The scaryiest thing I've seen in my tank yet...

[spaulr]

I got home after dinner last night and noticed my candy cane coral had been knocked over in the substrate. It was leaning against a rock. I had only turned on one light in the room at this time and it was still pretty dark. Oddly, I could swear I saw something moving around behind, on top of the polyp. Poof! It was gone. I moved the candy cane back to its original position and sat there.

This crazy looking phosporescent red worm THING with long tenticles around its head and what looked like a tarantulas fangs popped out and started moving around - not all the way. It must be pretty big. Anyhow, I'm pretty sure its some sort of bristle worm. I've just never seen one like that.

I know bristle worms are OK in controlled numbers in a tank, but this guy I think needs to go. I'm not sure what he was doing around my coral, but it didn't exactly look innocent. Tried for a picture, but he was too fast and wouldn't come out with the lights off.

I saw about 2 inches of him - the roundness of a standard pencil. What's the best trap for these things. He's just too big to be trusted in a tank this small.

 

[LeslieH1]

Might be an eunicid and its motives might be non-predatory. Some of them go in for landscaping and frequently move around pebbles & coral frags. If your candy cane is not fastened to the bottom the worm could easily knock it down.

 

[mr_X]

i had a massive bristle in my display, and when they get THAT big, i don't like them in there. this one was night crawler sized. one morning i was able to grab him with some tongs, but he held on so well that i ended up ripping him in half.
if it's true that they regenerate-even a head, then he is a master at hiding now. BUT, i believe i killed him.
the "head" part i was able to capture, i threw in the fuge. immediately, very many bristleworms and those little shrimp looking crusties (misis?)came out of no where and devoured him.
i saw alot of those little pods around the hole where the other half still sat (in the display), and i'd bet that the "other half" was devoured as well.
- just thought i'd share that.

 

[spaulr]

After researching on the web and another sighting, I can confirm it is a Eunicid worm. The 5 antennae and lighting speed give it away. Unless I notice some problems with my corals or missing critters I'll leave him alone. Thanks for your help.

 

[shavo]

watch these bastard worms, mine eat my snails and spin them in spider webs, they are outta control in my tank. i notice they like the smell of formula B and when i put it in the tank they all stick there heads out of my rocks to get a sniff. I have alot of them. somebody here mentioned mud crabs and was going to ship a few up here to Mr. X and never did. please send a few mud crabs if you can thanks!!!!!

 

[blackcloudmedia]

Yea that was me about the mud crabs. I have to get more before I can ship them, I collect them from the local marsh. Plus he said I should wait until winter frosts are over before I ship to pennsylvania. Anyways Ive personally witnessed the mud crabs hunt, capture and eat fire worms and eucinid worms. I mean, with claws like these who couldnt catch worms :lol:

 

[mr_X]

what a handsome little devil!

 

[spaulr]

Is it possible for a Eunicide worm to eat a crab? I just got home to find the top shell portion of my 1.5" emerald crab and one of his pinchers in the sand. Everything else appears ok....when crabs mult do they loose their top shell and pinchers?

 

[LeslieH1]

When crabs molt the entire shell (legs & all) slips off and other animals will eat the molt. I don't know if an eunicid will eat a crab; don't remember ever seeing crabs listed as part of their diet in any paper but of course we don't know much about what a lot of these small critters eat.

 

[spaulr]

Thanks Leslie. I actually spotted him in one of his usual hangouts. I think he's probably hiding out until his new shell hardens up.