Please Identify

[Davidl919]

I walked in the house and before I turned on the hallway lights I turned on my tank light for my only piece of coral. To my surprise one of my snails was flipped, Dead and something was all up in him but it ran away from it at lightning speed. I took a seat and watch the 5 inch rock it crawled under and it wasn't there. It already was a few inches away going inside a hole in a much bigger rock.
Now at the rate of the legs going in this hole I would have to assume it was over 4 inches long I did not get to see it's head but at least the front part of it's body
I grew some balls and removed the rock from the tank and put it in some plain ro water and here is a picture of some of his body. This is neither it's tail nor it's head.

 

[deelucky]

looks like some kind of worm could be a big hungry bristle worm,thats just a poke nothing solid

 

[Davidl919]

I thought bristle worms were slow and I think this guy killed the snail. Well right now I am trying to get it out of the hole but it won't budge much and it changed color it's kind of blood red now ...... let me throw this snail out. Stinks.

 

[deelucky]

if the snail stinks then it could be a bristle worm being that they are scavengers it most likely sniffed out the dead snail and began to feast.oh bristle worms are very fast and dont touch with your hand cauuse there not called fire worms for nothing.

 

[Davidl919]

So then I think it was a bristle and I overreacted. Seeing it moved that fast was amazing. I'm a newbie to saltwater so please excuse the alarm It's just I saw the dead snail and a guy run away from the scene so fast and I instinctingly said I'm going to get you and now he's gone too and i've got clean up to do and my cat is giving me the evil eye for getting the bristle worm. Never a dull moment.

 

[deelucky]

if it was turned over i guess the snail that died was an astrea snail,am i wrong?a quick review on bristle worms there scavengers and they feed at night.they usually feed on detritius,left over food,fish waste and such.i believe though that a bristle worm will go after anything if its huge...but i never worry about them unless im moving rocks then there is a chance to get stung...evil looking cat...

 

[Davidl919]

Well thanks Deelucky and Daceman (over the phone). He was big but he's gone and don't worry about the cat he's got an identity crisis sometimes he thinks he's a dog, wants to go out for a walk, clears half his bowl in one sitting10 minutes vomits ( anorexia) and got a clean bill of health from the vet last month. I gotta find a cat forum for his butt. He's weird.

Thank again guys.

 

[Dace]

your welcome

Well thanks Deelucky and Daceman (over the phone). He was big but he's gone and don't worry about the cat he's got an identity crisis sometimes he thinks he's a dog, wants to go out for a walk, clears half his bowl in one sitting10 minutes vomits ( anorexia) and got a clean bill of health from the vet last month. I gotta find a cat forum for his butt. He's weird.

Thank again guys.

 

[deelucky]

np glad to help.i know about cats with issues, same goes for my dog.female dog :dog2:+male cat`=:bunnies: :meow: .very crazy around here.

 

[DevIouS]

Isn't that a Fire Worm? :scratch:

 

[lfsmarineguy]

fire worms and bristle worms are in the same family but not the same animal. I don't see any bristles on this guy either it's entirely possible, although slim, that it may be a eunicid worm.

 

[Davidl919]

Well don't I feel like the dumb butt.To me he was a young eunicid I wish I still had him ,that worm was incredidle even if just to keep him in my sump.
After googling the eunicid worm and reading it's description of speed (20ft per second), can grow from 6inches to 6ft in captivity, scavenger and reefbuilder (yep) it has been seen and reported to move corals and even paste them with a glue substance that it secretes and when I saw him to do the dash in my tank he definately left a slime. But it will eat your zoanthus. Well I live and learn.

 

[DevIouS]

FireWorm:

Eunicid:

Solbby's pet:
http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum/general-discussion/6417-worm-sale.html?highlight=Eunicid

 

[deelucky]

i stand corrected,learn something new everyday