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05-30-2008, 06:23 PM
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#1 (permalink)
| | Plankton
Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Iowa
Posts: 20
Karma: 1
 |  Big Meat-Eating Worm
I didn't get a picture, but was feeding my serpent star a big piece of krill that he dropped - a few blue legged crabs ran over to grab it but a large reddish worm with white fuzzy looking legs came out and took it away from the crabs and drug the krill under the rock. The worm was out at least 3-4 inches and wasn't completely out from under the rock. If it is eating Krill will it eat fish? Any ideas what it is?..or a site I can go to identify? Does that sound like a bristle worm?? Help Please !!  _________ Polly Plankton
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05-30-2008, 06:28 PM
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#2 (permalink)
| | Astrea Snail
Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Canton, ga Age: 37
Posts: 38
Karma: 3
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It sounds like a bristle worm to me. Probably just hitch-hicked in on your liverock. They will eat anything that they can get their hands on....
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24 Gal Aquapod. Coralife 150 watt MH. 100 watt Stealth heater.(2) Koralia Nano powereheads. Maxijet 1200 sump pump. 36lbs of live rock and 10 lbs of live sand. (2) false percs, , (4) turbo snails, (3) red legged hermit crabs, (1) frag of green star polyps, (1) frag of xenia, (1) frag of yellow button polyps, (1) frogspawn,(1)alveopora (1) green open brain, (3) zoo frags, (1) trumpet coral, (1) leather(toadstool).. | |
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05-30-2008, 07:30 PM
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#3 (permalink)
| | Plankton
Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Iowa
Posts: 20
Karma: 1
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Would they nab live fish too? I'm missing my twin spotted goby. | |
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05-30-2008, 07:56 PM
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#4 (permalink)
| | Zoanthid
Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: valencia,pa. Age: 34
Posts: 1,131
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yeah they are real fuzzy.you should pick it up lol.just kidding.the fuzzy things are sharp barbs that break off and burn in your skin.bristle worms also called fire worms as in your hands will feel on fire if you touch.
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55 gallon reef with 4x54 watt t5,29 gallon sump,red monti cap,1blue echinophyllia,trumpet,red lobo,2 toadstools 1purple and 1neon,gsp,xenia and yellow xenia,red ,many mushrooms,2 giant frilly shrooms,cabbage coral,yellow polyps,many zoos,1 orange and one neon green nepthia,duncans,cladiella | |
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05-30-2008, 08:11 PM
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#5 (permalink)
| | Plankton
Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Iowa
Posts: 20
Karma: 1
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It looked big. Should I try to get it out of the tank? It's in a huge bottom rock, of course, that everything is on. I'd have to tear my tank apart to get it out of there..and he probably moves around anyway. I've read about the traps, but sounds like they don't work. Do they bite? | |
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05-30-2008, 08:45 PM
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#6 (permalink)
| | Giant Squid
Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Meriden, Connecticut Age: 43
Posts: 3,929
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Fire worms!!! Those are the bad ones...not the bristle worms, unless you have a large population of them! _________ 125gal.w/Mag9.5 return(dual megaflow)>Mag7 pump Aqua Cev180skimmer.Wave2k Hamilton Reefstar(2)250watthqi(mh)pend.a Yellow, Naso Tang Red Lip Blenny Percula Clown Demoiselles Niger Trigger F. Wrasses Ceriantharia Orn.Shrimp and Stars Hermits Queen Conch asst. snails> Stars Zoos shrooms Montipora Brains Gorgonians Favia Turbinaria(large+small polyp) Acropora Xenia Tridacna (CroceaMaximaSquamosa) Leathers <35+75gal.reef tank as well> 
"IF THE PHONE DOESN'T RING...IT'S ME"  jb  | |
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06-01-2008, 02:15 AM
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#7 (permalink)
| | Giant Squid
Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: TN Age: 31
Posts: 3,598
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do a google image search on Polychaete worms. Find the one thats a 100% match. Remember is the markings are different or if there is a slight difference that means its a different kind of worm. There are 1000's upon 1000's of those worms. _________ Got Questions? Need Answers?
"Believe those who are seeking the truth; doubt those who find it." Andre Gide  | |
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06-03-2008, 08:13 AM
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#8 (permalink)
| | Feather Duster
Join Date: May 2008 Location: Baltimore, md
Posts: 211
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in my earlier saltwater tank I had bristle worms, I had to harpoon them to get them out the tank. I had a long stick with a needle at the end, turn off the light in the tank, I used a red light flashlight for light, put out some food and the hunt was on. Within 10min I could not believe how many I had in my tank | |
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06-03-2008, 08:19 AM
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#9 (permalink)
| | 3reef Moderator
Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Wethersfield, CT Age: 38
Posts: 6,193
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Every reef tank has bristleworms. You want them in your tank as they are great detritivores. If you have a huge population of them, chances are you're overfeeding. I would not remove these worms unless they get very large. | |
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06-03-2008, 08:46 AM
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#10 (permalink)
| | Stylophora
Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Louisville, KY ( derby town ) Age: 39
Posts: 977
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caution shouldbe used in removing any of those worms i.e "fire worms" they carry a nasty sting to them. ( wear rubber gloves when handling LR )
If he's to large, you can set a worm trap to catch him at night, fairly easy.
With that said , you seen just one, I promise ya theres more where he came from.
if your over feeding that may be why he's quite a large specimen.
But they are good to keep in your tank for helping clean up uneaten foods, the problem is they can thrive and multiply in epic proportions if your not careful. | |
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