Gigando bristleworm

mario420 · 02/24/2012, 10:47 PM

Ok, I have a few bristleworms in my tank no big deal. Just seen one that was 14" by about 1/4". I know there considered no bad but I don't want them any longer. I just bought a clean up crew from reefcleaners.org(awesome place). I am watching this thing attack new snails from its hole in the rock. Also I keep losing fish I know thats not the reason but right now it is the easiest to blame at the moment...Just lost my yellow coris 3 days ago.

With all this being said I am to big of wimp to try and pull it out by hand so I would like to by some sort of fish or shrimp that would have no problem hunting him down.

Open to suggestions.

MACHI_vallism · 02/24/2012, 10:51 PM

Try a Purple Pseudochromis, or a six line wrasse...or if youre looking for something else I believe Coral Banded Shrimp will eat them...i personally have a Purple Pseudochromis and i havent seen any Bristleworms in a while

nonstopfishies · 02/24/2012, 10:55 PM

I doubt any of those small fish would be able to eat one that big, plus if it is 14 inches that you can see it is probably at least double that in length. I would really consider getting it out. Maybe even pulling it's home rock if possible and drying it out.

SushiGirl · 02/24/2012, 10:56 PM

I don't think a purple psuedo or six line is going to eat a 14 inch worm.
Mario, it may not be a regular bristleworm if it's attacking snails, unless the snails are dead. Any way you can get a pic of its head?

mario420 · 02/24/2012, 10:56 PM

Pulling out the rock is a good Idea but i want to make it last resort because it is literally a base rock in the middle of the tank. I really don't want to disturb everything.

SushiGirl · 02/24/2012, 11:01 PM

I know how you feel. I have about 5 at least 10" worms living in my pistol shrimp's burrow, stealing his food. Big base rock, sand bed old enough to not want to stir it up that far down, and the worms are too long for the traps that aren't too long for the corner they're in LOL.

gmate · 02/25/2012, 12:59 AM

Probably a fire worm. As such, kill it with fire.

Flame_Angel · 02/25/2012, 06:01 AM

Set up a 2L bottle trap in the front of the tank overnight and just check it periodically. That ought to be big enough to catch the little bugger.

And when you do, take a picture and show us.

robs.mark · 02/25/2012, 08:27 AM

Awesome! I found an article a few years back about a guy in the uk who stripped his tank down to get one out and when he found it, man it was huge! I'll see if I can find it..

robs.mark · 02/25/2012, 08:35 AM

http://www.oregonreef.com/sub_worm.htm

There you go!

Flame_Angel · 02/25/2012, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robs.mark

http://www.oregonreef.com/sub_worm.htm

There you go!

Christ on his throne, that's a big worm.

stormrider27 · 02/25/2012, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robs.mark

http://www.oregonreef.com/sub_worm.htm

There you go!

Oh yea, that needs to go.

SushiGirl · 02/25/2012, 05:39 PM

The worm in the link is a Eunicid worm, which is what I was getting at if the OP can get a pic of its head. Eunicid worms have tentacles, bristleworms have bristles, and fireworms have a different head as well.

I pulled these bristleworms out of my old 38 gallon years ago, both times after a crash so it was easy to just pull the rock & discover them. Don't know about the OP, but a 2 liter bottle won't fit where I need it to go to catch my 5, which aren't this big yet but are working on it!

bristleworm1c.jpg
bristleworm5c.jpg

Agu · 02/25/2012, 06:05 PM

You need to determine what kind of worms you have before creating a plan of action. If they're common bristle worms you don't need to do anything, they're scavengers on the reef and the population can be restricted by not having excess food in the tank. BTW, dead/dieng snails are excess food and they're doing you a favor by cleaning them up.

Eunicid worm on the other hand are predators and need to be eradicated by any means possible.

Here's a pic from my bristle worm farm for reference,

robs.mark · 02/25/2012, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SushiGirl

The worm in the link is a Eunicid worm, which is what I was getting at if the OP can get a pic of its head. Eunicid worms have tentacles, bristleworms have bristles, and fireworms have a different head as well.

I pulled these bristleworms out of my old 38 gallon years ago, both times after a crash so it was easy to just pull the rock & discover them. Don't know about the OP, but a 2 liter bottle won't fit where I need it to go to catch my 5, which aren't this big yet but are working on it!

Attachment 179412
Attachment 179413

Yeah I was aware of that just thought you guys might find it interesting..

mario420 · 02/25/2012, 06:52 PM

It really looks like I have a Eunicid. I will make a trap and pull it out in the next couple days. If I am successful I post the pics.

02/24/2012, 10:47 PM	#1
mario420 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: chicago, il Posts: 94	Gigando bristleworm Ok, I have a few bristleworms in my tank no big deal. Just seen one that was 14" by about 1/4". I know there considered no bad but I don't want them any longer. I just bought a clean up crew from reefcleaners.org(awesome place). I am watching this thing attack new snails from its hole in the rock. Also I keep losing fish I know thats not the reason but right now it is the easiest to blame at the moment...Just lost my yellow coris 3 days ago. With all this being said I am to big of wimp to try and pull it out by hand so I would like to by some sort of fish or shrimp that would have no problem hunting him down. Open to suggestions.

02/24/2012, 10:55 PM	#3
nonstopfishies Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Milwaukee Posts: 685	I doubt any of those small fish would be able to eat one that big, plus if it is 14 inches that you can see it is probably at least double that in length. I would really consider getting it out. Maybe even pulling it's home rock if possible and drying it out. __________________ Dustin

02/24/2012, 10:56 PM	#4
SushiGirl Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Fort Worth, TX USA Posts: 8,267	I don't think a purple psuedo or six line is going to eat a 14 inch worm. Mario, it may not be a regular bristleworm if it's attacking snails, unless the snails are dead. Any way you can get a pic of its head? __________________ Visit my Homepage or "My Albums" (via Profile) for hitchhiker pics. Current Tank Info: 55g softy/LPS tank & 20L reef tank

02/24/2012, 11:01 PM	#6
SushiGirl Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Fort Worth, TX USA Posts: 8,267	I know how you feel. I have about 5 at least 10" worms living in my pistol shrimp's burrow, stealing his food. Big base rock, sand bed old enough to not want to stir it up that far down, and the worms are too long for the traps that aren't too long for the corner they're in LOL. __________________ Visit my Homepage or "My Albums" (via Profile) for hitchhiker pics. Current Tank Info: 55g softy/LPS tank & 20L reef tank

02/25/2012, 12:59 AM	#7
gmate MASC Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Littleton, CO Posts: 2,267	Probably a fire worm. As such, kill it with fire. __________________ https://www.marinecolorado.org/ 180, 90 and 50 gallon reef ready systems. Fragging & trading since 2010. Current Tank Info: 180g, 90g & 50g frag tank

02/24/2012, 10:51 PM	#2
MACHI_vallism Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Rochester, MN USA Posts: 6	Try a Purple Pseudochromis, or a six line wrasse...or if youre looking for something else I believe Coral Banded Shrimp will eat them...i personally have a Purple Pseudochromis and i havent seen any Bristleworms in a while

02/25/2012, 06:01 AM	#8
Flame_Angel Ready For Business Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Sutton, NH Posts: 596	Set up a 2L bottle trap in the front of the tank overnight and just check it periodically. That ought to be big enough to catch the little bugger. And when you do, take a picture and show us.

02/25/2012, 08:27 AM	#9
robs.mark Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Perth, Australia Posts: 1,461	Awesome! I found an article a few years back about a guy in the uk who stripped his tank down to get one out and when he found it, man it was huge! I'll see if I can find it.. __________________ knowledge is power! Current Tank Info: Lagoon Last edited by robs.mark; 02/25/2012 at 08:37 AM.

02/25/2012, 08:35 AM	#10
robs.mark Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Perth, Australia Posts: 1,461	http://www.oregonreef.com/sub_worm.htm There you go! __________________ knowledge is power! Current Tank Info: Lagoon

02/25/2012, 05:39 PM	#13
SushiGirl Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Fort Worth, TX USA Posts: 8,267	The worm in the link is a Eunicid worm, which is what I was getting at if the OP can get a pic of its head. Eunicid worms have tentacles, bristleworms have bristles, and fireworms have a different head as well. I pulled these bristleworms out of my old 38 gallon years ago, both times after a crash so it was easy to just pull the rock & discover them. Don't know about the OP, but a 2 liter bottle won't fit where I need it to go to catch my 5, which aren't this big yet but are working on it! bristleworm1c.jpg bristleworm5c.jpg __________________ Visit my Homepage or "My Albums" (via Profile) for hitchhiker pics. Current Tank Info: 55g softy/LPS tank & 20L reef tank

02/25/2012, 06:05 PM	#14
Agu Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Sarasota, Florida Posts: 30,279	You need to determine what kind of worms you have before creating a plan of action. If they're common bristle worms you don't need to do anything, they're scavengers on the reef and the population can be restricted by not having excess food in the tank. BTW, dead/dieng snails are excess food and they're doing you a favor by cleaning them up. Eunicid worm on the other hand are predators and need to be eradicated by any means possible. Here's a pic from my bristle worm farm for reference, __________________ Less technology , more biology . Current Tank Info: 30 gallon half cube and 5.5, both reef tanks

02/25/2012, 06:52 PM	#16
mario420 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: chicago, il Posts: 94	It really looks like I have a Eunicid. I will make a trap and pull it out in the next couple days. If I am successful I post the pics.