Yikes, Wowzer, Worm ID

blue_eyes53813

blue_eyes53813

Well-Known Member
OK Ive seen this bugger before. Is it a eunicid(sp)? My pictures are not the best so I will explain it. The body is a light purple with segments about every 1/4 inch. It has bristles on the side that are all white and to scoop/pull the food in seem to expand to look feather like. This thing is in the same den as my yellow watchman goby and pistle shrimp. It does not seem to bother fish either. Anyway. Oh man.. I wonder how long it has been in there. I cant see the full body. In the pictures , that as far as Ive seen in. :smack:
 

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lcstorc

lcstorc

Well-Known Member
Is that the same kind as that huge worm? The name sounds familiar but I am not sure if that is where I heard it or not.
 
blue_eyes53813

blue_eyes53813

Well-Known Member
really???? Still yuck though... lol It doesnt seem to bother anything. that I could tell... hmmm.. I might see if I can catch it and put it in my fuge to be safe.
 
kathywithbirds

kathywithbirds

Well-Known Member
Yup, that's-a what we got in Mike's 14g. Huge, can't get it out. Need a copperband butterfly but we can't put on in the 14!!!
 
CATALYST

CATALYST

Well-Known Member
Totally a bristle worm. I have a big one like that too. It doesn't hurt anything. I saw him and a hermit duking it out for a hunk of shrimp. The worm won. Don't touch it. I wouldn't feed it on purpose...good scavenger.
 
JWarren

JWarren

Active Member
They will get pretty big! I had to dig one out of my 90 gal. six years ago cause he kept tilting the rocks from boring under them. He was 14 1/2 inches long. I just about trashed the whole tank trying to get him out.

A friend that owns a reef supply said he had removed one from a customers tank that was almost 2 1/2 feet long. I thought he was feeding me a line until I pulled that one out my tank.
 
blue_eyes53813

blue_eyes53813

Well-Known Member
Dentoid said:
That Damsel looks like he's about to take care of it for you!
Click to expand...

I wish the damsel would take care of it... Although it seems ok for now, I hope it doesnt start snatching fish or anything.


Its the weirdest thing. I always notice it with the pistol shrimp and watchman goby. The shrimp and goby must pull in alot of food for it. I will set the camera up and try to get a picture of all three.

The worm is spending more time out in the open. When I saw that worm. I had time to run up stairs. grab the camera on the other side of the house in a back bedroom. Take muliple caps off the camera , apply 2 lens, set up tripod and get the camera in focus and it was still out in the open. Probably a good 5 minutes. I could probably grab it with some tongs if I have too sometimes. Freaky stuff in my tank :smirk:

Thanks all.
 
charlesr1958

charlesr1958

Active Member
Going from the photo, it does appear to be a harmless bristleworm, possibly a Eurythoe complanata which I consider to be the unsung heros of a clean up crew and harmless. For photos and more information, please see the relevant section within my hitch hiker pages. Hope it is of use to you.

A Hitch Hikers Guide to the Reefs

Chuck
 
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