Stylochus matatasi Flatworm... Clam et al. eater  11/16/11
Hello WWM,
<Meg>
By perusing your site, I have determined that we had & may still have one or more of the Tridacna-eating flatworms in our tank.
<No fun>
I lost 2 clams in July, but also many snails. Then in August, I caught a HUGE flatworm. Grey-Brown, mottled. I figured it ate the snails but did not ID the thing at the time or else I would have realized it ate the clams too. We caught this thing and took it out but it broke into pieces. I tried to pick up all the pieces (at night, in my pajamas, holding a flashlight) but one may have escaped.
<Best to siphon out>
Forward to October. I still have 3 clams left. Start seeing dead snails again. Then another clam dies. Two weeks later, another clam, and two weeks after that, my last clam (this past weekend). All 5 clam deaths in hindsight match exactly the MO of what happened to other people's clams known to be eaten by a flatworm (by my research).
<Did you treat this system w/ an Anthelminthic... an anti-worm agent to rid it of this Polyclad?>
Took the last clam out and guess what crawled from his shell? A flatworm. This time I ID'd it, it is the clam eater.
I used flatworm medicine and did WC...but I think the medicine is really for planarians.
<Should work on/for all Platyhelminths...>
Will it kill the worm(s) I have?
<What is the active ingredient? Read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/fltwmchemcont.htm
and here: http://wetwebmedia.com/fshwrmidcuref.htm>
And how many do you think I could possibly have? Will I ever be able to keep clams again?
<Should be>
Thank you in advance for your response!
Megan
<And you for sharing. Bob Fenner>
Re: Stylochus matatasi Flatworm 11/16/11
Thank you Bob! You really set my mind at ease. I did use an appropriate anti-worm agent. And tank seems otherwise fine. And this was, if anything, a good learning experience. I am sure I will keep clams again.
Megan