to see the others die because something else was going on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mister crabs Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 if the coke bottle doesnt work theres another trick I was shown. take a piece of bait like you are using and tie it in a piece of that wedding veil material (toulle?) and then tie a string to it coming out of the tank. then when the lights go off the little bugger comes out to eat the bait and gets himself all tangled in the mesh and you just pluck it out and flush it. I saw it used one time and it took out about 15 worms in one baiting.... hth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miniwhinny Posted November 20, 2009 Author Share Posted November 20, 2009 As someone mentioned above I would suspect that the clam was already dieing. I know it may have looked healthy but I would be checking all of my parameters and trying to figure out if there was some other reason the clam expired. Especially if there are more in there. Would hate to see the others die because something else was going on. I really appreciate the advice and I know it's hard because you can't see my tank. All of my params are 100% perfect. Up to 9 pm last night this clam was looking awesome. If it was going to drop dead it sure didn't have a reason to as far as water quality...light...visible disease or anything else that I can think of (sad) There's been no difference in how fast it reacts to movement near it, position in regards to light, no sign of PM in it or the others. I feed the tank with Rods Original so nothing's been introduced...and everyone else in the tank is thriving. The two clowns don't even go near it so it hasn't beenn bothered. So frustrating DOH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgf86123 Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 if the coke bottle doesnt work theres another trick I was shown. take a piece of bait like you are using and tie it in a piece of that wedding veil material (toulle?) and then tie a string to it coming out of the tank. then when the lights go off the little bugger comes out to eat the bait and gets himself all tangled in the mesh and you just pluck it out and flush it. I saw it used one time and it took out about 15 worms in one baiting.... hth this works really really well, and another thing you can use is a pair of old nylon stockings, the real thin sheer kind, the worms cant get unstuck once they're on em, and you can then just pull the stocking out and take it out back and burn it to get your revenge, especially when you have 15-20 worms stuck to it. better yet, get your hubby to take it out, we dont need you having a heart attack LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miniwhinny Posted November 20, 2009 Author Share Posted November 20, 2009 HAHAHA thanks for making me laugh, I needed that lol. I think hub is enjoying this..he keeps looking in the trap for worms. I'll try the veil idea...that sounds like it would work well. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgf86123 Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 it works very well, and laughter is always good for the soul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miniwhinny Posted November 21, 2009 Author Share Posted November 21, 2009 I knew I saved that wedding dress for something (whistle) and LOOKIE...the little angel is coming out for dinner ...you have NO idea how hard it was to edit this pic with the worm in it lol Wish me luck lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisW Posted November 21, 2009 Share Posted November 21, 2009 I would keep the worms in the tank. They are great scavengers and they take care of the carcasses of things that die (as evidenced by it eating on you're dead clam). Dennis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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