I seem to have an Eunicid Worm

Discussion in 'Inverts' started by Dr. Bergeron, Mar 15, 2010.

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  1. Dr. Bergeron

    Dr. Bergeron Peppermint Shrimp

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    I purchased a few new things for my tank yesterday, one of them being a sand sifting starfish. I was watching the star make it's way into the sand last night when out from below my GSP, a huge worm extends to the sand, bites the starfish by one of it's legs, and then yanks him 4 inches back into the GSP where he got jammed in cave underneath!:eek:

    This means war. I've been reading up on how other people have gotten rid of these and I've heard everything from soda bottle traps working, to soda bottle traps not working, club soda, crushed glass, wine carafes etc.

    I think the worm is staying put under the GSP, so I'm going to yank that rock out tonight and give it a freshwater dip. Any idea if this will work? How long do you think GSP can survive in fresh water?

    Has anyone dealt with one of these things before, any advice?
     
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  3. inwall75

    inwall75 Giant Squid

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    Hopefully it's IN the GSP rock as opposed to UNDER the GSP rock. However, there's only one way to find out.

    Eunicids aren't fast, they're scary fast aren't they? LOL Since they are so big, you really want it to come OUT of the rock as opposed to killing him in situ. If he doesn't come out in 30 seconds I would take the rock out and suspend it over the water. You can spray saltwater onto the GSP and keep them alive.

    Every time I've caught them, it involved taking half the tank apart so I hope it's just a matter of pulling one rock for you.
     
  4. kcbrad

    kcbrad Giant Squid

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    I read if you drown the worm's hiding spot with club soda that drives it out. Dunno if that actually works, but it's worth a shot! Good luck - what a yucky tank mate!
     
  5. inwall75

    inwall75 Giant Squid

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    Yes, that should work. At the shop, I had 9 foot deep sumps for the wall systems so I always kept all creepy crawlies. They kept it clean for me.
     
  6. OnefishTwofish

    OnefishTwofish Feather Star

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    ok.....that made me shudder a little bit.

    Dr. B...i found one of those in my tank a couple months ago at 4 am when i looked in with a flashlight as I was up to get some water one night. Mine was attacking my snails - up til that night I could not figure out why the shells were piling up in that area of the tank - i had blamed the reef lobster at the time who resides in the opposite corner of the tank.

    I took my entire tank apart because it retracted into one of my larger base rocks.

    I kept the rock in a basin of fresh water and waited...and waited - eventually i found the corpse in the water a few days later. Victory at last, right?

    I went to pick up the rock? and ANOTHER ONE was hanging halfway out of it. The rock went into the dumpster - no way was that going back into the tank.

    Good luck - take action quickly and let us know how it went. These things are not fun.
     
  7. kiarah

    kiarah Coral Banded Shrimp

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    Is that the same as a brissle worm? Just googled it & it came up with a picture of what i thought was a brissle worm! Only asking cause i have a huge one of them wormy things in my tank but i left it alone as i thought it was a brittle worm & i read yjey are good scavangers........now im thinking that could be the thing that bit my star fishes legs off & took chunks out of him!
     
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  9. inwall75

    inwall75 Giant Squid

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    K

    They are a polychaete which means it is a bristle worm. However, they aren't what our hobby calls a bristle worm. What we call a bristle worm doesn't eat corals, nor attack fish, nor go after starfish.

    Did you see a worm attack your sea star? When stars aren't acclimated slow enough, they lose legs and pieces and dissolve and die. Nothing even touched them.
     
  10. xmetalfan99

    xmetalfan99 Giant Squid

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    Looks like he got to see the carnage...lucky guy.
     
    Last edited: Mar 15, 2010
  11. inwall75

    inwall75 Giant Squid

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    LOL

    I know he did see it. I was responding to K's (Kiarah) post though.
     
  12. xmetalfan99

    xmetalfan99 Giant Squid

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    oops...my bad.